I believe Stoops wants to stay here. He can foresee that very soon (maybe even next year) we are going to be contending for an SEC title. Even this year we were almost there, but the QB injuries sabotaged that chance. We are returning a ton of good players and in the trenches we can already compete with anyone in the conference. Our defense is solid and we have an elite group of RBs. Now Gatewood comes in and it looks like we may have our best recruiting class yet. HOW FAR CAN WE GO? It's a great time to be a Cat fan!
How Far Can We Go?
- Thread starter dyersburgcatfan
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As far as the talent and coaching takes us is the short answer. Not to be a smart azz, but it's true..
GBB
GBB
Sky's the limit. It's time for every member of BBN to recognize this.
Let's not get too far ahead. TW is coming off a major injury, and surgery. Who knows if there will be a mental block or anything.... I hurt my knee in 8th grade and it took alot for me to feel confident in it. Sawyer is a turnover machine, he did look good alot of the time against Florida (minus first couple series and after injury)
But overall very pedestrian.
We lose our absolute best WR/ATH in Bowden Gatewood has about a 99% chance he sits next year and if he doesn't he looks like a big strong mobile kid probably isn't a super accurate passer from the film I've seen.
I hope I'm wrong but try not to get overly pumped up about next year. We are improving and in as good of shape as I remember being in for continued success as I have ever seen though Go CATS!!!!
But overall very pedestrian.
We lose our absolute best WR/ATH in Bowden Gatewood has about a 99% chance he sits next year and if he doesn't he looks like a big strong mobile kid probably isn't a super accurate passer from the film I've seen.
I hope I'm wrong but try not to get overly pumped up about next year. We are improving and in as good of shape as I remember being in for continued success as I have ever seen though Go CATS!!!!
SEC east title but still a minimum of 4 to 5 years away from that imo, we still can’t beat UT, still shoot ourselves in the foot against UF and are a long ways away from Georgia still. Don’t get me wrong as I love what’s happened to the program and big strides have been made, we are just not close to being there yet. I’m not going to say we couldn’t win the SEC outright but I highly doubt that, it would mean you’re heading for the playoffs as a favorite.
I mean ish, lets be real and not get crazy. It is possible that Saban moves on and Bama falls back, the sec as a whole could come down from this historic high it’s been on for a couple of decades now. But it’s going to take something along those lines for an sec champion game win. So yeah I’m sticking with east title in 5 to 10, which would be amazing if you know UK fb.
I mean ish, lets be real and not get crazy. It is possible that Saban moves on and Bama falls back, the sec as a whole could come down from this historic high it’s been on for a couple of decades now. But it’s going to take something along those lines for an sec champion game win. So yeah I’m sticking with east title in 5 to 10, which would be amazing if you know UK fb.
Straight up, we won't ever be in the playoffs. I can see Florida and Georgia having a down or injury year and UK playing great and get to a SEC Champ Game. Winning it would be pretty hard. Beating Alabama, LSU, or Auburn, whoever is good in said year would be just ludicrous. Even at the rate of improvement in recruiting and talent we've been having, it would take 10 more year to get to their level on a year in and year out basis.
This may be Stoops’ best recruiting class, and we’re still 11th in SEC! (That’s crazy). Ala, Ga & LSU are probably uber loaded, but I doubt there’s much difference between classes 4-11. Stoops has proven he can develop his talent.
Beating UT & UF on a semi-regular basis is the next step. (And a high mtn to climb.) Stars being aligned that helps us beat UT, Fla & Ga in the same year is possible in next few years. Get to SEC Championship then anything becomes possible. I don’t expect SEC West to maintain their conference dominance. Saban will soon retire and Coach O has to prove to me that he can keep LSU a top echelon team.
We’ll have a hard climb, but I don’t think we have a glass ceiling.
Beating UT & UF on a semi-regular basis is the next step. (And a high mtn to climb.) Stars being aligned that helps us beat UT, Fla & Ga in the same year is possible in next few years. Get to SEC Championship then anything becomes possible. I don’t expect SEC West to maintain their conference dominance. Saban will soon retire and Coach O has to prove to me that he can keep LSU a top echelon team.
We’ll have a hard climb, but I don’t think we have a glass ceiling.
There is no limit. Those who say “never” on about any subject are fooling themselves.
We went 41 years w/o 10 wins; two years ago, many said we’d “never” win 10.
But it is a matter of time and continued growth. I do not think the 2020 class wins the SEC Championship, but there’s enough talent there (and more coming) that I could easily be wrong.
