The most common public reactions about Denzil Ware’s transfer seem to be shock, surprise, and another round of uninformed attacks against Stoops. I totally disagree. Lots of people think Boogie Watson or Josh Paschal will get Ware’s starting job. Watson has received recognition for playing every linebacker position, but Jack is probably the position for which he is least suited physically. Paschal already moved to end, where he practiced last month. It’s possible Paschal could move back to Jack, but that would involve losing weight over the summer and weakening our defensive end roster. So I suspect our new starting Jack linebacker will either be Jordan Wright or Kengera Daniel. Daniel was a highly recruited player. He missed his redshirt, which was a shame. He has been moved around. He is just now climbing his learning curve. This could be his time. Wright is a future star. I was not shocked at all to hear Ware is leaving. He was held out of the Music City Bowl for a rules violation, and Stoops said at the time that his return was not a given. Ware is a decent player, but not a standout. He has always been a wildcard. I think this is actually for the better.
Denzil Ware Transferring
- Thread starter TheKentuckyKid
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I hope I'm wrong but in 5 years I've seen nothing from the on field coaching to expect anything less than a dumpster fire and the schedule gets much tougher. I guess I can hope we keep the streak against USCe alive but they are due for a win, are coming off a 9 win season after beating Michigan in their bowl game, have a huge advantage at QB and improved throughout the year whereas we did not. I'd be surprised if we beat UT on the road even though they should be terrible. We will have to beat Mizzou on the road with one of the 5 best QB's in college football so I don't see that one. The rest of the games we will be solid underdogs and we haven't beaten ANYBODY in 5 years that we were underdogs to except USCe. So I see no reason to expect more than 4 or 5 wins. I would LOVE to be wrong.
It's too bad we haven't taken more advantage of the down SEC East the past few years. That won't last too much longer.
Denzil Ware was suspended for our bowl game. That was Ware’s fault, not Stoops’ fault. At the time, Stoops made it clear that Ware would have to clear some hurdles in order to be a member of our 2018 football team. Somehow, you completely ignore this undisputed fact when you say “I wouldn’t be surprised if the coaches knew nothing about this”. Then you go on to say “We must average 10-15 transfers every year” - and “Maybe EJ Price is not as crazy as people say he is”. Who is kidding who? You don’t like Stoops, and you spin everything that happens to fit your anti-Stoops narrative.
Oh surprise. You show up here to spew your blue kool aid. Stoops is not fooling me, the lack of fans in the stands or in state recruits. We see the writing on the wall.
Maybe Stoops knew about Ware maybe he didn't. Nobody knows including you. That's why I said I "wouldn't be surprised." He knew nothing about Eli Brown wanting out and Stoops was on KSR in January and admitted he was surprised when Barker called him and said he wanted out. I know transfers happen everywhere but he should have a better feel for who's unhappy or looking for something different. I have counted 8 transfers since the end of last year, which is about average for us
I was pumped when we got Stoops but we're on year 6 and we have looked terrible every year he's been here. Besides our run game, we don't do anything well. That to me says we're not well coached. So you can keep supporting mediocrity if you want but Franklin, Mullen and Jeff Brohm have proven that if you're a good coach you can win pretty quickly at a historically bad program.
I really hope I'm wrong about Stoops and he becomes Bob Stoops but I'm not holding my breath. I mean we lost a game to a bad UF team at home by giving up TWO WIDE OPEN TD's IN THE SAME GAME and we kept the DC. We gave up a similar wide open TD to lose the game against Vandy in 2015. I believe the UL and MSU games, they never even punted the ball. We gave up 26 to a bad UT team that couldn't score on anybody else and yet they drove the length of the field at the end of the game and came within 3 yards of beating us. We struggle to beat the cupcakes and it took a miracle to beat EKU in 2015 at home when we were down two TD's with 6 minutes left in the game. We were down two TD's to a 1AA Austin Peay team who was 0-10 at the time. We've had 8 players on the field to return a punt late in the game against Auburn. You can't make this stuff up.
