If Stoops does not get to a bowl game this year, will he lose the fans?

[jnewc2]

After winning 5 (basically 6 with the robbing at Florida) last season, if Stoops can't find a way to win AT LEAST 6 this year, he will be gone. I guarantee you if you went and asked Stoops he would say the exact same thing (barring Towles and Barker both getting injured or something).

Winning anything less than what we won last year will be completley unacceptable for a program that is portraying itself as "on the rise".

If you accept anything less than 6 wins next year than I would honestly have to question the degree of how much you actually care about Kentucky football. For us as true Kentucky football fans, doing worse than we did last year when we return most of our key parts and have improved in virtually every single area except for defensive line, not progressing in the win category will be ABSOLUTELY unacceptable.

6 or more and Stoops will be around for another season. 5 or less and Stoops will be gone.

Sorry boys and girls, but that's today's college football. I know we want to give coaches ten years to show what they've got, but this is 2015, not 1960. Coaches get 3 years to show what they've got (in administration's that know what they're doing anyways).

If you aren't showing steady improvement in your third year as HC, then you get the boot in today's college football. Like it or not, schools that are serious about football (which I thought we were trying to be the last time I checked) use that time-frame.

Barring exceptional circumstances, anything less than 6 wins and Stoops has to be gone. Sorry, I like the guy, but if we aren't improving in year 3 then he has to be gone.

That being said, with all of the position groups on our team outside of defensive line improving quite a bit this year, I'm kind of confused as to why the thought of us only winning 5 games would even be crossing our fans minds when we're clearly going to be a better team this year.

I predict that we'll win 7 games this year. Stoops knows how key this year is, and this team is ready to make some noise this year.

Raise your expectations.

 

[Cawood86]

Year three in most coaches' tenure is the year when their teams start winning more. I expect that to happen this year. They have their type of players, the players know what to expect from the staff and vice versa. Could be a really great year.

 

[Blue Decade]

Stoops won 2 games in 2013. Then in 2014, he won 5 games and also came very close to beating Florida and Louisville on the road. In other words, the improvement in 2014 was obvious. Even though Kentucky's 2014 schedule was back loaded, we were a much better team statistically and competitively. Fans who were demanding the 6th win got their laundry in a wad at the end, but the numbers don't lie. If you look at our roster, it is much stronger and deeper now, than in 2013. Under Stoops, recruiting has improved by every measure. The fly in the ointment is the strength of the SEC schedule Stoops must play every year. I think this will be the year that Stoops gets Kentucky to a bowl. But if not, it wouldn't change the fact that we have a much better football team than we had in 2013. As long as recruiting remains strong, Stoops is on the right track. So it is unfortunate when people start a thread in April, trying to get people to thinking what it would take to turn fans against Stoops in November. Does the OP see how much better our roster is now, compared to 2013? Let's play the games, then everyone can look for themselves and decide if our team is going in the right direction. I think the answer is yes.

 

[CB3UK]

He will lose some fan support, justified or not. people feel we should make a bowl game and they're probably right.

I think we'll be bowl eligible. But if we arent, for me it depends on how it happened. Key injuries? Blowout losses? Losing games we should win?

Echos how I feel. I'm not going to be happy not making a bowl, but if we compete like hell every game and end up with 7 losses that are less than a TD each...that's progress. We had no business getting the doors blown off us by Tennessee last year. Georgia I can understand. Crap like that has to stop. That's the next step up the ladder, similar to what Arkansas did last season.

 

[C1180]

After winning 5 (basically 6 with the robbing at Florida) last season, if Stoops can't find a way to win AT LEAST 6 this year, he will be gone. I guarantee you if you went and asked Stoops he would say the exact same thing (barring Towles and Barker both getting injured or something).

Winning anything less than what we won last year will be completley unacceptable for a program that is portraying itself as "on the rise".

If you accept anything less than 6 wins next year than I would honestly have to question the degree of how much you actually care about Kentucky football. For us as true Kentucky football fans, doing worse than we did last year when we return most of our key parts and have improved in virtually every single area except for defensive line, not progressing in the win category will be ABSOLUTELY unacceptable.

6 or more and Stoops will be around for another season. 5 or less and Stoops will be gone.

Sorry boys and girls, but that's today's college football. I know we want to give coaches ten years to show what they've got, but this is 2015, not 1960. Coaches get 3 years to show what they've got (in administration's that know what they're doing anyways).

If you aren't showing steady improvement in your third year as HC, then you get the boot in today's college football. Like it or not, schools that are serious about football (which I thought we were trying to be the last time I checked) use that time-frame.

Barring exceptional circumstances, anything less than 6 wins and Stoops has to be gone. Sorry, I like the guy, but if we aren't improving in year 3 then he has to be gone.

That being said, with all of the position groups on our team outside of defensive line improving quite a bit this year, I'm kind of confused as to why the thought of us only winning 5 games would even be crossing our fans minds when we're clearly going to be a better team this year.

I predict that we'll win 7 games this year. Stoops knows how key this year is, and this team is ready to make some noise this year.

Raise your expectations.

A typical post from a clueless microwave fan that has no idea what it takes to win in the SEC.

I will be very disappointed if Stoops can not get the Cats to a bowl this season but to even think of firing him if he doesn't would be the height of stupidity.

 

[domino79]

Losses like the ones to Tennessee and Georgia are what will cause fans to lose faith in Stoops. That was just horrible football. Tough to watch.

 

[domino79]

After winning 5 (basically 6 with the robbing at Florida) last season, if Stoops can't find a way to win AT LEAST 6 this year, he will be gone. I guarantee you if you went and asked Stoops he would say the exact same thing (barring Towles and Barker both getting injured or something).

Winning anything less than what we won last year will be completley unacceptable for a program that is portraying itself as "on the rise".

If you accept anything less than 6 wins next year than I would honestly have to question the degree of how much you actually care about Kentucky football. For us as true Kentucky football fans, doing worse than we did last year when we return most of our key parts and have improved in virtually every single area except for defensive line, not progressing in the win category will be ABSOLUTELY unacceptable.

6 or more and Stoops will be around for another season. 5 or less and Stoops will be gone.

Sorry boys and girls, but that's today's college football. I know we want to give coaches ten years to show what they've got, but this is 2015, not 1960. Coaches get 3 years to show what they've got (in administration's that know what they're doing anyways).

If you aren't showing steady improvement in your third year as HC, then you get the boot in today's college football. Like it or not, schools that are serious about football (which I thought we were trying to be the last time I checked) use that time-frame.

Barring exceptional circumstances, anything less than 6 wins and Stoops has to be gone. Sorry, I like the guy, but if we aren't improving in year 3 then he has to be gone.

