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Jones flips to Bama

I like your posts, but I think you might be missing the mark in this 1. Jones didn't make this decision on a calculator. He says this is the chance of a lifetime, so that is what is in his heart. Maybe he becomes a star at Alabama, maybe he doesn't. Who cares? It is his decision to make, and he has made it. He isn't coming to Kentucky. Life goes on. Here is what bothers me. I did not see any Kentucky fans apply your logic when Trey Lyles decommitted for Indiana, Derek Willis decommitted from Purdue, Sacha Killeya-Jones decommitted from Virginia. Nobody here gives a hoot about Mac Jones' future unless it is in Lexington. Some posters openly hope now that Jones gets seriously injured, if you can believe that. A lot of fans view these kids as commodities for their entertainment, nothing else. If the kid doesn't pick Kentucky, they wish he fails it gets hurt. As a former athlete, I find that offensive. I also think Coach Hinshaw deserves a fair chance to recruit his own guy. Jones was a Shannon Dawson recruit. Let's see what Hinshaw does now. He must have known this was a possibility.

I'm not arguing that he made a bad decision due to the competition, all I'm doing is pointing out the math, and that the people that have pointed to a potential difficult battle for PT at Bama are correct - that's all.
All the other layers of information that you are heaping on are interesting but irrelevant to what I said. Unless you can explain how 6 different QBs are going to become the starter for Bama in the next few years, the subject is dead as far as I'm concerned.
 
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The playing time at Alabama doesn't matter. Going to Bama affords you a certain cache. If you don't win the job there, you're still assumed to be good and just a victim of the numbers game. Then, you can transfer to a USC, Texas, TAMU, or whatever big money program need a QB urgently. It's like a second recruitment. It's a smart decision by Jones, it just sucks for our snake bitten program.
 
I'd agree with this, especially the part about Hinshaw and the possibility Jones would move on. These coaches can read these kids much better than we can. I think if truth be known, UK(read Stoops, Hinshaw/Gran, Morrow) are not the least bit surprised by Jones flip.


Reading all the threads about this I have to say I am as surprised as UK fans are that he flipped now. The path to seeing playing time, on paper anyway, was much easier than it will be at Bama. Not only will they have 4 4* on the roster this fall, at least 5 in 17, then they will take another 1 or 2 in 18. If Jones hasn't made progress by the end of his frosh year, 2nd year at the latest he will be a forgotten man and transfer. If he is lucky it will be after his first year and he can go JUCO, graduate and go wherever he wants. If its after his second year, he will be stuck, Bama will block an SEC transfer forcing him to sit 2 years or he can transfer out of the SEC and sit 1 year or transfer down a division and play immediately. But Jones and every kid they sign feels that is what will happen to some other guy, not them. But it is what it is, kids don't understand the word commitment and apparently some don't understand the word respect.
 
Reading all the threads about this I have to say I am as surprised as UK fans are that he flipped now. The path to seeing playing time, on paper anyway, was much easier than it will be at Bama. Not only will they have 4 4* on the roster this fall, at least 5 in 17, then they will take another 1 or 2 in 18. If Jones hasn't made progress by the end of his frosh year, 2nd year at the latest he will be a forgotten man and transfer. If he is lucky it will be after his first year and he can go JUCO, graduate and go wherever he wants. If its after his second year, he will be stuck, Bama will block an SEC transfer forcing him to sit 2 years or he can transfer out of the SEC and sit 1 year or transfer down a division and play immediately. But Jones and every kid they sign feels that is what will happen to some other guy, not them. But it is what it is, kids don't understand the word commitment and apparently some don't understand the word respect.

That's the thing. Don't progress well and transfer from UK? You're damaged goods. Transfer from Alabama? You're still great, numbers victim, just settin yourself in the best opportunity, NFL still interested. It's a smart choice. It sucks that we are who we are.
 
The playing time at Alabama doesn't matter. Going to Bama affords you a certain cache. If you don't win the job there, you're still assumed to be good and just a victim of the numbers game. Then, you can transfer to a USC, Texas, TAMU, or whatever big money program need a QB urgently. It's like a second recruitment. It's a smart decision by Jones, it just sucks for our snake bitten program.