Stoops is the best recruiting HC that we've had but is very average, even for our bad program, as far as coaching abilities go.
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Stoops is not fooling you. You are so much smarter than everyone else. Don’t let facts change your way of thinking.
Forgetting for the moment all the toxic falsehoods you have posted here in the past, here are some statements you have made on this particular thread. “In 5 years I have seen nothing from them on the field coaching to expect anything less than a dumpster fire.” “I wouldn't be surprised if the coaches knew nothing about this.” “We must average 10-15 transfers every year.” “We have looked terrible every year he [Stoops] has been here.” “You can keep supporting mediocrity if you want.” All our these statements are based on demonstrably false premises, and unequivocally demonstrate your anti-Stoops bias. You don’t like Stoops. No facts will change that. Stoops inherited a 2-10 team. Winning seasons will not change your mind. Bowls will not change your mind. The best recruiting classes UK has had in 40 years will not change your mind. Development of Benny Snell, Josh Allen, Quinton Bohanna, Cole Mosier, Bunchy Stallings, Logan Stenberg, Tavin Richardson, Charles Walker don’t register with you. Renovation of every football facility, increases in all football budgets, opening new recruiting territories, none of it matter for you. You, sir, are a troll. You may not think your are a troll, but that’s what you have become.
If he had left before the spring I wouldn’t have been shocked at all. In fact, after his WWE moment, I expected it. But, the fact he remained on the team & went thru spring practice before leaving caught me completely off guard. Without inside info I don’t know how anybody saw this coming. I don’t think he’s irreplaceable but I also think his absence will surely be felt & the depth takes a hit. It’s hard for me to downplay the loss of a 3 year starter off an already BAD defense. He definitely could’ve been better against the run but he made several huge plays & was our 2nd best pass rusher.
I totally agree on Wright, I think he can be All-SEC. I just hope he’s ready. And, I liked KG’s HS film but he’s been moved around a lot & hasn’t seen a whole lot of time so there’s not much to go on there, although he made a cpl of big stops last year. It truly IS a shame he couldn’t RS. I’ve always had high hopes for him & I’ve listed him as a potential breakout player the last 2 seasons. Personally, I’d prefer to leave Paschal at DE & hope one of the other guys can replace Ware. I think he’s the spark the DL needs to turn the corner. He gives us that pass rush presence the DL has sorely been missing.
You deserve your own Saturday morning song:
Gloom, despair, and agony on me
Deep, dark depression, excessive misery
If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all
Gloom, despair, and agony on me
You make a fair point about the timing. But I think we have to be careful about differentiating what coaches know versus what fans know. When Ware was suspended for our bowl game, Stoops was very clear that Ware would have some hurdles to clear before he could come back to the team. Subsequently, Ware announced he was returning. Now he isn’t. It seems obvious to me that things never got completely right again between Ware and Stoops. We don’t know all the details, and we don’t need to. As for the impact, I hate to see a starter leave. But I think Kengera Daniel could surprise some people, and I have a lot of confidence in Jordan Wright’s talent and size. At some point, I think Wright will become a much better player than Ware ever has been.
The only one that knows what is going on is Ware. Even if he tells why, it's pretty obvious half the board will believe him, half won't.
It's possible that he planned to leave after the Louisville game/ bowl suspension but knew he was close to graduating. Wasting a year to sit and THEN play another year?
Then he finds that he has completed the necessary classes to get that degree. Some have pointed out Ware was seldom pointed out by coaches as excelling in the spring.
Sounds more like it was agreed he could stay and practice (as he reportedly did for the MCB) then move on.
I don't know of a handful of folks that thought he would be back after Louisville and a bowl suspension a month down the road.
It's possible that he planned to leave after the Louisville game/ bowl suspension but knew he was close to graduating. Wasting a year to sit and THEN play another year?