That being said, with all of the position groups on our team outside of defensive line improving quite a bit this year, I'm kind of confused as to why the thought of us only winning 5 games would even be crossing our fans minds when we're clearly going to be a better team this year.

I predict that we'll win 7 games this year. Stoops knows how key this year is, and this team is ready to make some noise this year.

Raise your expectations.

Just because that's "today's college football" don't make it right. It took Beamer quite a few years to get things rolling at Va Tech. You have to have improvements and signs pointing toward eventual success. Using some arbitrary time frame for determining if you keep a coach is silly.

 

[JasonS.]

After winning 5 (basically 6 with the robbing at Florida) last season, if Stoops can't find a way to win AT LEAST 6 this year, he will be gone.

Pump the brakes. We'll be better this season ... I have no doubt. But it's quite possible that every single other team in the SEC East will also be better. And that includes Missouri ... as their defense is looking dominant once again.

The teams we're trying to pass aren't standing still. Unfortunately, we missed the window when the SEC East was awful.

 

[UKWinsAgainYep]

A typical post from a clueless microwave fan that has no idea what it takes to win in the SEC.

I will be very disappointed if Stoops can not get the Cats to a bowl this season but to even think of firing him if he doesn't would be the height of stupidity.

Actually, I also believe if Stoops can't get us to 6 wins this season, his job could be in jeopardy. 6 wins is not asking for a lot in year 3. I do think Coach Stoops will not feel comfortable about his job security unless he can get to 6 wins this season. I don't think that's microwave expectations. I actually met Coach Stoops in Florida this year while in Siesta Key. He is super nice and I like the guy a lot.

Heck, I could even understand if we get 6 wins this season and 6 wins the next season. We could still be making progress as a program. I know how difficult it is to win in the SEC.

5 wins this upcoming season would hurt recruiting badly.

 

[Chuckinden]

After winning 5 (basically 6 with the robbing at Florida) last season, if Stoops can't find a way to win AT LEAST 6 this year, he will be gone. I guarantee you if you went and asked Stoops he would say the exact same thing (barring Towles and Barker both getting injured or something).

Winning anything less than what we won last year will be completley unacceptable for a program that is portraying itself as "on the rise".

If you accept anything less than 6 wins next year than I would honestly have to question the degree of how much you actually care about Kentucky football. For us as true Kentucky football fans, doing worse than we did last year when we return most of our key parts and have improved in virtually every single area except for defensive line, not progressing in the win category will be ABSOLUTELY unacceptable.

6 or more and Stoops will be around for another season. 5 or less and Stoops will be gone.

Sorry boys and girls, but that's today's college football. I know we want to give coaches ten years to show what they've got, but this is 2015, not 1960. Coaches get 3 years to show what they've got (in administration's that know what they're doing anyways).

If you aren't showing steady improvement in your third year as HC, then you get the boot in today's college football. Like it or not, schools that are serious about football (which I thought we were trying to be the last time I checked) use that time-frame.

Barring exceptional circumstances, anything less than 6 wins and Stoops has to be gone. Sorry, I like the guy, but if we aren't improving in year 3 then he has to be gone.

That being said, with all of the position groups on our team outside of defensive line improving quite a bit this year, I'm kind of confused as to why the thought of us only winning 5 games would even be crossing our fans minds when we're clearly going to be a better team this year.

I predict that we'll win 7 games this year. Stoops knows how key this year is, and this team is ready to make some noise this year.

Raise your expectations.

That is ludicrous. I guarantee you he won't be gone after this season barring any circumstances of what happens on the field. This is not a make or break season for Stoops.

 

[bigbluedon]

He will lose only the stupid ones who don't realize how long a total rebuild takes. And believe me we have plenty of those.

 

[jnewc2]

A typical post from a clueless microwave fan that has no idea what it takes to win in the SEC.

I will be very disappointed if Stoops can not get the Cats to a bowl this season but to even think of firing him if he doesn't would be the height of stupidity.

I've forgotten more about football than you'll ever know my friend.

I wish I could describe in words the disdain that I have for "fans" such as yourself (which are more than likely basketball-first guys) who are always happy with mediocrity.

"Wait till next year!"

"You're expecting too much!"

It is people like YOU and like-minded individuals that have kept this program as a perennial doormat over the years.

Raise your expectations man, my goodness. These coaches are getting paid millions upon millions upon millions of dollars TO WIN (heck, at this school they get paid that much just to be competitive). That's all our fans want..a competitive product that wins as many as they lose. Haha, I mean I feel pathetic even having to justify expecting to win half of our games as a fan, because I know that fans from other fanbases in the SEC are looking at this right now and laughing at just how low our expectations are.

You see, it's threads like this that cause us to be labeled a "basketball school".

I would bet all of the money that I have right now that you were one of those clamoring to just give Joker "more time" at the end of his tenure.

"Just one or two more years!"

"You all are microwave fans!"

You all know who you were out there, because I remember criticizing Joker during his final season and it is eerie just how similar some of the "microwave" fans comments are from now to then. Heck, we even heard it from our own AD at the end of the Joker tenure.

Do you realize that when fans from other SEC teams look at our message boards and see our own fans criticizing our fellow UK fans for "expecting too much" when they expect a .500 record in year 3 they laugh their heads off? It would be one thing if we were expecting an SEC title in year 3, but there is no reason in the world that UK football fans shouldn't be able to be disappointed about a head coach only winning 5 games in his third season as head coach. At any other school in the SEC (outside of Vandy) a coach will be fired in year 3 if he hasn't gotten to 6 wins yet in his tenure (and most will be fired even if they do). Plain and simple. Done. Is that so hard to understand? If you want to compete with the SEC you better start thinking like them my friend. Unless, that is, you're fine with being mediocre, which I seriously would have to say yes with at this point.

I mean my gosh. Is our program really that awful that we are criticizing our fans for expecting a .500 record in year 3 under a head coach? My goodness man. This kind of thing makes my blood boil. I'm going to be so so glad when I can look back one of these days and say that I'm glad that fans like yourself no longer exist that keep holding this program back. Fans who are happy with just "being a UK fan" and celebrating each and everything that happens (whether good or bad).

You see, here's the difference between a "fan" (and I use the term loosely) like you, and myself. You look at a UK fan being critical and having expectations (and I use that term loosely since I don't consider expecting a .500 record in year 3 much as far as expectations) as not being a "true" UK fan. You consider being a UK fan meaning that you have to agree with each and everything that a coaching staff does. I'm sorry my friend, but that's not called being a fan, that's called being blind and looking at everything through blue-tinted glasses.