On the one hand, he argues that "we won't ever be in the playoff", but then allows that it will take 10 years to get to the level of an Alabama, LSU, or Auburn. But, if we ever do get to that level, 10 years from now or whenever, then we could indeed make the playoff. He sort of contradicted himself in that post.
Sky is the limit.
This coaching staff has proven they can recruit, win and get to bowl games.
This may just be me but I think we need to win the games we should and start beating the TN and UF.
TN should doable but for some reason we seem to beat ourselves in this game the last couple years.
Overtaking UF is going to be a challenge as they are on the move up also.
But I do think we can as UK has forward momentum, administration support and fan support.
Not to mention UK’s football brand they are selling now is better with the media on shows like PF show and a couple other media people.
This coaching staff has proven they can recruit, win and get to bowl games.
This may just be me but I think we need to win the games we should and start beating the TN and UF.
TN should doable but for some reason we seem to beat ourselves in this game the last couple years.
Overtaking UF is going to be a challenge as they are on the move up also.
But I do think we can as UK has forward momentum, administration support and fan support.
Not to mention UK’s football brand they are selling now is better with the media on shows like PF show and a couple other media people.
I think Atlanta is possible in the next 3-4 years if the recruiting stays this good or slightly better. That along with some breaks such as UGA and FL having some setbacks somehow, someway. I think if the stars aligned we could make it to Atlanta even with two losses in a topsy-turny type year. Every other SEC team has been in that game except us and Vandy. We’re due!
Winning that game and making the playoff is whole other level and I don’t see it happening in the next 4-5 years. I fear if we did somehow win the SEC pundits would dismiss it as a “down year” for the conference and we could still be on the outside looking in. But keep building on this type of recruiting momentum and player development and I won’t say it’s impossible.
Winning that game and making the playoff is whole other level and I don’t see it happening in the next 4-5 years. I fear if we did somehow win the SEC pundits would dismiss it as a “down year” for the conference and we could still be on the outside looking in. But keep building on this type of recruiting momentum and player development and I won’t say it’s impossible.
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In 2018 we played UGA late in year and winner of that game was going to SEC championship game...UGA was a good bit better than UK that day and to be honest, the entire year they had vs. UK...they were the better team.
But in 2020...I am not 100% on this opinion....I think UK is going to be a better team than the 2018 UK team. And I'll argue the schedule we played in 2018 was a bit easier than what we'll navigate in 2020...so who knows how that plays out. But the bottomline is we've reached 2nd tier SEC status and now we'll see if we can nudge a bit further and become top tier SEC team in 2020 (and if the QB plays goes to another level with B Allen/Gatewood for future years...I think we'll be even that much closer).
UK isn't a crazy notion at all to get to SEC championship game, then if you're in that game...you're basically one of the top 5-6 teams in country which makes you in the conversation of teams that can win it all.
But in 2020...I am not 100% on this opinion....I think UK is going to be a better team than the 2018 UK team. And I'll argue the schedule we played in 2018 was a bit easier than what we'll navigate in 2020...so who knows how that plays out. But the bottomline is we've reached 2nd tier SEC status and now we'll see if we can nudge a bit further and become top tier SEC team in 2020 (and if the QB plays goes to another level with B Allen/Gatewood for future years...I think we'll be even that much closer).
UK isn't a crazy notion at all to get to SEC championship game, then if you're in that game...you're basically one of the top 5-6 teams in country which makes you in the conversation of teams that can win it all.
Its always a tough process in this league to climb but I've always said what is encouraging now is that as we slowly climb we are also moving the base or floor up with us. Thats the big thing Stoops and Co have done.
In the past we hit a flash here or there like with Couch but it wasnt built on a base of talent and program foundation so we almost alwasy slipped back down to the basement. Like climbing that mountain then setting up camp for the night by tying a rope from the tent to a skinny tree.
Now you feel like with the facitlities in place, the coaches, the stock pile of above average talent, and the "legitimized" image of the program nationally, there's a new base for us to work each year. We're now setting up camp, reenergizing and loading for the next part of the climb. Just need a few more differnence makers and start eliminating the "let one getaway" games and who knows.
In the history of the SEC championship game, only 3 out of 56 teams have had 3 losses, so you know it's most likely going to take 2 or less losses to have a shot. There is one HUGE advantage we have in all of this:
Georgia's annual opponent from the West is Auburn
Florida's annual opponent from the West is LSU
Tennessee's annual; opponent from the West is Alabama
Kentucky's annual opponent from the West is Mississippi State
I don't think it's crazy to think about making the SEC Championship game, but I also realize we have had 1 winning SEC season since 1977.
