He doesn't need my defense, but I keep reading that our offense has been bad ever since Eddie Gran arrived, and that is just not true. So I finally took the time to run the stats, comparing him to other OCs at Kentucky over the last 30 years. Here's what you find:
2016-2019 -- Eddie Gran -- record 32-20; ppg 26.9; ypg 381.6
2015 -- Shannon Dawson -- record 5-7; ppg 24.7; ypg 372
2013-2014 -- Neal Brown - record 7-17; ppg 24.9; ypg 362.8
2010-2012 -- Randy Sanders -- record 13-24; ppg 21.6; ypg 334.2
2005-2009 -- Joker Phillips -- record 33-30; ppg 26.7; ypg 349.4
2003-2004 -- Ron Hudson -- record 6-17; ppg 21.5; ypg 301.5
2001-2002 -- Brent Pease -- record 9-14; ppg 27.8; ypg 365.1
1999-2000 -- Tony Franklin -- record 8-15; ppg 25.2; ypg 410.0
1997-1998 -- Mike Leach -- record 12-11; ppg 33.8; ypg 504.2
1995-1996 -- Elliott Uzelac -- record 8-14; ppg 16.4; ypg 270.1
1993-1994 -- Darryl Dickey -- record 7-16; ppg 15.4; ypg 304.5
1991-1992 -- Rick Rhodes -- record 7-15; ppg 18.1; ypg 319.1
1990 -- Tommy Bowden -- record 4-7; ppg 21.4; ypg 376.9
The first thing that jumps out is the won/lost record. Gran has been the OC during the best period of Kentucky football history in 60 years, since Bear Bryant. We have averaged 8-5 for his four years here. He has greatly contributed to that, by the stats shown above, and by running the offense at a slower pace than he was used to, which helped the defense. My understanding is that the main thing that got Shannon Dawson fired is that he would not slow down to help the defense, which struggled the year he was here.
But just on Stats, Gran's offenses have more ppg than any OC since Brent Pease in 2001-2002, and more yards per game than any OC since Tony Franklin in 1999-2000. All this while sacrificing stats for the team, lacking a SEC quality quarterback, and changing the offense completely in mid-season twice (2016 and 2019) due to injuries.
It's an unpopular opinion, but I think he is the best OC in my 55 years of following Kentucky football, and if we ran him off, we would all regret it.
2016-2019 -- Eddie Gran -- record 32-20; ppg 26.9; ypg 381.6
2015 -- Shannon Dawson -- record 5-7; ppg 24.7; ypg 372
2013-2014 -- Neal Brown - record 7-17; ppg 24.9; ypg 362.8
2010-2012 -- Randy Sanders -- record 13-24; ppg 21.6; ypg 334.2
2005-2009 -- Joker Phillips -- record 33-30; ppg 26.7; ypg 349.4
2003-2004 -- Ron Hudson -- record 6-17; ppg 21.5; ypg 301.5
2001-2002 -- Brent Pease -- record 9-14; ppg 27.8; ypg 365.1
1999-2000 -- Tony Franklin -- record 8-15; ppg 25.2; ypg 410.0
1997-1998 -- Mike Leach -- record 12-11; ppg 33.8; ypg 504.2
1995-1996 -- Elliott Uzelac -- record 8-14; ppg 16.4; ypg 270.1
1993-1994 -- Darryl Dickey -- record 7-16; ppg 15.4; ypg 304.5
1991-1992 -- Rick Rhodes -- record 7-15; ppg 18.1; ypg 319.1
1990 -- Tommy Bowden -- record 4-7; ppg 21.4; ypg 376.9
The first thing that jumps out is the won/lost record. Gran has been the OC during the best period of Kentucky football history in 60 years, since Bear Bryant. We have averaged 8-5 for his four years here. He has greatly contributed to that, by the stats shown above, and by running the offense at a slower pace than he was used to, which helped the defense. My understanding is that the main thing that got Shannon Dawson fired is that he would not slow down to help the defense, which struggled the year he was here.
But just on Stats, Gran's offenses have more ppg than any OC since Brent Pease in 2001-2002, and more yards per game than any OC since Tony Franklin in 1999-2000. All this while sacrificing stats for the team, lacking a SEC quality quarterback, and changing the offense completely in mid-season twice (2016 and 2019) due to injuries.
It's an unpopular opinion, but I think he is the best OC in my 55 years of following Kentucky football, and if we ran him off, we would all regret it.