Then he finds that he has completed the necessary classes to get that degree. Some have pointed out Ware was seldom pointed out by coaches as excelling in the spring.
Sounds more like it was agreed he could stay and practice (as he reportedly did for the MCB) then move on.
I don't know of a handful of folks that thought he would be back after Louisville and a bowl suspension a month down the road.
I truly believe if Mark Stoops wins eight games this year some will be unhappier than if he goes 0-for the season.
Most of those transfers where guys who did not come up the depth chart. Show me where those other guys ended up and how high they got drafted.
Absolutely awesome take - and spot on.
Unless Hoak is the truth or Touchdown Terry is Marriota Lite - this is going to be the beginning of end for Stoops and hopefully Barney goes with him.
Perhaps because they were never developed here. How many 4 Star flameouts have we had here under Stoops (Hatcher, Randolph, Bone, West, Barker, N Richardson, Horton, Brown, Leavitt, J Richardson come to mind not to mention others who were 4 stars on other sites like Elam, Snodgrass, Ware)? That's 2/3's of the 4 stars he has signed. Probably explains why none of last years or this years in state 4 stars want nothing to do with our program. Don’t kid yourself there’s a lot of negative recruiting happening against us because the honeymoon period is over and rival coaches can point to our lack of on field results and development as reasons to not go here.
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Good points. I will add that Stoops called Boogie one of the 11 best on defense. I am not sure which starter would have been considered #12, but assumed it was not a LBer, because if Watson was better, one would assume Watson would take the job.
If Boogie is one of the 11 and Ware is leaving, I would think the staff would consider Boogie for the job, unless someone outside the best 11 was simply better suited for that specific position. If Boogie had not been praised for being multiple among the LBer positions, I would assume he was simply stuck behind Allen. But, because he had been praised for his versatility, I predict he takes Ware’s spot, even if not an ideal body type for the position.
Plenty of schools have highly rated players not pan out. After we have multiple guys drafted next year what will you say then? What about guys like Snell Allen Baity Stallings Rigg George Toth Melvin Harmon bohanna mosier. I can keep going on guys who have been big pieces who was not highly ranked.
The hyperbole on both sides of this thread is overflowing.
This was not unexpected and Ware is looking for a final season at a place he can start fresh. It will eventually come out why he left.
This is a huge season for Coach Stoops' UK Football program. We have a lot of experience returning, it's his 6th season and if we are ever going to make move up the SEC East ladder, the time is now.
This was not unexpected and Ware is looking for a final season at a place he can start fresh. It will eventually come out why he left.
This is a huge season for Coach Stoops' UK Football program. We have a lot of experience returning, it's his 6th season and if we are ever going to make move up the SEC East ladder, the time is now.
White seemed to really like KD this spring, mentioning him specifically as someone they trusted.
I have liked Boogie Watson's skill set ever since the 2017 BWG. Although he has gotten a lot of attention for being able to play every linebacker position, I believe he is primarily a Sam or a Will skill-wise. I don’t really know if he is 1 of our best 11 defensive players. That’s a tough call. He is a solid player. But Watson is not primarily a Jack linebacker, and does not quite have the upside of Wright.
Yeah, I was happy to hear that. The kid has done everything asked of him & made selfless sacrifices for the betterment of the team. I’d love to see him have a big year. He’s earned it & deserves it, IMO.
Every year is the time to move up the SEC ladder. As for the hyperbole, well LOL!The hyperbole on both sides of this thread is overflowing.
This was not unexpected and Ware is looking for a final season at a place he can start fresh. It will eventually come out why he left.
This is a huge season for Coach Stoops' UK Football program. We have a lot of experience returning, it's his 6th season and if we are ever going to make move up the SEC East ladder, the time is now.
I love what I am hearing about Wright. I just wonder if a RS Fr is better suited for the field than a RS soph. The good news is that UK has options for the departure of Ware. I am not saying those options are better, but they exist.
