The Cards beat Miami and head to the ACC title game. Of course, the ACC is not the SEC, but I think no one predicted this in Brohm's first year. It's a remarkable turnaround for them for sure.

Login to view embedded media

Good luck and thanks for a great year.

Alabama: 1-1 vs Q1
Tennessee: 0-2vs Q1
Arkansas: 0-2 vs Q1, 1-0 vs Q2
Kentucky: 0-1 vs Q1
Texas A&M: 2-1 vs Q1, 1-0 vs Q2
Auburn: 0-1 vs Q1
Missouri: 0-1 vs Q1
Mississippi State: 1-0 vs Q1, 2-0 vs Q2
Florida: 0-2 vs Q1, 1-0 vs Q2
Vanderbilt: 0-1 vs Q1, 0-1 vs Q2
Mississippi: 2-0 vs Q2
LSU: 1-0 vs Q1, 1-1 vs Q2
Georgia: 0-2 vs Q1, 0-1 vs Q2
South Carolina: 1-0 vs Q2

SEC vs Quad 1: 8-14
SEC vs Quad 2: 6-3

And a lot of the Quad 2 wins are not ones that are likely to stick as conference play begins.

There is no reason Kentucky shouldn't win this league going away.

We're favored by 4.5 right now.

I just don’t get firing Jimbo and bring in Elko. Can’t believe that hire is firing up the team, fanbase or the boosters. I would way rather have Stoops!!

I’ve not seen this mentioned, but Coach Coen coming down from the booth for the 2d half was the difference maker to me!!! GBB🏈

You have a coach wanting to leave and had the offer pulled back. Shades of Satterfield from UofSmell.
This explains the horrid play against S Car.
He was looking, remember that.

I am not happy with this season. If we lose Saturday...I'm hurt. And it's a big time for Stoops to step up and show our fans and team if he's the guy...the defense hasn't developed...the offense has been SLOPPY. The maturity is lacking. It's a team that's discipline issues have turned a 9 win season into a possible 6 win season.

I do think there's pressure on Stoops. But again...what's the point of becoming the all-time leader in wins and having those 10-3 seasons if they don't build up equity? He earned his contract for what he did 2013-2021. He's earned a chance to get it right. I'm not saying he's earned several 6-7 win years in a row where we continue to get exposed by great teams...but he's earned the right to get it right. 2024 seems like the year is all comes down to...

And then also...are we trending down...or is this par for the course? At Kentucky we build and we can't really just assume things will be consistently great every year. But I am not happy and I am not wanting to accept this lost season. I think mass staff changes need to happen. I think Stoops needs to look at the program and see where we are at....

But it does make me wonder....what is the history of Stoops? Are we regressing...or has it always been like this?

-2015...Shannon Dawson failed and he moved on to Eddie Gran. Made changes and went on the 2016-2019 run.

-2020...he moved on from Eddie Gran to Liam Coen because the passing attack and QB/WR recruiting failed us. We got Levin/Wan'dale and it turned around.

2016: 7-6
2017: 7-6
2018: 10-3
2019: 8-5
2020: 5-6
2021: 10-3
2022: 7-6
2023: 6-5
2024: ???

Generally speaking...we have 2 average type years before our big 10 win seasons.

Our 10 win seasons?
-2018: we had Josh Allen, Jordan Jones, and 4 secondary starters who were NFL talents. All 4-5 year guys. They developed over time. Gained experience. Came back.

-2021: Levis/Wan'dale were the story...but Kinnard/Fortner/Rosenthal were 3 NFL talents leading our best line ever. C-Rod was a 4th year player closing in on our all-time rushing yards title. Josh Ali was a 5th year player who was a NFL talent. Josh Pascal around for his 5th year. McCall, Fitzgerald, Jordan Wright, Square, Robinson, Dort, Aijan, and Corker were all 4th-5th year guys...plus Jaquez Jones. A very experienced group.

Is it fair to at least say that our 2017 & 2020 seasons that preceded our 10 win seasons were disappointing seasons? I remember looking bad at times those years. I remember undisciplined play and cocky attitudes. I remember blowout losses those seasons. But what I also can see is that Stoops made changes. I also see that young teams turned into experienced teams the next year. Kentucky has to build.....

