Maxey
Randle(shoulder injury re-evaluated in 2-3 weeks)
Bam
AD
Booker
KAT
Shai



7 players from 1 school- Kentucky. It really is embarrassing to only have won 1 title with the amount of talent that UK has had under Calipari. Idgaf who the coach would be. 3 championship game appearances is no small feat and deserves its own recognition, but that doesn't negate the fact UK should have been a dynasty in the early-mid 2010s.

There isn’t a single coach in the country who can assemble as talented a roster as Cal can. Who can manage egos as well as Cal can. The problem is, it’s no longer enough to have the most talented team on the court. The game has changed considerably the past 5 years with the advancement of technology and widespread adoption of analytics. The playing field is far more even, and teams with less talent have a much better understanding of how to make up for their shortcomings.

Cal is asking a group of 8-10 guys who haven’t spent considerable time playing together, and, in the case of the freshmen, often haven’t been exposed to many advanced basketball concepts to play winning basketball. When everyone was taking long 2s and PFs/Cs were posted up on opposite blocks, this worked. Talent won out. This is far from the case now, and I am convinced that Cal could land the top 5 players from each recruiting class going forward and it likely wouldn’t matter. It’s simply too much to ask of these guys.

Unfortunately, I’m not sure where we go from here. I dont want this to be a critique of Cal, because there truly is no one better at executing this strategy. I’m just not sure it’s tenable anymore.

NM.

Reed
Rob
Reeves
Z
Ugo

4 guys who can fill it up. 2 shot blockers. 3 willing passers.

I’ll be waiting around to see these 5 on the court together. Any day now, I’m sure.

This has been something I have been purposefully quiet about as we have tried to let information come in.

It does seem like there is definitely an openness to leaving the program after one year. There are many who believe that he is eager to get out but I am not going to speak to that. However, that belief is attached to a few perceived issues.

When Coen returned to UK it was very important for Stoops to have him for multiple years. He didn't want to be doing this carousel where there was no continuity. Continuity is one of the best things UK football has had going for it, and it hasn't been there on the offensive side of the ball recently. I believe that is why Stoops decided to bring Yenser back; need for continuity in that OL coach position.

The fact that Coen is entertaining interest from elsewhere after only one year, following that understanding, is obviously going to say something.

What I've heard from a number of people is that Coen wants there to be more discipline in the program. There is not a full on agreement across the board here. Not about the importance of discipline per se, but some have made it about how you deal with NFL guys vs college guys. Different guys will have different opinions on that. Everyone wants the very high standard all the time, but in concrete situations there will be differences of opinion.

Believe he also went back to Kentucky thinking he would have pretty much total control of the offense. I do not have any specifics in terms of what has or has not happened there, but this would be another obvious area to focus on if he is willing to entertain other offers after a year.

We have heard about the Ohio State chatter for about the last week. He has not been front and center there and I have real questions about that position, personally, given how tenuous Ryan Day's situation has become there after losing to Michigan three times in a row. If I had to guess, I would imagine they would end up with someone else. Over the past couple of days Toledo HC Jason Candle has emerged as someone who seems to make a lot of sense there, but Day looking at Coen makes sense as well.

The NFL is where I think Coen is probably the most natural fit. Big picture, I do believe he is probably just more of an NFL guy than a college guy, and the way the sport is going now coaches are fed up with the constant insanity and that probably reinforces the preference.

I don't believe Stoops & Co are probably happy to be going through this, but it speaks to the two sides just being in different places in terms of where the program is at right now. That seems to be a serious issue. I have sensed over the past year that there are some who believe the program needs to be aggressive in making changes and Coen probably falls into this camp. If he leaves, it's a serious problem for Kentucky. They would have close to $2 million for a replacement, but the job would take a hit prestige-wise with Coen leaving after only a year again. You'd then have a huge conversation over whether Kentucky should make another Scangarello-type hire (Coen-like in some ways) or go back to trying to become a program that runs, runs, runs the football. To be perfectly honest, I think there's a strong case for both sides of that argument, because there aren't a lot of OCs out there who are just QB/WR magnets like Coen has been and it's always going to be uphill sledding for a pass-friendly OC under Stoops, in my view.

Pivotal moment for the program. If Coen leaves, and I think it's very possible, it's a huge setback for the program. Yes the offense had plenty of operational issues this season and everybody owns responsibility for that, but this one would be tough to come back from, IMO.

He wasn’t good and I’m over him passing up shots, but the kid’s analytics are Top 10 in the country for a reason. Give him 30+ minutes a game and the law of averages should mean a positive.

Meanwhile, Edwards gets 23 minutes and 2pts/2rbs.

Wearing those golden gloves in the sky....

I don't post often on the Rafters as I am not much of a CBB fan anymore. I don't like Cal, I don't like the style of play, don't like OAD, etc. But, I do keep up with UKBB and pull for them. After the past week or so, I was struck by a thought - haven't we seen this same season many years in a row?

