Have heard from more than one person I consider a good source that there will be a serious laying down of the law in the football program coming over the next few weeks and months. Two people now have told me that people in the program & athletics department do not want to see any more cryptic "subtweeting" displeasure with coaches, celebrating departures, etc. Those things, like when receivers not so subtly celebrated Dawson's departure, will not be considered acceptable in the future. They can't do anything about what a player says after he leaves the program but for players in the program more "emphasis", we'll say, will be placed on being on board with the operation instead of giving the appearance of division.
On every 100-man football team you're going to deal with this stuff, so in that respect Kentucky has not been alone. In fact, it's been worse some other places. But that is one thing that I don't expect to be tolerated any more. With the new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach coming in the timing certainly makes sense. There is an 'out with the old' mentality right now with what will be a heavy emphasis on discipline and fundamentals in the offseason. It is not meant to be punitive, I'm told, but to be a clear statement across the program that UK football is not a place for individuals but for the collective.
This uptick in emphasizing discipline and deemphasizing some of the ridiculous tweets (and things of that nature) shouldn't be too drastic, because a tweet is hardly the worst expression of dissent that a player can give. Freddie Maggard and others have criticized the body language of some players on last year's team and I'm told this is something else that has been brought to the attention of nearly everyone, and will be addressed if it arises again.
Let me add: I'm told that there is a sense, according to some, that reports of dissent in the program have been sensationalized in the media. Nobody singled out, no outlet singled out. But depending on who you talk to it's seen as more or less of an issue to address. The point is there will be an approach that's less tolerant and more about addressing it immediately.
On every 100-man football team you're going to deal with this stuff, so in that respect Kentucky has not been alone. In fact, it's been worse some other places. But that is one thing that I don't expect to be tolerated any more. With the new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach coming in the timing certainly makes sense. There is an 'out with the old' mentality right now with what will be a heavy emphasis on discipline and fundamentals in the offseason. It is not meant to be punitive, I'm told, but to be a clear statement across the program that UK football is not a place for individuals but for the collective.
This uptick in emphasizing discipline and deemphasizing some of the ridiculous tweets (and things of that nature) shouldn't be too drastic, because a tweet is hardly the worst expression of dissent that a player can give. Freddie Maggard and others have criticized the body language of some players on last year's team and I'm told this is something else that has been brought to the attention of nearly everyone, and will be addressed if it arises again.
Let me add: I'm told that there is a sense, according to some, that reports of dissent in the program have been sensationalized in the media. Nobody singled out, no outlet singled out. But depending on who you talk to it's seen as more or less of an issue to address. The point is there will be an approach that's less tolerant and more about addressing it immediately.
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