The question for me now becomes...is this a building year or is it a year like 2010 with Joker? That year started fun with the SC win and playing Auburn close...but down the stretch it was defined by disappointing losses....then it turned into the 2011 season that was terrible.

I'll end with 2021-2022 Missouri. Missouri had HUGE expectations going into 2021 after their COVID year success...he went 6-7 in back to back years. Their fans were mad and talking about how he's brought in some of their best talent in those years. They were angry at the defense and ineffective QB play. Going into this season....Drink's seat was HOT. They started fine...but the LSU loss turned them back off....a fake punt against Kentucky changed their tenure. They won.

But you know why Mizzou is great this year? 10 of their 11 defensive starters are 4-6 year players...8 are classified as Seniors. 6 of their 2nd string defenders are upperclassmen. 8 of their offensive starters are 4-6 year players...they learned from the disappointment of 2021-2022. Which....that seems to be why our 2018 and 2021 teams were successful as well.


Why Saturday is huge? If you want to believe this is a building year....then you win Saturday and have momentum for a bowl and next season. If you lose? Then I fear mass defections to the portal....the previous Stoops teams didn't have that threat of guys leaving. It's a tricky time. I'm not out on Stoops...but it's time to SHOW ME WHAT YOU GOT.

Be the Stoops that marched into Louisville and took Lamar Jackson's lunch money...be the Stoops that marched into the Swamp and ended the streak. Be the Stoops that ended Steve Spurrier's career. That's what he needs to do Saturday. He's done it before...he has to do it again...your backs are against the wall. You aren't cocky anymore this year...get back to work.

With Corey Raymond getting fired at Florida, what are the chances that we can poach a DB from them? Jakeem Jackson OVed before picking Florida last year. Raymond was his lead recruiter and if I remember correctly we had slight buzz to flip him for a minute. Plus his brother runs track here. Chance he leaves?

According to ON3.

At some point you just have to shake your head or laugh.😕

Anyone know who he is with?

Early in this basketball season I've noticed there are alot of EX-UK players around the nation. I found a total of nine (so far) that are currently playing in the NCAA.

EX UK Players (2023/24: Points/ Rebounds/ Assists)
Wheeler (Wash) 17.3/ 3.3/ 5.8
Frederick (Cin) 7.0/ 1.5/ 1.0
Collins (LSU) 3.8/ 1.8/ 0.0
Ware (Vill) 0.5/ 2.5/ 0.8
Brooks (Wash) 23.0/ 7.6/ 1.8
Allen (W Ky) 8.3/ 3.0/ 0.5
Hopkins (Prov) 13.0/ 8.2/ 1.4
Askew (Cal) 10.0/ 5.7/ 3.0
Fletcher (Fla St) 9.5/ 4.8/ 1.3

UK Players (2023/24: Points/ Rebounds/ Assists)
Reeves 18.2/ 5.2/ 2.2
Dillingham 16.0/ 4.2/ 4.6
Mitchell 14.4/ 6.6/ 3.4
Wagner 11.8/ 2.4/ 3.4
Shepherd 10.6/ 3.0/ 3.0
Edwards 10.0/ 4.8/ 1.2
Thiero 8.5/ 7.5/ 0.3
Burks 1.8/ 3.4/ 0.4

A rainy day hypothetical: With the above stats, pick the nine EX UK players above OR pick our current roster, minus our TBD twenty one feet????????

For the most part, I've really enjoyed the upbeat, faster paced team that Kentucky has placed on the floor so far this year and I DO NOT LIKE quitters!!!!!
So, Go Big Blue!!!
#FreeBigZ
#HealABrad
#HealUgO

Guess that’s their guy? No splashy… so stoops may have been a legit hire for them.

So I'll look at guys who could leave...or who could have an extra year. I'll leave out transfers portal because that's an unknown...Leary isn't coming back. Below are the guys with decisions on a COVID year and the NFL draft.