If Ware does not land at a big P5 school, I will suspect his departure was not all his decision or someone in the spring made it obvious he was sharing minutes in the fall of his senior year and he did not want the risk of being passed midseason.
New coaches at UF and UT, USC and UGA at home, most experienced defense since Stoops has been here, strong O-Line, All-American RB and great leadership, we really need to make this season a BIG ONE!!
Kengera Daniel’s situation is interesting. He turned down scholarship offers from Alabama, Michigan, Miami. He missed his redshirt opportunity. He has been moved back and forth between defensive end and linebacker, under multiple linebacker and defensive line coaches. I thought he played well in the Music City Bowl. Like you say, Coach White seemed complimentary last month. Maybe Ware’s departure is the opportunity Daniel has been waiting for. But he will have to play well to hold off Jordan Wright.
I don't like Stoops as our HC anymore. Doesn't mean that I don''t like Stoops as a person. He seems like a great man, great father, recruits really well and overall great person but that doesn't mean he is a good HC. If you talked to anybody that knew me the first 3 years he was here I was talking Stoops up like he was going to save UK football but his on field results have really soured me. He seems really clueless. In an earlier post I mentioned that fans hated Rick Minter's D but his last year we ranked #59 in total D and gave up 391 yards a game. Last year, IN YEAR 5, we were #93 in total D and gave up 427 yards a game, with much better players.
Yes, Stoops inherited a 2-10 team. But so did Franklin and Brohm. It did not take them 4 years to reach a bowl game. Mullen inherited a dumpster fire too but he quickly turned them around. The players you mentioned above are great but there is an even longer list of higher rated players that either never developed or got worse (Hatcher, Elam, Randolph, Bone, Barker, Horton, Snodgrass, Brown, N Richardson, J Richardson, Leavitt come to mind). Besides our run game, what else do we do well? We are a poor team in every other phase of the game. Passing, pass blocking, catching, everything on D, ST's have mostly been a mess since he's been here but I do think Hood is a very solid coach so there is some optimism there.
As far as the facilities and upgrades go I commend Stoops for that but IMO it was more of a fan revolt against Joker and Mitch that we will no longer just show up to support a terrible product. Mitch knew we had to spend some money to crawl out of the basement.
Maybe a light bulb comes on with Stoops this year and we win 10 games, I hope we do, but I've seen nothing so far that suggests we will.
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Everything you are saying here is a fact. UK was 2-10 in 2012. That’s what Stoops inherited. Some coaches make big splashes, but Stoops has been a grinder. He built an infrastructure. He has built his roster methodically and worked with the university to renovate every football facility. He went from 2 wins to 5 wins to 7 wins. He has been to 2 bowls, but he hasn’t won a bowl yet. The returning roster presents Stoops with a golden opportunity in 2018. The schedule is always a consideration, but you have to make your own opportunities. If Stoops and his coordinators understand how to place pressure on opponents, they have the resources to do it more successfully this year. I feel that I have watched Stoops develop as a head coach. At 1 point, he didn't understand the importance of having a dedicated special teams coordinator and a dedicated quarterback coach. He kept Coach Eliot here too long. He let Derrick Ainsley get away when circumstances suggested Ansley would like to have stayed. He learned and grew past all of that. Now, Stoops has an opportunity to use his veteran roster wisely and continue moving his program forward in 2018. If he and his staff are up to it, then this will be a big year. I hope he is up to it, because the contractual commitment made by the university to him anticipates that he will be. We are on the precipice. Now they need to get the job done.
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More and more, you troll optimistic fans and you gain the support of hard core trolls on the board. There have been many positives, but you see only negatives. You state negative opinions as if they were facts, and you ignore indisputable facts that do not support your negative opinions. We have been over this before. If the “light bulb comes on”, as you put it, then you will be eating a whole lot of crow.
Oh, really? Sixty years of it haven’t deterred me, chief. I think you are the one meeting the snowflake definition, not tough at all. Check my avatar, the taller guy, do I look like a tree hugging wimp? Go back and hide under your bed.
