A little over 8 years ago, Stoops became head coach at UK.

[JPFisher]

Wellllll.....young guy with no experience in the big seat takes over and is 8 years later one of the longest P5 tenured coaches (same school) around. Of course, that says too much about the bottom of the barrel program he got. Barnhart had the luxury of falling back on a world class basketball program to start feeding bigger crumbs to football....after almost throwing all the fan base away with terrible statements himself.
Stoops has grown painfully for us fans as a coach. Had to build the program and his staff.....and himself. His thin skin and passion are sometimes a toxic mix that bleeds into questionable antics by him and his players on the field. But I like the passion. And you have to credit him with turning UK into more than a school that players look at as "....well...best I can do I guess.."
Like the rest of us, he has a lot to improve on. He has made an effort thought.....even though it has seemed to be a roller coaster rather than a gradual progression.
Last season was looking in....poor....with all the talent he had back. Realistically though with a normal season schedule, that team would have been an 8 win team. With a couple breaks, it still would have been 6-4 instead of 4-6.....land finishing with a win over a top 25 school (wasnt as close as it ended...largely thanks to that out of control thing) made it a lot easier season to think about.
We could have done a lot worse. and historically we have.

I'm not entirely sure what compelled you to type this out, but it surely wasn't the desire to make a good point.

Rollercoaster? Three straight bowl wins is a rollercoaster? Pretty cool rollercoaster considering that we haven't hit the basement of the SEC after Stoops' first years, even in the most batshit crazy season in over 100 years. Sure, the dude's made some mistakes, but to say that he has "a lot to improve on" like he hasn't clearly been busting his ass is absolutely ridiculous. Quite frankly, it's disrespectful.

Assuming you're not a Cardpet bagger, this is genuinely one of the poorest takes on Stoops I've seen in a while.

 

[IrishPokerDog]

I'm not entirely sure what compelled you to type this out, but it surely wasn't the desire to make a good point.

Rollercoaster? Three straight bowl wins is a rollercoaster? Pretty cool rollercoaster considering that we haven't hit the basement of the SEC after Stoops' first years, even in the most batshit crazy season in over 100 years. Sure, the dude's made some mistakes, but to say that he has "a lot to improve on" like he hasn't clearly been busting his ass is absolutely ridiculous. Quite frankly, it's disrespectful.

Assuming you're not a Cardpet bagger, this is genuinely one of the poorest takes on Stoops I've seen in a while.

Bills a UK fan, he just spends a bit of time trying to find common ground with Cards on their site

 

[JPFisher]

Bills a UK fan, he just spends a bit of time trying to find common ground with Cards on their site

I tried that back when I was a wee lad on this site. Turns out, their site is pretty densely populated with completely deluded fans that peaked in high school and only agree with a UK fan's take when they take a dump on their own program.

There were fair numbers of folks who don't live life with a hairpin trigger. They were pretty cool. Was actually able to have some constructive dialogue with them before the thread inevitably devolved into a dogpile on Stoops, Cal, World Wide Wes... There was colorful terminology for Cat fans that always amused me.

Regardless, board(s) I'm happy to have not visited in years.

I digress.

The job Stoops has done is remarkable. We had the opportunity to get better each and every year for the first five years. We didn't shrink back into obscurity after we hit our first peak and we have the opportunity to fight for the SEC East if our offense can actually figure out how score.

Seriously. UK wasn't even the SEC's doormat. We were the dirt that gets caught next to the doormat when you're too lazy to sweep. Now we're just waiting for the day (imo very soon) where we're talking about being on Florida and Georgia's level. Won't be for a few seasons unless Coen works miracles, but it's coming.

Our defense is, consistently, very good. Only three SEC teams had better total defense last season. I would put our offensive line and running backs against anyone in the nation. A few pieces and we take off. It's not a matter of if, under Stoops. It's when. Culture feeds into wins which feeds into recruiting which feeds back into wins. Rinse and repeat.

Glad we passed on ol Road Rash Robbie. I'll echo the sentiment that I'm glad administrators listened to Couch and not the message boards 😂

 

[The-Hack]

But I like the passion.

That almost read like the old quote, “she don’t sweat much, for a fat girl.”

As to the “roller coaster” comparison, his first six seasons from 2013 until 2018 saw striking linear progression: 2-10, 5-7, 5-7, 7-6, 7-6, 10-3.