My gosh man, enough is enough. UK football fans have went through this stuff for too long. We're tired of losing. We're not asking for championships, we're just asking to be halfway competitive. I assure you that's not too much to ask. Get out of Kentucky. Travel around a little bit. Talk to some SEC fans outside of Vandy. A .500 record in year 3 is about as low as expectations are going to come in college football brother.

Kentucky football fans are the most loyal fans in the sporting world, and they DESERVE a winning product. Asking for more than 5 wins in a coaches third season isn't too much to ask, I promise you. The fact that anyone could call a UK football fan a "microwave fan" at this point is one of the most idiotic statements a human being could ever make, and frankly it makes me really, really mad because I know how much disappointment true UK football fans have endured over the years.

It would be like calling an Alabama BASKETBALL fan who asks for a .500 record at a minimum a "microwave fan" who expects too much. Do you realize how asinine that statement sounds? I mean, do you honestly care about UK football? Be honest with me. How can you really like and care about UK football and be happy with 5 wins in a coaches third season when he did just as good if not better in the previous season? You act like I'm expecting an SEC championship or something.

If you don't care about Kentucky football, and are always convincing yourself to be satisfied with mediocrity that's fine, but keep your toxic beliefs to yourself, because all your doing is setting this program back for years and perhaps decades, and infecting UK football fans that actually deserve a competitive team with your beliefs.

If it were up to fans like you Joker Phillips would still be running this program into the ground right now and Tubby Smith would still be the basketball coach (well maybe not Tubby since I suspect most of our fans have slightly higher expectations for basketball and won't accept mediocrity).

Go tell a Georgia, Florida, and Tennessee fan how the UK football fanbase is filled with "microwave" fans that expect too much of the program and I promise they're going to look at you like you're insane. Go tell an Auburn basketball fan or a North Carolina football fan that their expectations are too high and try not to get laughed out of the room.

You want to know the kicker? If you went and told Coach Stoops that a Kentucky football fan is a "microwave fan" for expecting 6 wins in year 3, he would laugh in your face. You see, he's not from around this area and he expects to win and he expects fans to be MAD when he doesn't win. He's not used to this whole idea of accepting losses like we are around here.

I remember there was a quote from last season that Coach Stoops was dreading going out in public around Lexington at the end of the season because he was expecting Kentucky fans to be disappointed/mad at him after the disappointing end to the season, but I remember he said he was basically shocked that the fanbase seemed to be completely fine and that everyone was friendly and nice and patting him on the back and telling him good job after such a disappointing end to the season.

I just remember that quote stuck out in my mind because it describes so many of our "fans" such as yourself in a nutshell, and it's just so telling of why our program has been where it's at for so long. Our own coach knows that 5 wins in year 2 isn't good enough, but our fans don't. Our own coach knows that fans should be angry and critical of a coaching staff after a 5-7 season, but our fans don't. How crazy is that? I mean seriously, our own coach is basically saying that he can't believe how low our expectations are. If that isn't a wake up call, I don't know what is. At other schools coaches have to tell fans to lower their expectations; around here a guy that has millions of dollars and a career riding on coaching a team is surprised at how low of a standard he's being held to. That's a little shocking to say the least.

Whether we want to admit it or not, in every sport, the fans' expectations eventually translate to what kind of team will end up on the field. It never fails, the fans' with the highest expectations routinely end up being the most successful programs. There's a reason for that.

Fans put pressure on administrators and in turn that pressure causes administrators to invest in the program, make solid coaching hires, and apply pressure to coaches in order to be successful. It's a circle, but it all starts with fans and their expectations. Our fans' expectations in the end are what translate to wins and losses on the field. I promise you. If you don't accept losing, then guess what? The administration is eventually going to get the picture (or be fired) and that's when real change is made.

So yeah, that's why I get so mad at "fans" such as yourself who are not only happy with losing more games than you win, but you feel it necessary to criticize others that only ask to be mediocre. I'm sorry man, but that's just wrong. Enough is enough. Fans like you can't bully those of us that want this program to be successful into being silent anymore by saying we expect too much too soon. That line isn't going to work anymore, sorry. That line might have worked before we actually woke up and started taking football somewhat serious, but not now.

We've had enough of this stuff and now we actually have a coach that can get us over the hump (as long as we don't celebrate/accept failure and criticize our fellow fans for having expectations that are lower than every team in our conference outside of Vandy.

This program is halfway serious about football now. You better get used to that idea, because there are a whole lot more "microwave" fans out there just like me that expect .500 records in a coach's third season when he basically went 6-6 the previous season with a much less capable team.

 

[Sawnee Cat]

UK is not going to fire Coach Stoops after three years unless there is a complete collapse ON and OFF the field. I don't se that happening. I like the direction our team is headed and feel we can break a couple of bad losing streaks if we have our game head on when we play them. One is Florida and the second is Louisville. Both games are winnable. I think our offense is in very good hands but I do want to see a whole lot of improvement on defense. All in all, I am confident of our future and will make plans to attend a bowl game somewhere.

 

[UKWinsAgainYep]

if we don't get to 6 wins this season, yes he will lose some fans and recruits. 6 wins is not asking for a lot.

 

[ORCAT]

I think he would lose some fans' support if he finishes with 5 or fewer losses but, if he stays more competitive this year I feel many will stay right with him and give him this year as a springboard to bigger success next year. I don't think this year is a make or break season just yet for him. However, if he finishes with another horrible tailspin at the end of the season like last year then I could see way more fans jumping ship and passing on renewing season tickets, etc. He will have to prove something this season but it may not require a bowl game to maintain the support.

 

[Chuckinden]

I've forgotten more about football than you'll ever know my friend.

I wish I could describe in words the disdain that I have for "fans" such as yourself (which are more than likely basketball-first guys) who are always happy with mediocrity.

"Wait till next year!"

"You're expecting too much!"

It is people like YOU and like-minded individuals that have kept this program as a perennial doormat over the years.

Raise your expectations man, my goodness. These coaches are getting paid millions upon millions upon millions of dollars TO WIN (heck, at this school they get paid that much just to be competitive). That's all our fans want..a competitive product that wins as many as they lose. Haha, I mean I feel pathetic even having to justify expecting to win half of our games as a fan, because I know that fans from other fanbases in the SEC are looking at this right now and laughing at just how low our expectations are.

You see, it's threads like this that cause us to be labeled a "basketball school".

I would bet all of the money that I have right now that you were one of those clamoring to just give Joker "more time" at the end of his tenure.

"Just one or two more years!"

"You all are microwave fans!"

