Your post seems to indicate that I was way off base saying change isn't coach Stoops strongest suit.I submit he is way more conservative than he is a risk taker,no where did I day he didn't develop players to fit his system.After 6 games, we know more about opponents, and opponents know more about us.
Wilson is still learning. He hasn’t played his best game yet. Mike Elko watched the UF tape. Texas AM stacked the box, covered man to man, and forced Wilson to make quick decisions under pressure. Last week, that worked. Other opponents will try the same. At an unknown future time, a light will come on for Wilson. Then he will make quicker, better decisions. That is why this is a great time for an off week of learning and study.
To address the false statement that MS doesn’t think outside the box and make changes. The coaches have tailored the plans to fit their players.
2013
MS changed UK’s defensive system to 3-4 and moved Bud Dupree to OLB. Dupree became 1st rounder. MS started freshman Jon Toth at C after Toth redshirted as an OT under JP. Toth became one of the best Cs in UK history. The same year, MS signed Melvin Lewis, an overweight, unrecruited junior college DT out of Fullerton. Lewis was put on a nutrition program and redshirted. MS hired Vince Marrow and began to focus recruiting in Ohio, a border state neglected by previous UK coaches.
2014
Lewis became a star NG. MS gave the starting QB job to redshirt Patrick Towles. MS moved DE Travaughn Paschal and TE Josh Forrest to MLB. UK upset South Carolina. MS and VM signed 11 players from Ohio, also 4 star back Stanley “Boom” Williams out of Georgia.
2015
UK upset South Carolina in Columbia, then upset #25 Missouri. MS changed his starting QB in November, leading Towles to transfer to BC. MS signed Josh Allen, a 2 star DE out of New Jersey, a state not recruited by UK in decades. MS also signed Calvin Taylor, a lightly recruited 6’9 OT out of Augusta. MS made a recruiting innovation, signing taller CBs for his combination zone coverages.
2016
Stoops developed walkon Cole Mosier as his starting LT. The passing game was opened up. Screen passes were used to neutralize pass rushes, and swing passes were used as checkdowns. Long passes were completed over the top. More blitz packages were used with Jordan Jones and the safeties. MS signed lightly-recruited back Benny Snell out of Ohio and lightly-recruited QB Stephen Johnson out of College of the Desert. UK upset Missouri on the road. Then UK upset #11 Louisville on the road behind 338 passing yards and 83 rushing yards by Johnson. UK played in the Taxslayer Bowl.
2017
Freshman Lynn Bowden was used in multiple offensive roles. Freshman Quinton Bohanna was developed as the starting NG. UK used a grad transfer punter. Safety Mike Edwards was moved around at 3 positions in the defensive backfield. Josh Allen was used as a blitzing LB from the boundary and field sides. UK upset South Carolina on the road, then beat Tennessee. UK played in the Music City Bowl. UK began recruiting in Michigan, never done before.
I think putting Hoak in with the game on the line in front of 107,000 hostile fans would have been a risky move.My question was more what do we do in the bye week and I doubted that there would be any big changes given our current situation and overall success thus far.
I do believe we need to look at getting some snaps for the #2 guy,failure to do that put us in a box toward the end of last season. It was clear that Barker was not part of whatever the team was going to be this year.I hope we don't make that mistake again this year.