Offense:
1. Marques Cox: I don't see him with much NFL stock...but he also has to apply for another year?
2. Eli Cox: I've actually seen some things with him having some draft stock...I think he could come back,
3. Jeremy Flax: He might be ready to go. Had an improved year...he has the size the NFL likes...he might be ready to go
4. Ray Davis: I think he's played his way into being a NFL draft pick and for a RB that's just hard to pass up
5. Tanner Bowles: Has a COVID year...don't think he'd transfer again. Didn't play much...so who knows? But would have a better chance to play next year.

SO looking at the offense...OL could be another rebuild or a very experienced unit depending on a few decisions.

Defense:
1. Oxendine: He has a COVID year and i would think he'll be back for a 5th year.
2. Josiah Hayes: Same as Ox, I don't see him going anywhere
3. JJ Weaver: Does he want a 6th year or try the NFL draft? Man...we've waited 5 years for his breakout and I think we got it on Saturday, would love to see him try it for one more go next year.
4. Trevin Wallace: His stock has dropped from what I've seen and he's really stand to gain a lot from being back. But he could kill it in a workout. He'll be the one to watch.
5. De'Eryk Jackson: I wouldn't think he'd leave...but he's made some strides and could be someone who gets picked?


So from a defensive perspective....linebacker is going to be a crucial spot. I didn't even mention Keaton Wade who could leave because momma isn't happy. So it could be our best position next fall...or we could be going hard in the portal.

Please chime in with comments and corrections...this COVID year stuff throws everything off.

** Texas A&M was apparently prepared to hire Mark Stoops. Among folks in the football community there is immense respect for what Mark Stoops has accomplished at Kentucky. If you talk to administrators, coaches, people who are around the game, it's almost a no-brainer that Stoops has earned an opportunity like at one of those football factories. There is clearly a disconnect between that opinion and the desire of fans for a more exciting style of football.

** This was pretty far along behind the scenes but it was obviously never official, which we said. I do believe that at one clear point he was the leading candidate. I heard from two or three people about a team meeting for Texas A&M. However, the first time I heard about the team meeting, the person seemed to suspect that it was Stoops based on the chatter at the time, but I don't know that they were 100% sure it was going to be Stoops.

** We were told that A&M folks were preparing for a press conference on "Monday or the following Monday" which was interesting and seems to suggest they had a guy picked out with a small contingency window if it fell through.

** A&M was interested in trying to pull Ryan Day from Ohio State and that was one of the big variables in play. He's lost three in a row to Michigan but hasn't lost to another Big Ten team. Could've been the kind of situation where OSU folks are tired of Day, Day is tired of an uncomfortable situation, and A&M would be benefit from him. That was a big part of the delay. They obviously would have taken Day if they could have and the Dabo Swinney flirtation was along the same lines. However, most folks seemed to believe that it was going to be either Stoops or Jedd Fisch who we mentioned the other day.

** One of the things A&M is apparently looking for is a HC who is very involved in recruiting, very hands-on in a lot of aspects of program management, as it seems like they are trying to curtail what is now a very sprawling and perhaps inefficient bureaucratic organization with that whole operation in Aggieland.

** This is something like the third time this has happened to Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork. When he was at Ole Miss he tried to hire Matt Luke and Dave Doeren but fan outrage when the names leaked caused an about-face. You have to wonder about how strong an AD someone is if this pattern keeps repeating for them. Have a conviction about a head coach and then fold when there's feedback.

** Personally wouldn't even need Stoops to explain what happened. Texas A&M is one of the top handful of programs in the country $$ wise so everybody believes you can win national championships there. I spoke with one person yesterday who said if you get a chance to coach at a place that is fully financially committed to winning in football at the highest level (Mich, OSU, A&M, Bama, UGA, etc) and pretty much nobody would turn down those opportunities. I believe that, it's a nothingburger to me. If you are upset that Stoops was in talks with another school then I don't know what to say, it's just a business, it should say a lot that Texas A&M's administration was prepared to bring him in.

** Have heard a number of other things, some conflicting, about yesterday. One person I spoke with believes Stoops might have relayed to someone earlier in the day that he wasn't taking the job shortly after the game was over. No confirmation on that, but this thing went well into the evening yesterday.

** Believe the source of a lot of the stuff on the A&M side was probably a staff member with the Aggies. I've pieced together enough to know that.