You all know who you were out there, because I remember criticizing Joker during his final season and it is eerie just how similar some of the "microwave" fans comments are from now to then. Heck, we even heard it from our own AD at the end of the Joker tenure.

Do you realize that when fans from other SEC teams look at our message boards and see our own fans criticizing our fellow UK fans for "expecting too much" when they expect a .500 record in year 3 they laugh their heads off? It would be one thing if we were expecting an SEC title in year 3, but there is no reason in the world that UK football fans shouldn't be able to be disappointed about a head coach only winning 5 games in his third season as head coach. At any other school in the SEC (outside of Vandy) a coach will be fired in year 3 if he hasn't gotten to 6 wins yet in his tenure (and most will be fired even if they do). Plain and simple. Done. Is that so hard to understand? If you want to compete with the SEC you better start thinking like them my friend. Unless, that is, you're fine with being mediocre, which I seriously would have to say yes with at this point.

I mean my gosh. Is our program really that awful that we are criticizing our fans for expecting a .500 record in year 3 under a head coach? My goodness man. This kind of thing makes my blood boil. I'm going to be so so glad when I can look back one of these days and say that I'm glad that fans like yourself no longer exist that keep holding this program back. Fans who are happy with just "being a UK fan" and celebrating each and everything that happens (whether good or bad).

You see, here's the difference between a "fan" (and I use the term loosely) like you, and myself. You look at a UK fan being critical and having expectations (and I use that term loosely since I don't consider expecting a .500 record in year 3 much as far as expectations) as not being a "true" UK fan. You consider being a UK fan meaning that you have to agree with each and everything that a coaching staff does. I'm sorry my friend, but that's not called being a fan, that's called being blind and looking at everything through blue-tinted glasses.

My gosh man, enough is enough. UK football fans have went through this stuff for too long. We're tired of losing. We're not asking for championships, we're just asking to be halfway competitive. I assure you that's not too much to ask. Get out of Kentucky. Travel around a little bit. Talk to some SEC fans outside of Vandy. A .500 record in year 3 is about as low as expectations are going to come in college football brother.

Kentucky football fans are the most loyal fans in the sporting world, and they DESERVE a winning product. Asking for more than 5 wins in a coaches third season isn't too much to ask, I promise you. The fact that anyone could call a UK football fan a "microwave fan" at this point is one of the most idiotic statements a human being could ever make, and frankly it makes me really, really mad because I know how much disappointment true UK football fans have endured over the years.

It would be like calling an Alabama BASKETBALL fan who asks for a .500 record at a minimum a "microwave fan" who expects too much. Do you realize how asinine that statement sounds? I mean, do you honestly care about UK football? Be honest with me. How can you really like and care about UK football and be happy with 5 wins in a coaches third season when he did just as good if not better in the previous season? You act like I'm expecting an SEC championship or something.

If you don't care about Kentucky football, and are always convincing yourself to be satisfied with mediocrity that's fine, but keep your toxic beliefs to yourself, because all your doing is setting this program back for years and perhaps decades, and infecting UK football fans that actually deserve a competitive team with your beliefs.

If it were up to fans like you Joker Phillips would still be running this program into the ground right now and Tubby Smith would still be the basketball coach (well maybe not Tubby since I suspect most of our fans have slightly higher expectations for basketball and won't accept mediocrity).

Go tell a Georgia, Florida, and Tennessee fan how the UK football fanbase is filled with "microwave" fans that expect too much of the program and I promise they're going to look at you like you're insane. Go tell an Auburn basketball fan or a North Carolina football fan that their expectations are too high and try not to get laughed out of the room.

You want to know the kicker? If you went and told Coach Stoops that a Kentucky football fan is a "microwave fan" for expecting 6 wins in year 3, he would laugh in your face. You see, he's not from around this area and he expects to win and he expects fans to be MAD when he doesn't win. He's not used to this whole idea of accepting losses like we are around here.

I remember there was a quote from last season that Coach Stoops was dreading going out in public around Lexington at the end of the season because he was expecting Kentucky fans to be disappointed/mad at him after the disappointing end to the season like they are at other schools that he's been around, but I remember he said he was basically shocked that the fanbase seemed to be completely fine and that everyone was friendly and nice and telling him good job after such a disappointing end to the season.

I just remember that quote stuck out in my mind because it describes so many of our "fans" such as yourself in a nutshell, and it's just so telling of why our program has been where it's at for so long. Our own coach knows that 5 wins in year 2 isn't good enough, but our fans don't. How crazy is that? I mean seriously, our own coach is basically saying that he can't believe how low our expectations are. If that isn't a wake up call, I don't know what is.

Whether we want to admit it or not, in every sport, the fans' expectations eventually translate to what kind of team will end up on the field. It never fails, the fans' with the highest expectations routinely end up being the most successful programs. There's a reason for that.

Fans put pressure on administrators and in turn that pressure causes administrators to invest in the program, make solid coaching hires, and apply pressure to coaches in order to be successful. It's a circle, but it all starts with fans and their expectations. Our fans expectations in the end are what translate to wins and losses on the field. I promise you. If you don't accept losing, then guess what? The administration is eventually going to get the picture (or be fired from the pressure the fans apply) and that's when real change is made.

So yeah, that's why I get so mad at "fans" such as yourself who are not only happy with losing more games than you win, but you feel it necessary to criticize others that only ask to be mediocre. I'm sorry man, but that's wrong. Enough is enough. Fans like you can't bully us that want this program to be successful into being silent anymore by saying we expect too much too soon. We've had enough of this stuff and we actually have a coach that can get us over the hump. This program is serious about football now. You better get used to the idea because there's a whole lot more "microwave" fans out there that expect .500 records just like me.

You didn't have to write a novel that I'm sure no one took the time to read. There is nothing wrong with wanting more results, but to say Stoops should be gone this year if we don't make a bowl is ludicrous.

 

[sluggercatfan]

To me our success or lack thereof will all depend on our ability to stop people. If our defense can just become average, which should not be asking to much since Stoops is a defensive guy, then we should have the offensive talent to have a good year.

I will disagree a little as I think it is important to have a good defense, but if we don't score 30+ pts a game against sec schools and Otis then we will not be successful...

 

[NavyCat88]

I've forgotten more about football than you'll ever know my friend.

I wish I could describe in words the disdain that I have for "fans" such as yourself (which are more than likely basketball-first guys) who are always happy with mediocrity.

"Wait till next year!"

"You're expecting too much!"

It is people like YOU and like-minded individuals that have kept this program as a perennial doormat over the years.