Georgia's annual opponent from the West is Auburn
Florida's annual opponent from the West is LSU
Tennessee's annual; opponent from the West is Alabama
Kentucky's annual opponent from the West is Mississippi State
I don't think it's crazy to think about making the SEC Championship game, but I also realize we have had 1 winning SEC season since 1977.
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Thats a great report about the past. We are an injury and a couple of missed kicks from being 9-3 and possibly even 11-1 this season! UK, with its very pitiful teams has beaten all of the West teams since 2000 - except for Texas A & M - which we have only played once. I feel your pain brother - but its time to start feeling and acting like a football school! UK will have its strongest overall roster in history next year! From what I am reading and being told it is just going to keep getting better!
Coach Stoops had a plan and has executed it perfectly as to building a program. Coach Stoops and some of his earlier assistants have made some first time coaching blunders during the games - I have been as critical as anyone about them - but that is called on the job training. I ask this question of our fans and will qualify it with this statement- you may not agree with the play decisions or even some of the personnel decisions during the games this year - but how many coaching gaffs did you see happen this year? I can tell you from my perspective it was almost non existent- especially compared to past years!
We have something that I hope we are able to keep going for a long time - its a very solid coaching staff at every position! You can tell these guys love who they are working for, what they are doing and having a great time! You are going to see this staff start being looked at for much bigger jobs soon! UK is going to have to continue to keep its football momentum by preparing to pay like the program we want to become. I'm not talking about Coach Stoops either!
If what I have talked about above keeps continuity, I hope I am able and around long enough to see us play in Atlanta and in the playoffs- I fully believe it happens at least once in the next decade!
Go Big Blue!
Go Big Blue!
Go Big Blue!
To say we will never be in PLAYOFFS is hogwash! If we win SEC title our ticket would be punched if we had 1 loss or less. To say we cannot win SEC with eatt types of players Stoops and Marrow is landing here. I don't think KENTUCKY had truly hit their peak under Stoops yet due to fact his Recruiting is still going up.
Recruiting has been going well, we have depth of talent, Stoops has already developed players out of lesser recruiting classes to give us a team that's gone .500 in conference over the past 4 seasons. Our goal now, the nest step, needs to be making it to Atlanta for an SEC championship appearance in the next 2-3 seasons.
If you consider my more detailed post to be a history lesson then yours should be classified as cheerleading with zero content as to why we would end up in the playoffs. I listed our impediments that would prevent a playoff appearance but you thoroughly explained it all away with yes we can. Besides my post is not even a downer because I listed that we could get to Atlanta. It was meant to balance out the over enthusiastic fans that declare unabated greatness by just dismissing any foreseeable issues.
Like say your point about UK beating every west team since 2000, that’s a twenty year span that’s not an indicator to base a playoff appearance on and moreover there’s a massive flaw. UK has not beaten Alabama in 6 attempts during that stretch, two of those losses were a combined score of 82-13. It’s odd that you didn’t see Alabama being a listable problem in making the playoffs and tells me that you got really excited and didn’t put much thought into that post. The biggest problem isn’t even addressed in your post but lumped in with an inaccurate west record as if to pretend they don’t exist.
I’m all for going to the playoffs but you need to explain how that’s going to happen in the sec when schools that have had major advantages over UK can’t even get to the playoffs. I try to remove bias in assessments about potential because otherwise you’re in a car without brakes. I want to make the playoffs but I won’t abandon reason, I’d rather make it and just be wrong.
Great post. UK certainly can make the playoffs but there’s a lot of hurdles we’ve yet to jump over yet. We haven’t shown we can beat the bigger schools with any degree of consistency. To make it to the playoff we’d have to beat them in the same season. It’s possible a path to the playoff would include @UF, UGA, LSU and then the West champion. We only have 1 win against those teams since Stoops has been here. That’s not to say he will never beat them, but it’s a Herculean task at this point. Winning the East is much more realistic at this point. Yes we were a few plays in all but one loss from 11-1, but we were also a few plays away from losses in some of our wins. It goes both ways.
