So could no spring game help us?

[Levibooty]

Since we had almost no exposure from a spring game this year and we only have one OOC game before we get into our SEC schedule with SC then Florida and Mizzou is it possible that we can be a surprisingly improved team before our competition is fully aware of it? I don't think it would matter a great deal but could make a difference in a tight game. We did of course play both SC and and Florida well last year so they may be waiting for us but I just get the impression they regard those games as flukes rather than an improving football program.

 

[OFortuna]

Given our history/reputation I suspect most people view any SEC victory by Kentucky as something of a fluke. I'll gladly accept a quieter spring with less news/hype about "strides," "improvements" and how we look playing ourselves if this team will, to use CMS's term, just quietly go about "taking care of business." They will continue to be dismissed as a credible threat to anyone until they demonstrate otherwise; let's hope that begins to change this year.

 

[BlueRaider22]

Spring games are about 95% for the fans. Very scripted. Often A-teams play B-teams. Vanilla defenses who are often told not to kill guys 100%.

Opponent coaches will gather very little.....nor will they try. Our own coaches won't learn a ton.....they'll gather so much more info from practices and scrimmages.

Fans will infer a lot though. Often too much. The media feeds this.

 

[cats2010]

Spring games are about 95% for the fans. Very scripted. Often A-teams play B-teams. Vanilla defenses who are often told not to kill guys 100%.

Opponent coaches will gather very little.....nor will they try. Our own coaches won't learn a ton.....they'll gather so much more info from practices and scrimmages.

Fans will infer a lot though. Often too much. The media feeds this.

Not a fan of spring football game nor have I ever been. I just don't get why it is such a huge attraction anywhere or good for recruiting. It is a glorified open practice 5 months before the next real game is played. I always told my co-workers if the spring football game was being played outside my office window I would close the blinds. In know I am in a huge minority with that thinking but still doesn't change how I feel about it.

 

[Levibooty]

The spring game is just a dang blast. It is great tailgating and the game itself is just a great reason to have a party man! I have just as much fun tailgating at the spring game as I do the fall---and its FREE!!! What's not to like?

I was just wondering if not having a spring game with its spring hype would help some of our first opponents to overlook us because no media attention.

 

[BlueRaider22]

I like the Spring game. It's a great time to be had with the family and it helps break up the time between seasons. It also does well with fan support by hyping the program up.

But it doesn't give any help to opponents. Nor does it yield nearly the level of information that the fans feel it does.


So, no, it will neither help nor hinder opponents.

 

[JHB4UK]

if you are South Carolina's defensive staff, what tape are you watching to prepare? UK's film last year, for the personnel tendencies, and a bunch of West Virginia's assuming that is our playbook now?

 

[Deeeefense]

They don't put much of a package in on the spring games. It's just plain vanilla football with a lot of guys playing, so I don't think it's an issue either way.

 

[WildCard]

Since we had almost no exposure from a spring game this year and we only have one OOC game before we get into our SEC schedule with SC then Florida and Mizzou is it possible that we can be a surprisingly improved team before our competition is fully aware of it? I don't think it would matter a great deal but could make a difference in a tight game. We did of course play both SC and and Florida well last year so they may be waiting for us but I just get the impression they regard those games as flukes rather than an improving football program.

If the line of thought here is "no spring game keeps UK's stuff under wraps", no that will not amount to any advantage for UK. I don't think any team "scouts" opponents spring practice.

But that does not mean UK cannot put a improved product on the field early in the season. A couple of years of experience in a young staff plus perhaps a "better" offensive practice approach (i.e., pace) may result in a "surprisingly improved team".

As noted by others, early opponents are going to look at last year's defense and a mix of last year's offense and WVA's offense until there is enough 2016 game data to plan against.

Peace

 

[Poetax]

Since we had almost no exposure from a spring game this year and we only have one OOC game before we get into our SEC schedule with SC then Florida and Mizzou is it possible that we can be a surprisingly improved team before our competition is fully aware of it? I don't think it would matter a great deal but could make a difference in a tight game. We did of course play both SC and and Florida well last year so they may be waiting for us but I just get the impression they regard those games as flukes rather than an improving football program.

I do like the idea of no major injuries will come from NOT playing a spring game. We should start the fall season pretty healthy.

 

[Chuckinden]

Not a fan of spring football game nor have I ever been. I just don't get why it is such a huge attraction anywhere or good for recruiting. It is a glorified open practice 5 months before the next real game is played. I always told my co-workers if the spring football game was being played outside my office window I would close the blinds. In know I am in a huge minority with that thinking but still doesn't change how I feel about it.

Then I would have to question your fanhood of football in general.

 

[ukalum01]

Not having a spring game didn't help at all. At all.

 

[Levibooty]

Not having a spring game didn't help at all. At all.

I know I missed going to it. I'm just thinking in terms of keeping us under the radar with so little exposure before our first SEC game next year. That would be SC and our game with them is sandwiched between UNC and UGA. I'm just thinking maybe we won't be on their minds as much as we might be if we were hyped up a bit more than we are currently. I know it's a stretch, a long stretch, but it's a long time before we play a game and I'm just wondering and thinking aloud for conversation.