Raise your expectations man, my goodness. These coaches are getting paid millions upon millions upon millions of dollars TO WIN (heck, at this school they get paid that much just to be competitive). That's all our fans want..a competitive product that wins as many as they lose. Haha, I mean I feel pathetic even having to justify expecting to win half of our games as a fan, because I know that fans from other fanbases in the SEC are looking at this right now and laughing at just how low our expectations are.

You see, it's threads like this that cause us to be labeled a "basketball school".

I would bet all of the money that I have right now that you were one of those clamoring to just give Joker "more time" at the end of his tenure.

"Just one or two more years!"

"You all are microwave fans!"

You all know who you were out there, because I remember criticizing Joker during his final season and it is eerie just how similar some of the "microwave" fans comments are from now to then. Heck, we even heard it from our own AD at the end of the Joker tenure.

Do you realize that when fans from other SEC teams look at our message boards and see our own fans criticizing our fellow UK fans for "expecting too much" when they expect a .500 record in year 3 they laugh their heads off? It would be one thing if we were expecting an SEC title in year 3, but there is no reason in the world that UK football fans shouldn't be able to be disappointed about a head coach only winning 5 games in his third season as head coach. At any other school in the SEC (outside of Vandy) a coach will be fired in year 3 if he hasn't gotten to 6 wins yet in his tenure (and most will be fired even if they do). Plain and simple. Done. Is that so hard to understand? If you want to compete with the SEC you better start thinking like them my friend. Unless, that is, you're fine with being mediocre, which I seriously would have to say yes with at this point.

I mean my gosh. Is our program really that awful that we are criticizing our fans for expecting a .500 record in year 3 under a head coach? My goodness man. This kind of thing makes my blood boil. I'm going to be so so glad when I can look back one of these days and say that I'm glad that fans like yourself no longer exist that keep holding this program back. Fans who are happy with just "being a UK fan" and celebrating each and everything that happens (whether good or bad).

You see, here's the difference between a "fan" (and I use the term loosely) like you, and myself. You look at a UK fan being critical and having expectations (and I use that term loosely since I don't consider expecting a .500 record in year 3 much as far as expectations) as not being a "true" UK fan. You consider being a UK fan meaning that you have to agree with each and everything that a coaching staff does. I'm sorry my friend, but that's not called being a fan, that's called being blind and looking at everything through blue-tinted glasses.

My gosh man, enough is enough. UK football fans have went through this stuff for too long. We're tired of losing. We're not asking for championships, we're just asking to be halfway competitive. I assure you that's not too much to ask. Get out of Kentucky. Travel around a little bit. Talk to some SEC fans outside of Vandy. A .500 record in year 3 is about as low as expectations are going to come in college football brother.

Kentucky football fans are the most loyal fans in the sporting world, and they DESERVE a winning product. Asking for more than 5 wins in a coaches third season isn't too much to ask, I promise you. The fact that anyone could call a UK football fan a "microwave fan" at this point is one of the most idiotic statements a human being could ever make, and frankly it makes me really, really mad because I know how much disappointment true UK football fans have endured over the years.

It would be like calling an Alabama BASKETBALL fan who asks for a .500 record at a minimum a "microwave fan" who expects too much. Do you realize how asinine that statement sounds? I mean, do you honestly care about UK football? Be honest with me. How can you really like and care about UK football and be happy with 5 wins in a coaches third season when he did just as good if not better in the previous season? You act like I'm expecting an SEC championship or something.

If you don't care about Kentucky football, and are always convincing yourself to be satisfied with mediocrity that's fine, but keep your toxic beliefs to yourself, because all your doing is setting this program back for years and perhaps decades, and infecting UK football fans that actually deserve a competitive team with your beliefs.

If it were up to fans like you Joker Phillips would still be running this program into the ground right now and Tubby Smith would still be the basketball coach (well maybe not Tubby since I suspect most of our fans have slightly higher expectations for basketball and won't accept mediocrity).

Go tell a Georgia, Florida, and Tennessee fan how the UK football fanbase is filled with "microwave" fans that expect too much of the program and I promise they're going to look at you like you're insane. Go tell an Auburn basketball fan or a North Carolina football fan that their expectations are too high and try not to get laughed out of the room.

You want to know the kicker? If you went and told Coach Stoops that a Kentucky football fan is a "microwave fan" for expecting 6 wins in year 3, he would laugh in your face. You see, he's not from around this area and he expects to win and he expects fans to be MAD when he doesn't win. He's not used to this whole idea of accepting losses like we are around here.

I remember there was a quote from last season that Coach Stoops was dreading going out in public around Lexington at the end of the season because he was expecting Kentucky fans to be disappointed/mad at him after the disappointing end to the season like they are at other schools that he's been around, but I remember he said he was basically shocked that the fanbase seemed to be completely fine and that everyone was friendly and nice and telling him good job after such a disappointing end to the season.

I just remember that quote stuck out in my mind because it describes so many of our "fans" such as yourself in a nutshell, and it's just so telling of why our program has been where it's at for so long. Our own coach knows that 5 wins in year 2 isn't good enough, but our fans don't. How crazy is that? I mean seriously, our own coach is basically saying that he can't believe how low our expectations are. If that isn't a wake up call, I don't know what is.

Whether we want to admit it or not, in every sport, the fans' expectations eventually translate to what kind of team will end up on the field. It never fails, the fans' with the highest expectations routinely end up being the most successful programs. There's a reason for that.

Fans put pressure on administrators and in turn that pressure causes administrators to invest in the program, make solid coaching hires, and apply pressure to coaches in order to be successful. It's a circle, but it all starts with fans and their expectations. Our fans expectations in the end are what translate to wins and losses on the field. I promise you. If you don't accept losing, then guess what? The administration is eventually going to get the picture (or be fired from the pressure the fans apply) and that's when real change is made.

So yeah, that's why I get so mad at "fans" such as yourself who are not only happy with losing more games than you win, but you feel it necessary to criticize others that only ask to be mediocre. I'm sorry man, but that's wrong. Enough is enough. Fans like you can't bully us that want this program to be successful into being silent anymore by saying we expect too much too soon. We've had enough of this stuff and we actually have a coach that can get us over the hump. This program is serious about football now. You better get used to the idea because there's a whole lot more "microwave" fans out there that expect .500 records just like me.

I don't always agree w/jnewc2, but all I can say about his post above is "spot-fricken-on!" Raise your sights & your expectations Wildcat fans…..As a program, we're alone on a windy corner in the SEC saying sub-.500 ball in year 3 is anything but totally unacceptable. Go Big Blue!