** Heard from a couple of folks that they believe Stoops did interview for the position as did others and they say it went very well, a big reason A&M was so interested. But then there was talk about them flying in to meet him after the Governor's Cup. A lot of the details are lacking in confirmation right now, admittedly, so I'm just sharing much of what I've heard.

** Had Stoops left, there was a lot of chatter that Kentucky would have moved toward Jon Sumrall from Troy. At the same time, there was going to be a major push to attempt to keep Liam Coen on as offensive coordinator moving forward - the idea being there aren't many offensive coordinators who are true quarterback magnets and that would be a very important thing. As for Brad White, I did not hear of the plan but my assumption would have been that he's someone they retain - one of the highest-paid DCs in the country and a history with Sumrall of course.

Ray Davis declares for NFL Draft​

Kentucky's Ray Davis broke free for a touchdown run in Saturday's Governor's Cup win over Louisville. (Matt Stone/USA Today Sports)

Jeff Drummond • CatsIllustrated
Managing Editor Edit
@JDrumUK

After breaking Kentucky's single-season touchdown record and becoming the first player in SEC history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season at two different member schools, Ray Davis is ready for the next step in his football career.

The Wildcats' senior running back announced via his X social media account on Monday afternoon that he will enter the 2024 NFL Draft. His statement did not address whether he would participate in UK's pending bowl game, but the nature of the announcement suggests he has played his final game at the college level.

If so, he went out on an extreme high note. Davis had 137 total yards and scored three touchdowns on Saturday in Kentucky's 38-31 upset of No. 10 Louisville at L&N Stadium. In the process, he broke Benny Snell's single-season TD record, setting the new mark at 20.

Davis also had 1,000-yard rushing seasons at both Vanderbilt and Temple before transferring to UK.

The 5-foot-10, 216-pound back finished the season with 1,066 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground, averaging 5.7 yards per carry. He also had 29 receptions for 317 yards and seven touchdown catches.

Another big highlight of the 2023 season for Davis was a 26-carry, 280-yard rushing performance and four touchdowns in Kentucky's 33-14 blowout of Florida on Sept. 30 at Kroger Field. It was the third-most rushing yards in program history and the second-highest figure ever against the Gators.

Login to view embedded media

Login to view embedded media Won’t be ready Tuesday, but hopefully next week in time for Penn.

Kansas state QB in portal. Never watched him but he has good size. Would we have anny interest?

"They don’t expect him to be cleared before the 45 day clearing period, so after the cutoff date (sometime next week) he won’t be able to practice any longer until he is cleared."

Not only do they NOT make a timely decision, but they force him to STOP practicing with the team. What a joke.

Login to view embedded media

It's been stated multiple times how important this portal cycle will be. Obviously we don't know who's leaving, but as the roster is now I think we need around double digit transfers that can come in and play immediately. Here's my breakdown:

QB: One D1 QB on the roster in Leary and he's leaving. Wouldn't mind getting two here, but 1 is a must
RB: Losing Ray, Jefferson, and McClain and hopefully keeping Demi. Agagin wouldn't mind getting two, but 1 is a must
O Line: Losing Horsey, Flax, and Cox right? Maybe Flax or Cox get an extra year, but looking like we'll need a minimum of two here
WR: Obviously depends on if Borwn and/or Key return. Losing Tayvion and I really like Brown-Stephens and Porter long term. Feels like one minimum with the potential for more

DLine: Another spot it feels like we need a minimum of one with Deone being the biggest decision in the whole program.
Linebacker/ Edge: Lost three starters last year in Square, Jones, and Wright, and I think we all saw the difference this year. Also, we had 20 team sacks last year (11th in the SEC) and 27 this year (8th in the SEC) simply put pass rush hasn't been there the last two years and if the guys in the middle don't get a push it's almost non existent. I'd put Trevin's decision as the second most important behind Deone's. Probably need 2 linebackers and one edge minimum.
Secondary: I actually think some of the younger guys did better down the stretch, but still we probably need one safety and one corner if we're trying to be legit next year.

Punter: I can't watch us trot out Wilson Berry next year

Overall, I've got us needing a minimum of 12 starting caliber players from the portal and I actually think that's on the conservative side

Go

With the regular season over, here's one thing to watch for at every position....