That 6 year period of maintenance or growth of wins is exceeded in SEC history by only three (3) coaches who had maintenance or growth for 7 consecutive seasons, two with a stadium named for them (General Neyland, UT in the 20’s, and Auburn’s Jordan in the 30’s) and Steve Spurrier at USCe from 2005-2011.

Compare those first six years under Stoops with Nick Saban’s five seasons at Michigan State, or Bill Snyder's first six at K State, or Rich Brooks first 12 seasons at Oregon, or Frank Beamer’s first six at Virginia Tech——all coaches headed for the college HOF, and Stoops’ tenure was progressively improving on a more consistent basis than was theirs.

Although TTW’s injury and LBJ’s adjustment broke “the string” of progression in 2019, further progression was shown with the 2020 signing class, which was on the cusp of being 50 percent 4 and 5 Stars . . . . a statistical achievement historically reserved for teams in BCS/playoff contention.

Prior to Stoops, only one player in UK football history had received a major national award for excellence at his position. The last three seasons, 3 players have received major national awards: Josh Allen (4 or 5?); Lynn Bowden (the Paul Hornung Award) and Max Duffy (the Ray Guy Award).

Prior to Coach Stoops, Kentucky was one of only four (4) long term P5 programs failing to achieve a 10 win season since 1978, or longer. The depth of that hole can only be fairly measured by the realization that the other 3 programs so pitiful, IU, Iowa State and Vandy, have never won 10 games in a season. Hence, in 2013, we were “looking up” to programs at Kansas, Oregon State, Illinois, Virginia, North Western and other relative “black holes” of collegiate football success, all of whom had had at least one moment in the sun with 10 or more wins since 1978.

Prior to Stoops, even in the relatively heady days of Coach Brooks, our bowl wins were not really much to write home about. Check out the last time(s) we beat nationally ranked teams in bowls, (which we’ve done 2 of the last 3 years,) and you’ll find the name Bear Bryant associated with the program.

Hence, your summation, “we could have done a lot worse” is stunning understatement, on par with saying the last 6 seasons at U6 have been a “tad rocky,” or that UT “has seen better days.”

 

[jauk11]

Mitch must have made SERIOUS commitments to improving facilities + spend the $$ on assistants and recruiting to get him here. Now we are bearing the fruits of a real SEC organization and being competitive, if not winning, in nearly every game (AL gets a pass). One or two good QBs during the next 5 years, with our defense, and we can challenge for the East division.

Stoops is far from a dummy, he knew UK had to do something drastic after losing 20,000 season ticket holders, and probably saw the flood of money that would be coming in from the OTHER SEC football programs.

 

[jauk11]

Thanks for sharing the press conference. Good to look back and think about the process, changes and the steadfast determination Stoops has displayed. It is a process and there is more to come.

I never thought I would again be a season ticket holder and now I cannot wait to renew each year.

Thank you for helping to force changes AND for coming back.

 

[jauk11]

Wellllll.....young guy with no experience in the big seat takes over and is 8 years later one of the longest P5 tenured coaches (same school) around. Of course, that says too much about the bottom of the barrel program he got. Barnhart had the luxury of falling back on a world class basketball program to start feeding bigger crumbs to football....after almost throwing all the fan base away with terrible statements himself.
Stoops has grown painfully for us fans as a coach. Had to build the program and his staff.....and himself. His thin skin and passion are sometimes a toxic mix that bleeds into questionable antics by him and his players on the field. But I like the passion. And you have to credit him with turning UK into more than a school that players look at as "....well...best I can do I guess.."
Like the rest of us, he has a lot to improve on. He has made an effort thought.....even though it has seemed to be a roller coaster rather than a gradual progression.
Last season was looking in....poor....with all the talent he had back. Realistically though with a normal season schedule, that team would have been an 8 win team. With a couple breaks, it still would have been 6-4 instead of 4-6.....land finishing with a win over a top 25 school (wasnt as close as it ended...largely thanks to that out of control thing) made it a lot easier season to think about.
We could have done a lot worse. and historically we have.