 

[BBBLazing]

Firing coach Stoops if Kentucky doesn't win 6 games would be the worst thing UK could do. It would completely kill any momentum the program has. It would also have a bad effect on UK's ability to hire a new coach. Who would want the job if a first time coach that drastically improved the recruiting at UK and continued to make progress was fired after only 3 years? I like what coach Stoops has done since he has been here, and I love UK football. But sometimes I think UK football is like the federal government, it is too broke to ever fix.

 

[BBBLazing]

Whether we want to admit it or not, in every sport, the fans' expectations eventually translate to what kind of team will end up on the field. It never fails, the fans' with the highest expectations routinely end up being the most successful programs. There's a reason for that.
.

I think you have the cart before the horse here. I think the schools that have high expectations have those expectations because of past success.

 

[why_not_kentucky]

I think he would lose some fans' support if he finishes with 5 or fewer losses but, if he stays more competitive this year I feel many will stay right with him and give him this year as a springboard to bigger success next year. I don't think this year is a make or break season just yet for him. However, if he finishes with another horrible tailspin at the end of the season like last year then I could see way more fans jumping ship and passing on renewing season tickets, etc. He will have to prove something this season but it may not require a bowl game to maintain the support.

How many time have we heard these words. Year in and year out it's the same old chit.

 

[UKWinsAgainYep]

I think you have the cart before the horse here. I think the schools that have high expectations have those expectations because of past success.

maybe you need higher expectations to get more success? Although, I suppose we could just follow the same pattern and vote for another Barack, Hillary, or Jeb.

 

[Oldtrainer]

CATS football will never lose me. My opinion, Coach need a minimum of four years! Progress was made from year one through years two. With eight home games I think seven wins next season is doable! Watched up close finial scrimmage and liked what I saw particularly size and speed! My UK football glass is always 1/2 full.

 

[Blue Decade]

I've forgotten more about football than you'll ever know my friend.

I wish I could describe in words the disdain that I have for "fans" such as yourself (which are more than likely basketball-first guys) who are always happy with mediocrity.

"Wait till next year!"

It is people like YOU and like-minded individuals that have kept this program as a perennial doormat over the years.

Raise your expectations man, my goodness. These coaches are getting paid millions upon millions upon millions of dollars TO WIN (heck, at this school they get paid that much just to be competitive). That's all our fans want..a competitive product that wins as many as they lose. Haha, I mean I feel pathetic even having to justify expecting to win half of our games as a fan, because I know that fans from other fanbases in the SEC are looking at this right now and laughing at just how low our expectations are.

You see, it's threads like this that cause us to be labeled a "basketball school".

I would bet all of the money that I have right now that you were one of those clamoring to just give Joker "more time" at the end of his tenure.

Do you realize that when fans from other SEC teams look at our message boards and see our own fans criticizing our fellow UK fans for "expecting too much" when they expect a .500 record in year 3 they laugh their heads off? It would be one thing if we were expecting an SEC title in year 3, but there is no reason in the world that UK football fans shouldn't be able to be disappointed about a head coach only winning 5 games in his third season as head coach. At any other school in the SEC (outside of Vandy) a coach will be fired in year 3 if he hasn't gotten to 6 wins yet in his tenure (and most will be fired even if they do). Plain and simple. Done. Is that so hard to understand? If you want to compete with the SEC you better start thinking like them my friend. Unless, that is, you're fine with being mediocre, which I seriously would have to say yes with at this point.

I mean my gosh. Is our program really that awful that we are criticizing our fans for expecting a .500 record in year 3 under a head coach? My goodness man. This kind of thing makes my blood boil. I'm going to be so so glad when I can look back one of these days and say that I'm glad that fans like yourself no longer exist that keep holding this program back. Fans who are happy with just "being a UK fan" and celebrating each and everything that happens (whether good or bad).

You see, here's the difference between a "fan" (and I use the term loosely) like you, and myself. You look at a UK fan being critical and having expectations (and I use that term loosely since I don't consider expecting a .500 record in year 3 much as far as expectations) as not being a "true" UK fan. You consider being a UK fan meaning that you have to agree with each and everything that a coaching staff does. I'm sorry my friend, but that's not called being a fan, that's called being blind and looking at everything through blue-tinted glasses.

My gosh man, enough is enough. UK football fans have went through this stuff for too long. We're tired of losing. We're not asking for championships, we're just asking to be halfway competitive. I assure you that's not too much to ask. Get out of Kentucky. Travel around a little bit. Talk to some SEC fans outside of Vandy. A .500 record in year 3 is about as low as expectations are going to come in college football brother.

Kentucky football fans are the most loyal fans in the sporting world, and they DESERVE a winning product. Asking for more than 5 wins in a coaches third season isn't too much to ask, I promise you. The fact that anyone could call a UK football fan a "microwave fan" at this point is one of the most idiotic statements a human being could ever make, and frankly it makes me really, really mad because I know how much disappointment true UK football fans have endured over the years.

It would be like calling an Alabama BASKETBALL fan who asks for a .500 record at a minimum a "microwave fan" who expects too much. Do you realize how asinine that statement sounds? I mean, do you honestly care about UK football? Be honest with me. How can you really like and care about UK football and be happy with 5 wins in a coaches third season when he did just as good if not better in the previous season? You act like I'm expecting an SEC championship or something.

If you don't care about Kentucky football, and are always convincing yourself to be satisfied with mediocrity that's fine, but keep your toxic beliefs to yourself, because all your doing is setting this program back for years and perhaps decades, and infecting UK football fans that actually deserve a competitive team with your beliefs.

If it were up to fans like you Joker Phillips would still be running this program into the ground right now and Tubby Smith would still be the basketball coach (well maybe not Tubby since I suspect most of our fans have slightly higher expectations for basketball and won't accept mediocrity).

Go tell a Georgia, Florida, and Tennessee fan how the UK football fanbase is filled with "microwave" fans that expect too much of the program and I promise they're going to look at you like you're insane. Go tell an Auburn basketball fan or a North Carolina football fan that their expectations are too high and try not to get laughed out of the room.

I just remember that quote stuck out in my mind because it describes so many of our "fans" such as yourself in a nutshell, and it's just so telling of why our program has been where it's at for so long. Our own coach knows that 5 wins in year 2 isn't good enough, but our fans don't. Our own coach knows that fans should be angry and critical of a coaching staff after a 5-7 season, but our fans don't. How crazy is that? I mean seriously, our own coach is basically saying that he can't believe how low our expectations are. If that isn't a wake up call, I don't know what is. At other schools coaches have to tell fans to lower their expectations; around here a guy that has millions of dollars and a career riding on coaching a team is surprised at how low of a standard he's being held to. That's a little shocking to say the least.

