Tony Barnhart on UK
- Thread starter DACats86
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Thanks, lots of reasons for optimism compared to the several decades before this new era. Mainly because the administration finally got their their head out------got their act together AND we found a competent coach willing to take on the challenge.
It also seems that our staff knows how important it is to continue our progress, hard to guarantee anything in the SEC but we really do need to go bowling, and I would take a win over UL to get there, hopefully it doesn't come down to that.
Ridiculous that in 37 years we haven't had a winning record in the SEC AND have only broke even THREE times, and no, 07 wasn't one of them.
It also seems that our staff knows how important it is to continue our progress, hard to guarantee anything in the SEC but we really do need to go bowling, and I would take a win over UL to get there, hopefully it doesn't come down to that.
Ridiculous that in 37 years we haven't had a winning record in the SEC AND have only broke even THREE times, and no, 07 wasn't one of them.
lack of commitment equals lack of winning, you get what you pay for, and the emphasis (or lack thereof). Glad it is finally changing.
On NFL draft weekend saw a couple of tweets on SEC draft numbers from recent years, UK was 14th out of 14 over any period. Embarrassing, but makes the results understandable for anyone wondering why. Missouri had the most players selected in the 1st 2 rounds in the conference this year, 4. They never have highly rated classes, they develop the hell out of the guys they get and produce winning teams on the field & guys drafted.
On NFL draft weekend saw a couple of tweets on SEC draft numbers from recent years, UK was 14th out of 14 over any period. Embarrassing, but makes the results understandable for anyone wondering why. Missouri had the most players selected in the 1st 2 rounds in the conference this year, 4. They never have highly rated classes, they develop the hell out of the guys they get and produce winning teams on the field & guys drafted.
But surprisingly 06 was, when 07 was 06 on steroids as far as a better team IMO.
And if Vandy can have back to back 9-4 seasons I think UK can have similar success in coming years with Stoops.
agreed. if vandy can go 9-4 with what they have to work with, no reason UK cannot have a 10-3 season every once in a while. the fact that teams are trying to hire our coaches away is probably the biggest change over the past. show's how good this whole staff is that their names come up for jobs at bigger schools every winter. we've also given out raises to our assistants twice since they've been here as well.
I think Stoops gives us the best chance to win that we've had in 30 years. However, there are still some questions:
-Can he coach? Even with better talent, we still will be out-talented most weeks in the SEC. Do we have an advantage on the sidelines vs. most of our competition? To be determined.
-Who are we going to pass? I think we've passed vandy. Otherwise, who can we pass on the pecking order? UT was there for the taking, but Butch Jones is outrecruiting Stoops (still TBD if Jones is a good coach). South Carolina is slipping, and may be ripe for the picking after Spurrier retires, but certainly not a given. Mizzou under Pinkel doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Georgia and Florida are in talent hotbeds and will be good regardless of who is coaching there. If UK is going to be better than 6th in the east, I'm not sure who they pass in the pecking order. And the West is a whole other beast, just glad that our permanent "rival" is MSU, as they are likely to be at or near the bottom most years.
Bottom line, we are getting better. Bottom line, not sure where the wins come from. Need to start beating UL and USC and MSU on a consistent basis if we are going to be assured of 6-8 wins every year.
-Can he coach? Even with better talent, we still will be out-talented most weeks in the SEC. Do we have an advantage on the sidelines vs. most of our competition? To be determined.
-Who are we going to pass? I think we've passed vandy. Otherwise, who can we pass on the pecking order? UT was there for the taking, but Butch Jones is outrecruiting Stoops (still TBD if Jones is a good coach). South Carolina is slipping, and may be ripe for the picking after Spurrier retires, but certainly not a given. Mizzou under Pinkel doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Georgia and Florida are in talent hotbeds and will be good regardless of who is coaching there. If UK is going to be better than 6th in the east, I'm not sure who they pass in the pecking order. And the West is a whole other beast, just glad that our permanent "rival" is MSU, as they are likely to be at or near the bottom most years.
Bottom line, we are getting better. Bottom line, not sure where the wins come from. Need to start beating UL and USC and MSU on a consistent basis if we are going to be assured of 6-8 wins every year.
We don't have to pass anyone......but it would be nice. We can steal a win here or there from people and still not pass.
Well...not over ANY period. Over the past 1 year UK had 2 players drafted, UT had zero.