One thing I’ve always found interesting in these types of topics are how some posters who think we’re on the cusp of the playoffs say “we need to act like a real football school.” I couldn’t agree more, but we currently don’t. No school with playoff aspirations celebrates going bowling or 7-5 season. Those schools don’t talk about beating teams once every 20 years. 7-5 seasons get you fired at the schools we’re trying to beat to get to the playoff. Malzahn might’ve gotten fired if he went 9-3 this year.
I don’t say that to bash on Stoops or our season. I think we had a solid season with what we had to overcome. I have no complaints about 7-5. I’m pleased with the season. However, there’s a lot that has to happen for us to get to the elite level. I don’t think it’s hating on UK to say there’s more work that needs to be done before we can start beating the Alabama’s of the world.
SEC title and top 10 rankings are achievable at UK, as long as this coaching staff stays together and the recruiting momentum continues to build.
Here's a good reason we might well get to championship level.
From 2002-2005, four recruiting classes, 60% of the Top 250 players on Rivals stayed in their home state to play football.
From 2015 to 2018, 60% of the Top 250 on Rivals left their home state to play football.
The really good players are more willing to travel to play their college ball than ever before. A brief scan of this year's Top 50 according to Rivals, shows that of the 41 who have committed, 31 are leaving their home state, 9 are staying in their home state, and one is from DC, and I have not counted them in prior analysis, as they are not from a state.
We don't produce enough in-state talent to fill a roster, so the willingness of better players to travel plays to our advantage. For every Harris or Parks we lose, Stoops and Co. are finding more OOS talent than we lost.
Does losing top notch in-state talent hurt?
Ask Michigan and Michigan State. The top recruit in Michigan in both the '18 and '20 classes look likely to be shoulder-to-shoulder in Blue next year.
And that's Big Blue!
From 2002-2005, four recruiting classes, 60% of the Top 250 players on Rivals stayed in their home state to play football.
From 2015 to 2018, 60% of the Top 250 on Rivals left their home state to play football.
The really good players are more willing to travel to play their college ball than ever before. A brief scan of this year's Top 50 according to Rivals, shows that of the 41 who have committed, 31 are leaving their home state, 9 are staying in their home state, and one is from DC, and I have not counted them in prior analysis, as they are not from a state.
We don't produce enough in-state talent to fill a roster, so the willingness of better players to travel plays to our advantage. For every Harris or Parks we lose, Stoops and Co. are finding more OOS talent than we lost.
Does losing top notch in-state talent hurt?
Ask Michigan and Michigan State. The top recruit in Michigan in both the '18 and '20 classes look likely to be shoulder-to-shoulder in Blue next year.
And that's Big Blue!
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Last year a poster claimed that 7-5 gets a coach fired at a lot of schools, and listed Auburn as an example. Malzahn had a 7-5 last year.
One 7-5 year isn’t going to get you fired, but if you have a few in a row at a place like Auburn you get shown the door.
Their is no limit and if Stoops stays I'd say we cross many hurdles that most KY football fans probably never would have believed possible. We have too get better coaching in the games time management etc. and have to beat good teams consistently. Florida Tenn. both have been way down and still own us. It's so frustrating that we have a mental block against those 2 schools.
I don’t think they should fire Malzahn, but that’s the world they live in. If Malzahn went 7-5 this year I think he would’ve been canned. At 8-3 before the Bama game people were talking about them firing him. That’d be foolish in my mind, but that’s the standard there.
That Bama win counts for a lot on the Plains.
We likely have just an inkling from the Louisville rivalry. Those people have hated each other for generations! I've hated Louisville since 1994!
Wouldn’t a lot of that playing out of state be because Alabama and other select schools have created a dynasty that’s pulling nationwide at levels rarely witnessed. Just because they are hoarding from all the states doesn’t indicate it’s good for UK who is not elite.
The states that have the most talent like Florida, Texas and California don’t have a dominant program in any of their states right now, so they are gravitating to Bama and Clemson among other out of state options. If USC, Texas and one of the Florida schools went elite then the trend you cite would reverse.
As a program rises it develops more magnetic pull on out of state talent. UK is already beginning to benefit from this, and if we continue to improve, more and more oos talent will be attracted to play here.
I'll bet you never thought we'd go 10-3 and win comfortably against Penn State either.
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There were dynasties or near dynasties in all eras of football. USC was during the 2002-2005 era, and they drew from many states.
I don’t think Bama and Clemson account for a 30 percent shift in the Top 250.
Check the Top 50/250 list this year. Lots of Florida to Georgia and visa-versa. Lots of Texas to California and California to the SEC.
Hey, we have a couple, at least . . . and they aren’t from Kentucky!
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