Nothing new here. Just the story of the last 70 years of UK football. New coaches = promises and a couple of mid bowl games then back into the rut of hopelessness. I don’t think Nick Saban could win here.
For old guys like me
- Thread starter TNCatfanforever
- Start date
A coach like Nick Saban might not win at the level he did at Alabama, but he would absolutely have us in play off contention within 5 years. No doubt in my mind. No offense OP but I'm so sick of this accepting of failure based on the past. We don't tolerate losing in basketball and we shouldn't accept it with football. We can do better and that starts with fans demanding better. Enough of the Eeyore that's the way things have always been excuses. 75% of our problem is culture, discipline, and scheme. Maybe 25% talent. I mean does anyone here believe that Louisville has more overall talent than us reflective of today's score? They certainly have better coaching talent, culture, mindset etc. But better player talent overall? Absolutely not.
Gonna have to get way better players to compete for playoff bids and sec titles.
Basketball has way better players most seasons. That's why they win. Not rocket science.
You’re just not going to change the perception of this program. No coach is going to. We have to take guys that can’t get other big boy jobs and if they did well enough, they’d bounce to a better traditional program if they got the chance.
We have one of the smallest stadiums in the conference, we never go to any BCS type bowl, we can’t beat Georgia, we’ve watched teams be down and then surpass us again. We can’t shake the stigma of being a basketball program. We celebrate mediocrity here so much as if you’re supposed to be happy you made the Music City Bowl.
The sample size is big enough to confidently say we cannot compete in the SEC, and unless we’re going to get someone who has an exciting offense and will let a QB sling it and showcase his skills here and run a system where skill players want to be here and not be wasted, we’re just gonna be taking the money and being told to be happy with 6-6.
We have one of the smallest stadiums in the conference, we never go to any BCS type bowl, we can’t beat Georgia, we’ve watched teams be down and then surpass us again. We can’t shake the stigma of being a basketball program. We celebrate mediocrity here so much as if you’re supposed to be happy you made the Music City Bowl.
The sample size is big enough to confidently say we cannot compete in the SEC, and unless we’re going to get someone who has an exciting offense and will let a QB sling it and showcase his skills here and run a system where skill players want to be here and not be wasted, we’re just gonna be taking the money and being told to be happy with 6-6.
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Stoops has been here something like 13 years. If he was going to get "better" players it would of already happened. No other SEC program has more patience than UK and outside of Vanderbilt we are the worst program in the league.
It apparently only took Jeff Brohm two years to construct a better roster than Stoops has in year 13. It's time for a fresh start. If you pay top 10 money for a coach then you have to at least be competitive in your conference. If we don't expect that then we just need to surrender and put all of our NIL in basketball.
A little different for me, first time I'm glad to see the season end for the past 5 or 6 years. I think we left quite a bit on the table this year
It comes down to hiring the right coach. The right guy will win big (more money, good recruiting, etc). Winnners attract other winners and achieve critical mass. The few guys out there who can do it drive the market for everyone else. Every coach hired this cycle is someone who the school hopes is that guy, but most aren’t.
For KY, you have to get that guy before he becomes recognized by everyone else. That’s why we all want JS- he possesses a lot of the traits the great ones do!
For KY, you have to get that guy before he becomes recognized by everyone else. That’s why we all want JS- he possesses a lot of the traits the great ones do!
It’s not the size of the dog in a fight it’s the size of the fight in the dog. Talent is not KY’s issue. 100% is Coaching, Culture and lack of either is apparent.
I mean in general. If you want to compete for things that matter we have to spend more and be top 3 to 5 every season n the sec in NIL.
I couldn't care less if Stoops was fired or quit tomorrow. He is way beyond stale and n over his head.
This is my argument for why we should pour as much of that upcoming revenue dump in basketball. At least we can continue to be the best at the 2nd biggest sport.
I know it's a different conference and not everything is the same circumstances...but how can IU win 11 games this season and get a playoff berth but UK can't do that? IU probably has a more pathetic football history than we do and they have at least a shot at a title this season
Nick Saban didn't win because he had some secret scheme that allowed him to out X and O teams, he overwhelmed them with talented players who could play in the scheme he ran, which wasn't much different than everyone else running a 1 gap front.
If TCU can get in playoffs anyone with right coach, right assistants, right system and good players can do it. We have none of that. Mitch thought the fanbase would love 3 to 4 automatic wins and get a game or two each year and we would be happy. Now one 10 win season is revolked, Stoops record is no better than the other guys like Clayborn or Curci, just been here longer. Now the decline, like other coaches here. Just fans waiting for the axe to chop.
Signed, Missouri, Indiana, Ole Miss, and Kansas.
They have the same talent this year and have lost 3 games already and appear to be out of play off contention. You think that's the case with Saban there? I never stated Saban had some secret or superior scheme. But he was a disciplinarian who ran a tight ship. He paid attention to details and that is the edge that made them great under his leadership. Georgia has a ton of talent, but would be in trouble with Mark Stoops at the helm. Coaching matters.