(you got to look for victories wherever you can find them)
"I just don’t think we’re that far off.” Josh Forrest
That's it right there in a nutshell and that's the whole point of this article. I think this could be a true breakout year for the CATS.
That's it right there in a nutshell and that's the whole point of this article. I think this could be a true breakout year for the CATS.
"Close. It is a familiar feeling for Kentucky football fans for more often than not over the past 100 years, the Wildcats have been just good enough to break their collective hearts."
Pretty much the most realistic and truthful statement about UK football.
Pretty much the most realistic and truthful statement about UK football.
I hope so, but the leaders of past teams would say the similiar things during the off and preseason. They need to work their tails off and prove this on the field next year.
Being on equal footing with Mizzou, SC jr and Miss St is really a realistic goal to set. Get there first and then see where we can go from there.
I think we firmly show in week 2 that we have in fact passed South Carolina. Everyone in college fball is afraid to say it since he has been so great and is so fun and colorful as compared to miserable shits like Saban & Meyer, but Steve Superior is at the end and probably going to end badly. I think USCjr declines even more this season than they did last year when we beat them. And his last year there they will be awful, like they were for Lou Holtz' ending.
No news here. Same issues/quotes/stats that have been discussed here on a near daily basis for years. However, his UK history was a bit off. He seems to think UK had to vacate their wins in 1977...
Its 1977 team was loaded with pros but its record (11-1) and SEC championship (6-0) were vacated due to NCAA sanctions.
UK was hit with sanctions but did not have to vacate any wins. MSU had to forfeit their wins that year. In 1976 UK decided a bowl in hand was better than the unknown of "next year" and elected to defer their post season ban to 1977. The Cats of course went 10-1 in 1977 including 6-0 in the SEC. Maybe the SEC prohibited UK from a "championship title" in 1977 but AL went 7-0 and was the de facto champ regardless. Back in those days you only had to play a minimum of 6 conference games but AL would schedule a 7th game as an unofficial tie breaker.
IRT another thought expressed in this thread I have long believed UK's road to improvement in the SEC must first pass through Nashville, Starkville and Columbia.
Peace
You're right defense, sometimes you never know what makes a light come on for a young team, sometimes its a tipped ball, a fumble that just goes your way or a defense or offense who is just getting it done finally on the field. A little luck early in our first SEC games could really take a hold of this team and let them gain that needed confidence you need when things look bleak.
Very realistic piece. I'm optimistic the D can improve enough to somehow win 6. That's as far as my expectations can take me right now, but it would still be another step forward. Another 5 or less win season, and things will only get tougher for Stoop's. As if they aren't tough enough already. I'm also hoping for a better recruting year. We obviously need those.
I feel, with out any doubt, this team will win six games. Year 3 has always been the year, at least in my mind, that we we see the turn around we desired when Stoops was hired. Year 4 is the year we can make some serious noise, but year 3 is going to be fun. 6 wins minimum. 9 wins are achievable if everything falls into place, we catch some breaks and we avoid injuries.
The holdout contingent on this board who still insist UK isn't committed to winning football ought to read the link in the OP. UK is fully committed to winning football on every level.
Good thing coaches don't think like you. Our coaches are committed to winning every game.
So are the fans, but you also have to be realistic in expectations. The chances of UK, or most SEC teams, ever going undefeated in a season are slim with how tough this league is year in and year out. AU and Bama going 14-0 a few years back to win it all were very impressive feats.
I think UK should win 6-7 games this year, and with reports of FL being so bad...I feel good about that game at home. I am still of the wait and see approach of this team going to SC on the road and beating Spurrier (both wins against Spurrier have been big come from behind wins at home in Lexington), but definitely think it will be a close game for the taking for both teams. I think with FL, SC, Vandy, MSU (although I wish Prescott had left) and Missouri on the schedule, you can look at those 5 SEC games in addition to the 4 OOC as games where you can see UK winning all 9 of them if things break their way for once. I think (IMO) UGA, UT and Auburn are a bit tougher nuts to crack on paper, but 2 of those 3 are at home so anything is possible.
Did I say I didn't want to win or expect to win every game? You don't go from the bottom of the cellar to Roll tide over night. It's going to take a progression. And the next step in that progression, at least in my eyes, is to be on the same level as Mizzou and South Carolina. Programs that are stable, competing every game, and going to bowls annually. Once we get there and remain there then we can progress further. Hopefully, one day before I'm gone, we will be competing for national championships.
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