I can't believe anyone would make the argument that a quality player would make a choice out of high school to enhance the possibilities of transferring elsewhere and losing a year of eligibility in the process later on. That's certainly not what Grumpy was saying.
 
No, I've seen about 25 years of first hand evidence (started watching football around 1990) that shows we have a truly good team once every 10 years or so. We never develop a consistently winning or even improving program. We bottom out about once even 10 years too. I see the cycle before my time too. It just sucks to try and get excited about a 1-2 year flash in the pan every decade or so. I think a lot of things like geography, state population, funding, facilities, stadium, basketball, state demographics, and administration have always counted against us when it comes to becoming a great program, and that amount of things are very difficult to overcome. As much as I want to see it, the light at the end of the tunnel gets fainter every year.


Louisville is in the same state but have managed to sustain better than UK in recent years. What is the difference? More money and less morals would be my guess.
 
Reading all the threads about this I have to say I am as surprised as UK fans are that he flipped now. The path to seeing playing time, on paper anyway, was much easier than it will be at Bama. Not only will they have 4 4* on the roster this fall, at least 5 in 17, then they will take another 1 or 2 in 18. If Jones hasn't made progress by the end of his frosh year, 2nd year at the latest he will be a forgotten man and transfer. If he is lucky it will be after his first year and he can go JUCO, graduate and go wherever he wants. If its after his second year, he will be stuck, Bama will block an SEC transfer forcing him to sit 2 years or he can transfer out of the SEC and sit 1 year or transfer down a division and play immediately. But Jones and every kid they sign feels that is what will happen to some other guy, not them. But it is what it is, kids don't understand the word commitment and apparently some don't understand the word respect.

Jones will either hang around and play by his RS soph/jr year or end his career at UCF or USF.

As for UK I mentioned on another thread...they are in a classic Catch-22 when it comes to football. Need good players to win but need to win to get good players.
 
I can't believe anyone would make the argument that a quality player would make a choice out of high school to enhance the possibilities of transferring elsewhere and losing a year of eligibility in the process later on. That's certainly not what Grumpy was saying.

Are you serious? The year of eligibility is a non issue since QBs often take redshirt years any way to mature. QBs move around constantly in college football, I'm certain the thought process is "either win the job at Bama or enter a second recruitment and win it somewhere else." I can't speak for grumpy, but plenty of QBs in college know that transferring may someday be in the cards. Also in the era of grad transfers, that's an extra option.
 
That's the thing. Don't progress well and transfer from UK? You're damaged goods. Transfer from Alabama? You're still great, numbers victim, just settin yourself in the best opportunity, NFL still interested. It's a smart choice. It sucks that we are who we are.
I would agree with this for every position except the QB position at UA. They are just not recognized as a school that produces or recruits the QBs you see in most spread offenses today. You even heard it from Mac Jones at the Elite 11, he is not a spread qb, he runs the wing in offense and maybe he realized going against spread type QBs in the competition that what UK would ask of him under Gran relies less on a steady running attack to help him on offense than UA and Nick served that up to him on a platter, of course that is speculative but reasonable.
 
I would agree with this for every position except the QB position at UA. They are just not recognized as a school that produces or recruits the QBs you see in most spread offenses today. You even heard it from Mac Jones at the Elite 11, he is not a spread qb, he runs the wing in offense and maybe he realized going against spread type QBs in the competition that what UK would ask of him under Gran relies less on a steady running attack to help him on offense than UA and Nick served that up to him on a platter, of course that is speculative but reasonable.

I can see that. No, Bama has not been a QB factory. But he can also say to new teams and to NFL suitors, "I spent 2 years under Lane Kiffin's tutelage (pro experience)" No one is going to hold your time at Alabama against you. It's like Kentucky basketball and how they all say "it prepared me to be a pro." That's basically what Alabama does (even though they've had a series of flops lately).
 
Are you serious? The year of eligibility is a non issue since QBs often take redshirt years any way to mature.