Whether we want to admit it or not, in every sport, the fans' expectations eventually translate to what kind of team will end up on the field. It never fails, the fans' with the highest expectations routinely end up being the most successful programs. There's a reason for that.

Fans put pressure on administrators and in turn that pressure causes administrators to invest in the program, make solid coaching hires, and apply pressure to coaches in order to be successful. It's a circle, but it all starts with fans and their expectations. Our fans' expectations in the end are what translate to wins and losses on the field. I promise you. If you don't accept losing, then guess what? The administration is eventually going to get the picture (or be fired) and that's when real change is made.

We've had enough of this stuff and now we actually have a coach that can get us over the hump (as long as we don't celebrate/accept failure and criticize our fellow fans for having expectations that are lower than every team in our conference outside of Vandy.

This program is halfway serious about football now. You better get used to that idea, because there are a whole lot more "microwave" fans out there just like me that expect .500 records in a coach's third season when he basically went 6-6 the previous season with a much less capable team.

LOL! Are you losing it? You seem convinced that your standards and your knowledge of football trump everyone else's. But your disdain for the school and for other fans with more patient perspectives suggests otherwise. Stoops is recruiting better than any other Kentucky football coach of the last 40 years. Stoops has brought in a new conditioning approach. Players are on campus for 4-5 years. Most players in Stoops' 2013 recruiting class will be here until 2016 or 2017. Players in Stoops' 2014 class, generally considered his best, will be here until 2017 or 2018. Most players continue to improve each year. That's why Stoops won't be judged in 2015. So your thesis is a reflection of your own impatience, and your impressions are selectively drawn to support your biases. In UK's contract extension for Stoops and his coaches, UK's effort to keep Marrow from moving to Ann Arbor, UK's $125 million renovations for Commonwealth and Nutter, all we see is a determined commitment by UK to retain and stand behind Stoops. On the field, Kentucky went from 2 wins in 2013, to 5 wins in 2014. It may not be what you want, but it was progress. Progress made on the field in 2014 mostly came on the backs of freshmen and sophomores who will be on campus and continue to improve for several more years. Here you say Stoops is good enough to get our program over the hump. But on other threads, you have carried on a tirade about 2015 being a make or break year for Stoops to keep his job. Make up your mind. At the very least, this means your conclusions are inconsistent and poorly reasoned, regardless of how much you may or may not know about football.

 

[Blue Decade]

I think you have the cart before the horse here. I think the schools that have high expectations have those expectations because of past success.

Bullseye

 

[Deeeefense]

I think you have the cart before the horse here. I think the schools that have high expectations have those expectations because of past success.

I don't necessarily disagree with that, but on the other hand, to me one of the funniest days of the year is the day after the first Saturday of college football when large numbers of fans all over the country are outraged that their team lost when they were sure that they would "be much better this year".

 

[fromthe25ydline]

If the university fires CMS for not bowling this year, as jcnews suggests, then we should resign ourselves to the SEC's role as complete conference laughing stock. Why would anyone fire a coach who is clearly on the right path to success? Maybe jc's attitude and the mind sets of others like him makes recruiting great football players to UK all the more difficult. Because rather than embrace the idea that the football program has had to rise from the ash pit left by JP's leadership, jcnews prescribes to the notion that UK operates on the same level playing field as every other SEC program. Wrong. Why do these totally unrealistic expectations exist in the mind of any fan familiar with UK football? If you want some reference, we allowed Bill Curry to loiter on the sidelines for 8 years while setting the program back 10 years.

 

[fromthe25ydline]

UK allowed Bill Curry to bury the program in mediocrity for 8 long years. Where were you then, jcnews? Curry is the chief reason this football program is 10 years behind the rest of the league. Brooks did his best to rebuild only to see Joker slide back to nonfactorship. Yet, Stoops only gets 3 years? Wow, what a tragedy that would be.

 

[Levibooty]

Anybody talking about firing Coach Stoops at this point is anticipating failure. If Mizzou used that near-sighted logic Gary Pinkel would not be at the SEC Eastern Conference Champion the last two years.

I'm sorry but to talk that way does not affirm knowledge of guiding a college football program as most anybody that actually works in football at the college level can tell you. This is the same logic bloviating fans used to suggest getting rid of Andre Woodson after his Sophomore year, Coach Brooks after his third year, Mike Hartline after his Sophomore year and his season ending injury his Jr year. It is not that sometimes this decision must be made, but the untimely and nervous lack of resolve exposed by its discussion at this point that is so revealing.

Optimal growth in any human endeavor requires sustained effort as opposed to erratic, emotional, and tumultuous change of direction. To be starting this discussion at this point of Stoops regime shows to me a lack of analysis and a nervous unsteady hand. A "fan" can be this way because they are not responsible for the outcome of these decisions and are nearly never accountable for the things they say.

After all what is being discussed here is not the lack of improvement in our program, facilities, or talent--- that would be an absurd position to take. What is being discussed in this thread is hypothetical failure to meet expectations in the future, in other words anticipation of failure. Lets start anticipating success rather than preparing ourselves for failure. That would be a change in the culture.

 

[Blue Decade]

Anybody talking about firing Coach Stoops at this point is anticipating failure. If Mizzou used that near-sighted logic Gary Pinkel would not be at the SEC Eastern Conference Champion the last two years.

I'm sorry but to talk that way does not affirm knowledge of guiding a college football program as most anybody that actually works in football at the college level can tell you. This is the same logic bloviating fans used to suggest getting rid of Andre Woodson after his Sophomore year, Coach Brooks after his third year, Mike Hartline after his Sophomore year and his season ending injury his Jr year. It is not that sometimes this decision must be made, but the untimely and nervous lack of resolve exposed by its discussion at this point that is so revealing.

Optimal growth in any human endeavor requires sustained effort as opposed to erratic, emotional, and tumultuous change of direction. To be starting this discussion at this point of Stoops regime shows to me a lack of analysis and a nervous unsteady hand. A "fan" can be this way because they are not responsible for the outcome of these decisions and are nearly never accountable for the things they say.

After all what is being discussed here is not the lack of improvement in our program, facilities, or talent--- that would be an absurd position to take. What is being discussed in this thread is hypothetical failure to meet expectations in the future, in other words anticipation of failure. Lets start anticipating success rather than preparing ourselves for failure. That would be a change in the culture.

+1

 

[UKWinsAgainYep]

Anybody talking about firing Coach Stoops at this point is anticipating failure. If Mizzou used that near-sighted logic Gary Pinkel would not be at the SEC Eastern Conference Champion the last two years.

