I just read Jeff Drummond's post on Coach Stoops statements about spring. I am/was like many and was very disappointed and upset with UK football and coach Stoops last year. Part of my frustration was in my opinion last season could have been a really good one - but I felt it was sabbotaged by Coach Stoops and his flirtation with Texas A&M. I felt he lost control of the program and unfortunately my fears came true! However, now is the time for us to move on - Coach Stoops is here for at least one more year and in my opinion he has this year to earn my and others respect and commitment back to the program. I came very close to not renewing my season tickets for many reasons - most of them my negative feelings about the program - but again its time to move on and accept this new world of college football.
At first I thought with NIL we were doomed to never be able to climb the ladder in the SEC. We had been making progress, not as much as I wanted and I'm sure many of our fans who have supported the team for over 50 years - but we had started something before last year. After looking at this with the realization that college football is no longer college football - but rather it is minor league professional football I have a new found excitement for the future. I get this from doing a couple of things not related to football - but rather looking at basketball! We have the ability to compete by being active in the portal. I started realizing that players are no longer committed to going to Alabama or similar programs - they are going for the opportunity to play AND to make money! That really upset me and I had to get over it! But then I realized that we can get good proven players now. We don;t have to hope if these guys have the ability to play - portal players that we "should" be getting will have a record of playing against much better competition than the high school players ever did. Yes the really great players with great ability are easy for anyone to see - but many of the really good college players come from guys who played on a smaller college level for a couple of years against much better competition. They have developed their bodies and they are what Coach Vince likes to call "Grown Ass Men" now - and not in a couple of years.
So, what does all that really mean? It should mean that the coaches have more on their shoulders than ever! No more excuses about rosters! If a coach can not build a winner in two years - he needs to be gone! Why? Well, if he is a good coach - then he should recognize talent and even temperaments from players for the game. Thus, he should build a roster of "His Players". Now, he will have thousands of players that can play the game available to him every year. If a Coach is as good as "he thinks" he is - then he should field a competitive team the first day of the season. I'm not saying that a team will not improve during the year - of course they should! But, he should have a team of competent players with ability. Every team will have the same chance to build now - gone are the "hidden" benefits we had to compete against! The expanded playoffs will offer more players a chance to realize their dreams of making the pros and having a chance to play for a National Championship at ANY SEC school!
Kentucky now has everything to offer players that we didn't have as few as a decade ago. Our facilities, our conference, our tv exposure, our school, our beautiful campus and located in one of the most beautiful places in the country gives us equal footing! Lexington is one of the larger and nicer cities of SEC schools. So, what have I just said to a player and to our fans? It will come down to Coaching now more than ever! Recruiting, conditioning and discipline are all in the hands of the coaching staff. They perform or they get shown the door! No more excuses! If a coach wants to win and make $10 million a year - quit crying and raise money for NIL - its now a huge part of YOUR job! You are paid $10 million a year to win and to not cry! If you can't win - then expect to be changed! Athletic Directors need to get their act together and no more contracts greater than two years to any coaches in any sports! No more auto extensions longer than a total of two years. If a coach makes $20 million dollars - there no reason to pay him more - than is generational wealth to pass along. If he is unhappy - then next man up! There will only be about 50 top paying jobs period! So finding a good coach who will work for $10 million shouldn't be an a problem. It would be better to pay a good one $10 million for results than a bad one $5 million a year and be tied to huge payouts of long term contracts!
It's time for Stoops to show he is a potential championship caliber coach - he has all the tools at his disposal. Now, if he can't win here - he will not be able to win anywhere - and that goes for all successful coaches. However, it is much easier for a coach to succeed if he is coaching where he loves the school and it is where he wants to be! The name on that Jersey needs to mean something to the coach as well as it does to the players!
Go Big Blue!
At first I thought with NIL we were doomed to never be able to climb the ladder in the SEC. We had been making progress, not as much as I wanted and I'm sure many of our fans who have supported the team for over 50 years - but we had started something before last year. After looking at this with the realization that college football is no longer college football - but rather it is minor league professional football I have a new found excitement for the future. I get this from doing a couple of things not related to football - but rather looking at basketball! We have the ability to compete by being active in the portal. I started realizing that players are no longer committed to going to Alabama or similar programs - they are going for the opportunity to play AND to make money! That really upset me and I had to get over it! But then I realized that we can get good proven players now. We don;t have to hope if these guys have the ability to play - portal players that we "should" be getting will have a record of playing against much better competition than the high school players ever did. Yes the really great players with great ability are easy for anyone to see - but many of the really good college players come from guys who played on a smaller college level for a couple of years against much better competition. They have developed their bodies and they are what Coach Vince likes to call "Grown Ass Men" now - and not in a couple of years.
So, what does all that really mean? It should mean that the coaches have more on their shoulders than ever! No more excuses about rosters! If a coach can not build a winner in two years - he needs to be gone! Why? Well, if he is a good coach - then he should recognize talent and even temperaments from players for the game. Thus, he should build a roster of "His Players". Now, he will have thousands of players that can play the game available to him every year. If a Coach is as good as "he thinks" he is - then he should field a competitive team the first day of the season. I'm not saying that a team will not improve during the year - of course they should! But, he should have a team of competent players with ability. Every team will have the same chance to build now - gone are the "hidden" benefits we had to compete against! The expanded playoffs will offer more players a chance to realize their dreams of making the pros and having a chance to play for a National Championship at ANY SEC school!
Kentucky now has everything to offer players that we didn't have as few as a decade ago. Our facilities, our conference, our tv exposure, our school, our beautiful campus and located in one of the most beautiful places in the country gives us equal footing! Lexington is one of the larger and nicer cities of SEC schools. So, what have I just said to a player and to our fans? It will come down to Coaching now more than ever! Recruiting, conditioning and discipline are all in the hands of the coaching staff. They perform or they get shown the door! No more excuses! If a coach wants to win and make $10 million a year - quit crying and raise money for NIL - its now a huge part of YOUR job! You are paid $10 million a year to win and to not cry! If you can't win - then expect to be changed! Athletic Directors need to get their act together and no more contracts greater than two years to any coaches in any sports! No more auto extensions longer than a total of two years. If a coach makes $20 million dollars - there no reason to pay him more - than is generational wealth to pass along. If he is unhappy - then next man up! There will only be about 50 top paying jobs period! So finding a good coach who will work for $10 million shouldn't be an a problem. It would be better to pay a good one $10 million for results than a bad one $5 million a year and be tied to huge payouts of long term contracts!
It's time for Stoops to show he is a potential championship caliber coach - he has all the tools at his disposal. Now, if he can't win here - he will not be able to win anywhere - and that goes for all successful coaches. However, it is much easier for a coach to succeed if he is coaching where he loves the school and it is where he wants to be! The name on that Jersey needs to mean something to the coach as well as it does to the players!
Go Big Blue!