1. Highly acclaimed recruiting class
2. Preseason high ranking
3. Expectations of THIS year, we've got it all - great big men, great shooters, unworldly athleticism, a PG who can run this 'offense' that Cal wants, etc.
4. Early season wipeouts of poor teams increase expectations
5. SEC losses to teams we shouldn't lose to
6. Cracks in the facade of invincibility
7. Same old problems rear their head: a) puzzling/lingering injuries, b) no knowledge of playing/attacking a zone defense or effective press, c) incredibly bad out of bounds defense and nonexistent offensive out of bounds plays, d) games that deteriorate into one-on-one basketball and Cal does nothing, e) inexplicable personnel decisions and rotations, f) nights where we can't buy a FT, g) Cal pulling guys so often and so quickly that the team never seems to find a rhythm, h) a team that seemingly doesn't get any better as the season wears on, i) guards that get beat off the dribble consistently, j) 'soft' big men who are asked to play the 5 but are physically more suited for the 4, k) a growing acknowledgement that the 5*, OAD, superstars have very obvious holes in their game (lack of an outside shot, not a good defender, mediocre ballhandling, selfish, not very physical, low basketball IQ, et al), etc.
8. Reduced expectations and the growing sentiment that, once again, Cal's Cats won't make much noise in the NCAA tournament
9. Wild speculation as to who goes, who stays (who cares?)
10. Wash, rinse, repeat

This list seems to have been played out many seasons over the past 8-10 years and I just can get invested very much in UKBB anymore. Cal isn't going to change and I feel it's too much money to get rid of him, so I see nothing but several more seasons of the above until either Cal retires or his buyout is more manageable.

Am I completely off base?

SGA
AD
KAT
Booker
Randle
Adebayo
Maxey

Should have been 8 with fox! Very happy for Maxey

NM

We’re not good at anything anymore. Barnhart needs to be fired tomorrow for overpaying all of his underperforming coaches.

"The joint advisory board is tasked with tackling the most pressing challenges before the industry in what Big Ten and SEC commissioners describe as an 'urgent' mission to find solutions for issues such as ongoing antitrust lawsuits, most notably the multi-billion dollar House case; disagreements over the NCAA’s new governance proposal, Project DI; and the unsettled landscape of athlete transfer movement, tampering charges and name, image and likeness (NIL) inducements," Dellenger reports.

I wonder if this is the start of something bigger.

"You know what my favorite games I love to coach are? When we shoot 35% and win."

I kid you not.

I didn't post it then because I didn't think it was significant. But the more I think about it, the more he seems pathological.

Kentucky hasn't really had big talent since Maxey, tbh. Not really going to count Shaedon since he never played but Cason Wallace has been a bench player, Oscar is G-League, Boston gets no minutes, Livingston was weak, Tyty never got a chance, and this class was reported, and obviously on eye test, is weak

4 years since we had an actual NBA starter in the One and Done Program

I’m starting to worry. I’m afraid Coen might accidentally accept two jobs, simultaneously, and end up unemployed!!

Connecticut went in to the tournament as a 4 seed last year. They lost 8 games from Dec 31 through the end of the regular season. Not that great. The thing about that Connecticut team was they did not struggle to score. This Kentucky team does need to turn it around on defense especially the guards. Give me a team that doesn’t struggle to score in March. The rebounding seems to be getting better. That alone should start helping the defense some. I’ve not given up on this team. I’m not saying they will win it all but this team has a much better chance than the grind it out teams of the last two years. It was such a struggle for those teams to get easy baskets. This team does not have that problem. I don’t see a dominant team in college basketball this year that this team can’t beat. I’m just gonna keep watching it and keep rooting for them.

What a week for Tyrese!

- cover of SLAM
- first All-Star selection
- returns from injury and drops a career high 51 points to lead the Sixers to a critical road win vs Utah.in the first half he scored 32 on 73/100/100 shooting.

He’s one of only 5 NBA players this season with 2 or more 50 point games.

And he just turned 23.

With Joel Embiid likely out for at least a month, it’s Tyrese’s team now.

(JUST FOR DISCUSSION)
My sanity can't dwell any longer on last night's disappointment!!!
I believe UK finishes this year at 23-8 (12-6) to 21-10 (10-8) in the SEC.
So, either UK wins big this year or it fails and flames out and we look to next year. Maybe they can have an NCAA run and win eleven in a row to finish the year like UCONN in 2011. So, I guess I will hope for future success (AGAIN)

IMO
2024/25 Possible Roster:
* Thierro 6-8 JR (If back holds up)
Burks 6-8 SO (I think he sticks around for one more opportunity)
Hart 6-5 SO (I think he sticks around for one more opportunity)
* Shepherd 6-3 SO
Cyril 6-10 FR
Perry 6-2 FR
* Richmond 6-6 FR
* Fland 6-3 FR
* Quaintance 6-10 FR

* 2024/25 STARTERS

To me the above roster as it stands is going to be a weaker group and the transfer portal is a vast unknown on February 1st!!!!
I think if UK can get either UGO or Z back at the 5 and to either get Knox or a reclass to add to depth or get Edwards to come back and improve his game as a 3/4, alot of IFS to have next years outlook improve, GO Big Blue..........

My $0.02
Any thoughts???????

Nate Oats​

I realize he handled the shooting poorly, but people make mistakes. I don't know him, and he may be a lousy human, but he cannot be worse than Pitino (and I loved him at UK). So, now the positives:

1. 49 years old
2. Extremely fun style, has completely rejuvenated a fairly weak program in Alabama. Would absolutely kill it here at UK.
3. In 8 previous years, he has a young Calipari like resume:

2 MAC Titles
3 MAC Tournament titles
2 SEC Titles both 16-2 in 4 seasons
2 SEC Tournament titles in 4 seasons
This season, Returned 26% scoring and 27% minutes played, has faced one of the most difficult schedules in the nation. leads SEC at 7-1 (and may win it again), top 6 or so in the NET
Finished AP#1 last year (which was higher than Saban)
6-6 in the NCAAT with 2 Sweet 16s

I think his salary is around $3,000,000 (may be higher)

Anyway, that would be my choice, so hammer away.

Click to expand...

Any old coaches,or young ones for that matter ,on here please advise. Given the personnel and performance you have seen this year what would you do with this team at this point in season going forward. Finally can we leave Cal out of this. I'm not interested in what HE will do,I already know, I'm interested in if the guys on here capable of coaching the sport think we should do to improve

One upper level ticket for sale for tomorrow’s game. If interested message me.

Root Canal