I'm sorry but to talk that way does not affirm knowledge of guiding a college football program as most anybody that actually works in football at the college level can tell you. This is the same logic bloviating fans used to suggest getting rid of Andre Woodson after his Sophomore year, Coach Brooks after his third year, Mike Hartline after his Sophomore year and his season ending injury his Jr year. It is not that sometimes this decision must be made, but the untimely and nervous lack of resolve exposed by its discussion at this point that is so revealing.

Optimal growth in any human endeavor requires sustained effort as opposed to erratic, emotional, and tumultuous change of direction. To be starting this discussion at this point of Stoops regime shows to me a lack of analysis and a nervous unsteady hand. A "fan" can be this way because they are not responsible for the outcome of these decisions and are nearly never accountable for the things they say.

After all what is being discussed here is not the lack of improvement in our program, facilities, or talent--- that would be an absurd position to take. What is being discussed in this thread is hypothetical failure to meet expectations in the future, in other words anticipation of failure. Lets start anticipating success rather than preparing ourselves for failure. That would be a change in the culture.

I don't think hardly anyone is saying to fire Stoops. What we are saying is that if Stoops can't get to 6 wins this season in year 3 it will cause a big dropoff in recruiting and he will lose many fans. Especially when you consider we have more talent than we've had in a very long time in UK football. The talent gap is not as large as it used to be....6 wins is not asking too much for this season IMO. There is subpar coaching if we can't get to 6 IMO.

 

[vhcat70]

I don't think hardly anyone is saying to fire Stoops. What we are saying is that if Stoops can't get to 6 wins this season in year 3 it will cause a big dropoff in recruiting and he will lose many fans. Especially when you consider we have more talent than we've had in a very long time in UK football. The talent gap is not as large as it used to be....6 wins is not asking too much for this season IMO. There is subpar coaching if we can't get to 6 IMO.

Nonsense. First, the 2016 commits already in place assure there won't be a large drop off even if some defect. Second, there aren't easy wins past 4-5. Net, we could be much improved and still net 5. I think 6-7 are more likely, but not achieving those is not a reason to panic. And I don't think recruits would even if some fans do.

 

[UKWinsAgainYep]

Nonsense. First, the 2016 commits already in place assure there won't be a large drop off even if some defect. Second, there aren't easy wins past 4-5. Net, we could be much improved and still net 5. I think 6-7 are more likely, but not achieving those is not a reason to panic. And I don't think recruits would even if some fans do.

dude, recruits already panicked last year with our six game skid and started defecting. You're saying it won't happen again if we only get 5 wins again? Totally disagree.

 

[Levibooty]

Looks like some fans are panicking now. Recruits all across the country decommitted last year. That was not something that happened to UK only and we got several recruits after they had decommitted. Eli Brown decommitted from Vandy to become a wildcat. Chris Westry decommitted from Auburn to join the cats and Marcus Walker decommitted from Kentucky and then recommitted. The Dowell twins decommitted from a school before they committed/decommitted to us.

Fact is we have seen steady improvement since Stoops has been here so there is no need to fill our drawers and while stammering "but if" at this point. That's the culture that needs to change because other schools go through the very same thing and realize it is not something that happens only to their school. Here is an article by ESPN about this issue: Flipping Out

 

[vhcat70]

dude, recruits already panicked last year with our six game skid and started defecting. You're saying it won't happen again if we only get 5 wins again? Totally disagree.

DUDE, your so-called recruit "panic" didn't happen with just the string of losses but also with not getting Harris, DUDE. DUDE, are we going to have so many eggs in one basket this year again, DUDE? DUDE, I strongly doubt it, DUDE.

DUDE, how many 2015 commits would have picked new schools anyway if we'd won one of the last six, DUDE? DUDE, that's the only possible reason for de-committing, DUDE?

DUDE, we have the 2016 commits we have despite what you claim caused "panic", DUDE. Already knowing this, DUDE, why will they "panic" if we're 5-7 again, DUDE?

As I said, DUDE, nonsense (again), DUDE.

 

[Levibooty]

DUDE, your so-called recruit "panic" didn't happen with just the string of losses but also with not getting Harris, DUDE. DUDE, are we going to have so many eggs in one basket this year again, DUDE? DUDE, I strongly doubt it, DUDE.

DUDE, how many 2015 commits would have picked new schools anyway if we'd won one of the last six, DUDE? DUDE, that's the only possible reason for de-committing, DUDE?

DUDE, we have the 2016 commits we have despite what you claim caused "panic", DUDE. Already knowing this, DUDE, why will they "panic" if we're 5-7 again, DUDE?

As I said, DUDE, nonsense (again), DUDE.

I'm just like you in regards to the use of the word "dude". The people that throw that word around do not seem to understand it is a show of disrespect that the word carries.

 

[bradyjames]

Stoops will get plenty of time, due to his contract, I just hope it works out for all of us. I believe he will get it done but will be in year five.

Being honest, the majority of UK football fans have this idea of comparing our recruits and on field results to past UK teams/recruiting rankings. It just doesn't work that way. We don't play the 2012 Wildcats. We would drill them but we don't play them. Our recruiting is superior to anything Brooks/Joker did on paper. The question is will it be enough to compete with our schedule? Unless there is some scandal he will get five years. If you are going to compare past results you should at least acknowledge the East was far superior in 2006-2012 than it was in 2013/2014 so it is tough to compare.

We have shrunk the gaping hole in recruiting but it's still a hole compared to the large majority of the SEC teams. So it will take some coaching who can win with less than his opponent. That will always be the reciepe until you are sitting at the head of the table in recruiting.

My biggest fear is we go 4-8 to 5-7ish( year 3 and 4) and then in year five we go to a minor bowl. Then we follow that with three or four more years of 5-7ish football. That would be painful. It is out of our control and we just have to see how it plays out.

 

[vhcat70]

I'm just like you in regards to the use of the word "dude". The people that throw that word around do not seem to understand it is a show of disrespect that the word carries.

He/she knew exactly what he/she was doing.

 

[loucatfan]

I don't think he should or will be gone but I think he will have a much more difficult time of recruiting and the fan base will slowly erode.

 

[UKWinsAgainYep]

I don't think he should or will be gone but I think he will have a much more difficult time of recruiting and the fan base will slowly erode.

Totally agree. It WILL affect recruiting negatively if we don't get to a bowl(6 wins). Anyone saying otherwise is simply making excuses and can't see reality.

I guarantee you we could have had a better recruiting class if last season we got to 6 wins. There is no doubt recruits would have been intrigued if we had gone to a minor bowl.

But some of you go ahead and keep telling us that recruits don't care at all about going to bowls and they don't care at all about 6 game losing streaks to end the season.

Yeah, it doesn't effect anything, right?