Not even close, Milroe is a great running QB, and an average passer, they don't have a dominant RB and OL is below standard. Their WR group is top flight. Defense is not what it has been, but when players like Downs transfer it takes a step back.
You are right, he ran a tight ship and anytime a kid ran across any laws he was taken to the on duty staffer, not to jail.
I never said coaching didn't matter, but when you start with the best players/athletes and do the same drills, same techniques, the bigger and faster twitch guys will always stand out. I know UGA has a talented roster, but had to replace 4 coaches for 24, don't seem like a great fit, so we probably going to need some new ones for 25.
Saban was a winner everywhere he went. Turned around a Toledo program in 1 year. Took Michigan State to a 9-2 record in his last year. Won a national title at LSU in four years. And what he did at Alabama is well documented. He was a type A guy to the max. LSU and Alabama are fertile recruiting grounds but he won at jobs before he had that. So his success was not simply outtalenting people. Someone with his dedication and high level of focus/discipline could win at a decent clip here.
On another note, I think we just face an uphill climb getting someone to come here because of our history. Coaches don't respect UK because for a long time we just didn't invest in football. That's why Steve Spurrier showed us no mercy when he played us. Saw us as an embarrassment to the conference. I really wish we'd have had Mike Leach come to coach here. Maybe we don't do any better than Stoops but damnit if the games wouldn't have been entertaining from start to finish.
Definitely had enough talent to win at least 7 games, maybe a few more with a little luck. This staff is terrible at player development. I want an offense that goes for the opponents jugular. I want a defense that creates pressure and doesn't have the DBs playing so far off the line and gives up everything short/medium. Couple that with non tacklers and it makes it doubly worse. No reason why we can't be better than USCjr, Mizzou, and Vandy. It's inexcuseable.
Nick Saban would win here for one reason. He would be able to bring a crazy portal haul. Half our roster isn't even Saban caliber.
He would be able to flip the roster easily, and Nick Saban could recruit a football player to go play in Antarctica in shorts probably so HS recruiting would have a major upswing.
He would be able to flip the roster easily, and Nick Saban could recruit a football player to go play in Antarctica in shorts probably so HS recruiting would have a major upswing.
I started watching UK during the Rey era. We had the best team in the country when Still Ramsey and Siganos were here.The only true contender I ever saw here was ruined by probation. Claybourne had one really good team as did Stoops. That's basically 3 great teams in 57 years. It takes fortitude to be a KY football fan. With a 12 team playoff, soon to be 16 we should have a chance to make a playoff every once in a decade or so with the right guy. Stoops, if he ever was, is no longer that guy. If I don't die first I might be able to see it if we make the right hire,which will be after the next season, given our schedule. Another 4-8 season is probably in the offing, unless we get lucky in portal and get the right QB. Anyone who thinks that stick man Boley is our guy is whistling past a grave yard.
They don’t have the same talent. Saban’s success stemmed from hoarding the depth of four and five stars because they couldn’t directly transfer each season. NIL also meant other programs could openly pay recruits and players which Bama has been doing forever behind the scenes.
No coincidence that Saban retired when he lost the advantage.
No, missing the bigger picture….Nick Saban coached attention to detail and expected it from EVERYONE associated with the program…
Doubtful he would have tolerated the culture that allowed a player at the concession stand
Nick Saban…Alabama
How about a James Franklin Vandy
Eli Drink Mizz
Shane Beamer SC
Kevin Sumlin Aggie run
Mike Elko Aggie run
Petrino Arky
Mullen Miss St
You don’t need a GOAT coach and Bama platform to win 7,8,9 games regularly and occasionally 10-11…
How about a James Franklin Vandy
Eli Drink Mizz
Shane Beamer SC
Kevin Sumlin Aggie run
Mike Elko Aggie run
Petrino Arky
Mullen Miss St
You don’t need a GOAT coach and Bama platform to win 7,8,9 games regularly and occasionally 10-11…
Because they play in a crap conference. The SEC is the hardest conference in the nation and it isn't even close. I still say that if UK played in any other conference we would win 8-9 games per season with ease. Not this year obviously.
Saban was the CEO of Alabama. He had the best assistants and unlimited resources at his disposal. Bama wasn't his first job though. His results elsewhere weren't nearly as spectacular. His time at Michigan State was pedestrian until the last season. He did better at LSU. HIs time at Miami was awful. He never looked back once at Bama, but he had a long career before that.
Mitch's dumb assed contract really is the issue here. Stoops is barely even a head coach, certainly no CEO, yet he makes Saban like money. HIs system is outdated and kids don't want to play in it. Without that contract, Stoops is gone, Sumrall is here, and UK is moving on to the next era.