For those that transferred out and were never developed here, how did they do at their new schools?
Hide under my bed? LOL. You have no idea what I do for a living or you wouldn't say that.
I'm a die hard and will still be watching every game and cheering my Cats on this season, no matter the results. I have been a fan since I was 8 years old and when Stoops was hired I thought we hit a home run and the hire was about as good as we could do. I told my dad that Stoops was our last hope if we ever want to be good. But 6 years in, it just seems like it's not going to happen and that is disappointing. Hope he proves me wrong this year.
Agree with your comment on liking the options. I love the options. During Stoops’ tenure, the following Wildcats have been starters as redshirt freshmen. Mike Edwards, Juice Johnson, Jordan Jones, Austin MacGinnis, Drake Jackson. That’s a pretty good group. If Jordan Wright wins the job, I’m good with that. At some point, Wright will be a star at UK. But I am thinking Daniel and Wright will probably share the job, with Daniel starting this year. He has earned it, and he is another high upside player. Either way, we are replacing a 6-2 player on the edge with a couple of 6-6 players who are just as athletic if not more so, and seem to have higher football IQs.
Just because you choose to support mediocrity does not mean you are right and I am a troll. I just think we are capable of more. In fact, I think fans like you are holding the program down by not demanding more. You probably defended Joker and Mitch even when it was painfully obvious he wasn't going to work. You can look at similar programs coming off similar 2-10 seasons and it's usually pretty obvious early on if your next coach knows what he's doing or not. We're 6 seasons in and half of our fan base is split over whether we think our coach is good or not. Seems like there are good arguments to be said on both sides and that is what message boards are for.
You call me a troll but I call you a sunshine pumper who doesn't live in reality and you state your opinions as facts. See how that works? Two of us can play that game. Half of my posts are likes, just like yours. Does that make you a troll too or is half our fan base trolls that support me as you like to say?
I’m calling BS. You called me a “sunshine pumper” months before I concluded you are becoming a troll and gaining popularity with this board’s hard core trolls. With every new post, you convince me more and more that you enjoy trolling optimistic UK football fans. Trolling is your true sport. You wouldn’t understand this, but I have never been a full-throttle fan of Stoops. There have always been strengths and weaknesses, but you are only capable of seeing negatives. And contrary to your troll delusion, I was delighted when Barnhart fired Joker Phillips. But OTOH, I live in the real world. Unlike you, I understand that Stoops has put the right roster, the right staff, the right facilities in place. Our football program is this close to a breakout. And, unlike you, I sincerely hope this is the year it happens.
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Besides recruiting what are his strengths? Serious question. I have seen very little on the field coaching to suggest we are well coached (besides the run game which I've mentioned over and over and given Stoops credit for). Show me some shred of EVIDENCE to prove otherwise. I have used statistics, which don't always tell the whole story, but is one way to prove a point that so far, he has not been a quality HC. Our opinions may differ but instead of name calling, back it up with some evidence. I'll go first, courtesy of ncaa.com.
2013- Total offense 107. Total defense 91
2014- Total offense 79 Total defense 75
2015- Total offense 89 Total defense 59
2016- Total offense 61 Total defense 85
2017- Total offense 103 Total defense 91
Some seasons there were 120 teams and most recently 128 teams. Judging by the numbers we ranked in the bottom 1/3 in all but 2 phases, where we were right in the middle at 59 and 61. Add all 10 phases up and you get 840. Divide by 10 and our average is an 84.
I guess we have differing opinions about what is a good coached team and what is not. Hopefully Stoops has grown as a HC and we are world beaters this year but statistical evidence says that will probably not be the case if history is any indication.
I have to call BS here again. It doesn’t matter how many times I explain to you how this program has gone from a 2-10 team with antiquated facilities to a 7-win bowl team with modern facilities and strong, balanced recruiting classes. You are completely blind to it, and you prefer trolling optimistic UK fans.