Nice post, and the BB program has been a big help financially, especially compared to all the other SEC schools. But as far back as the start of the Joker hire (2010) when we ended up with a 6-7 record football still cleared over $18,000,000 compared to the BB program that had EVERYTHING imaginable only clearing a little over $5,000,000. AND there is no problem with money now, over $40,000,000 a year from the SEC because OTHER SEC ADs recognized the coming money cow.

 

[billoliver40]

we've bellyached plenty during Stoops term. There was that nasty week about his personal life that I dont know if any of us could stand that was really an attempt to find a way to get him gone without a buy out. He lasted through that.
As far as the toxic remark.....maybe wrong word...but the penalty string in the Gator with out of control play is a pretty good example. (Not that State wasnt contributing)

BUT....the clock management thing seems to have faded away....couple last second field goals, touchdown against VT etc get us away from that....and maybe it should. Question is gonna be if he is gonna take that next step....make Kentucky into that team you have to beat to get the East title.
Some wonder if Coen is the key. Hope so. Consistently solid, if never spectacular QB play may get us there. Hope so.
Mark Stoops has had to build a PROGRAM...not just a winning team...at Kentucky. Did anyone else foresee a day when KENTUCKY would be red shirting four star kids????? Most of us remember the days two star guys with a ton of heart and guts would line up every week against four and five star kids. We were proud of them, but the results were expected. Not any more. Now we see a guy thats a high three star and maybe a four and our remarks are usually " a year to learn and grow in the weight room and he will contribute"... pretty heady stuff.

I love college football. My number one sport. I will talk it all day with anyone that wants....Georgia fans, Northwestern, Rutgers, yes Louisville....in fact I met a Tennessee guy that is a real solid poster on one site...but gotta say...only one in twenty years.

 

[IrishPokerDog]

we've bellyached plenty during Stoops term. There was that nasty week about his personal life that I dont know if any of us could stand that was really an attempt to find a way to get him gone without a buy out. He lasted through that.
As far as the toxic remark.....maybe wrong word...but the penalty string in the Gator with out of control play is a pretty good example. (Not that State wasnt contributing)

BUT....the clock management thing seems to have faded away....couple last second field goals, touchdown against VT etc get us away from that....and maybe it should. Question is gonna be if he is gonna take that next step....make Kentucky into that team you have to beat to get the East title.
Some wonder if Coen is the key. Hope so. Consistently solid, if never spectacular QB play may get us there. Hope so.
Mark Stoops has had to build a PROGRAM...not just a winning team...at Kentucky. Did anyone else foresee a day when KENTUCKY would be red shirting four star kids????? Most of us remember the days two star guys with a ton of heart and guts would line up every week against four and five star kids. We were proud of them, but the results were expected. Not any more. Now we see a guy thats a high three star and maybe a four and our remarks are usually " a year to learn and grow in the weight room and he will contribute"... pretty heady stuff.

I love college football. My number one sport. I will talk it all day with anyone that wants....Georgia fans, Northwestern, Rutgers, yes Louisville....in fact I met a Tennessee guy that is a real solid poster on one site...but gotta say...only one in twenty years.

Just think where we could have been if we had consistent QB play in the last 3 years. Like I mentioned in another thread, Mike Hartline could’ve taken this team to who knows what sort of bowl..... imagine 20 passing TDs in a season

and yeah, it sux to watch penalties accrue.... but it shows passion. I cringed for every freaking penalty Stenburg commited ..... but did you watch that dude ball?? You want big nasties like him on that O-Line

but toxicity is something that poisons a team, it doesnt build programs and families... and Stoops has built a fantastic football family where our stars WANT that 2nd tier bowl game to have another chance to play with their brothers. And you don’t see the normal level of out of control players neck deep into off field issues.... when there is one, they generally aren’t around long

I’m like Stoops.... I like my team, and I love my coach. Again, I’m all in for as long as coach hangs his hat here at UK

 

[screwduke1]

If he can ever get an SEC caliber QB and offense to go along with his defense....look out.

Hopefully we see it happen this year. It's the only area Stoops has done poorly in (besides players like Bowden and Snell and a few other great players)

 

[screwduke1]

Great hire. The first 4 years were rough at times. A lot of that though was because of the disaster of a team Joker left him.

My only gripe with him is he needs to get the offense figured out. The defense he has built is unbelievable. We play some grown man football on that side of the ball. However, hopefully the Coen hire works out because we can truly take the next step with a great offense.