? You only get one redshirt year and it's just about a sure thing that they will use it their freshmen year especially at a place like Bama that has 5 other QBs on the roster.
 
Man, this sounds depressing. There are still plenty of good qbs out there that want to play for a 'winning' program. That is the difference. Stoops & Co have just as good a recruiting pitch & facility investment to back it up. We have to start producing.
Exactly right Sir. We have as much talent on the roster right now than anytime in a long time and all we need to do is come out of the gate and show it and the juice in recruiting will be right back quickly because everything else is in place now with the facilities etc. As you can see from the early commits we get every year and big interest from other big time players (committed or not), kids want to come here, but they just need to see theres a chance to be good and play in meaningful bowl games. Just gotta produce starting now.
 
? You only get one redshirt year and it's just about a sure thing that they will use it their freshmen year especially at a place like Bama that has 5 other QBs on the roster.

We'll see if they make him take it. Looks more to me like they want a competition and WANT someone to transfer. Besides, grad transfer is pretty easy these days, and you have even more choices of you can play immediately. I'd say a majority of QBs sign with a school knowing transferring is a real possibly
 
It was hard but he wanted to help make a program great instead of being part of a great program. Can't blame Jones but I understand the frustration.

It was hard but he wanted to help make a program great instead of being part of a great program. Can't blame Jones but I understand the frustration.

The frustrating thing to me is that I read somewhere that Jones said basically the same thing, he wanted to be part of building a program------and while some are discouraged I think you made a wise choice and UK will become much better. If we do get our instate five star OT we will have the top rated starting OL in the nation, (by ratings only, but a great place to start) and we already have some great skill players. WHEN (not if) we start winning more this staff's recruiting is going to go through the roof, IMO, and the D will catch up, your son a great part of the puzzle there. .

I noticed that Jones has already jumped to a 5.9 on Bama's commit list, but I'm not sure what he is thinking, Cornwall about to give up according to our visitor, another 5.9 with ideal size, 6' 5" and 235# as a commit. I remember the ONLY four star commit UK got from an SEC state under Brooks (yancy overrated), Goode, ended up at Bama and probably had a chance to play at Bama-------until they brought in TWO Heisman candidates (one won it, the other more talented) and he ended up on the bench four years before transferring down for his senior year.

Sometimes the young tend to be pretty cocky, I think he could end up competing for the starting position in a couple of years------until they bring in a five star phenom.
 
It is depressing. There's plenty of QBs, but very few who have (or pretended to have, right Jones?) a desire to play for UK. Hopefully Gran makes us an exciting offense for talent to play in. Like you said, we HAVE to start producing. Problem is we've had two coaches in 20 years that truly produced. One was Mumme and we all know why that was a sham. The other was Brooks, who turned a F program into a solid B, then Joker took it back to F faster than you can blink. I'd love to see some production, but historically (modern era) we've never really had it.

And Joker was also the OC AND WR coach that developed two LATE 5.5 three stars. a JC two star, and a FOUR POINT NINE WR into our best receiving corp in history.

Joker had a HUGE amount of help in UK's regression from the (non)support from UK.
 
I know this is the way football recruiting goes, but... damn. Wow. Huge blow. He acted as committed as any recruit we've ever had. We'd been hyping and counting on this kid for what seems like forever, and now we get a gut check.

As echoed by others, I don't want to hear anything about a player until the LOI is in hand. It's just pointless. Especially when we're going after top tier guys. They're going to flip 80% of the time, so why do we bother acting like anyone is truly committed?

The more years go by, the more I feel like we're just destined to be mediocre to bad forever. Keep Stoops, fire Stoops, who cares? There isn't a change out there that's going to matter. Ugh. Football is basically just and excuse to get drunk around here.

Having a starting OL that could possibly AVERAGE over a 5.9 in 17 says you are wrong, (that IS a change that matters) plus more than enough four stars to start at every other position.
 
Jones will either hang around and play by his RS soph/jr year or end his career at UCF or USF.

As for UK I mentioned on another thread...they are in a classic Catch-22 when it comes to football. Need good players to win but need to win to get good players.

This flip was mentioned on our board by someone and one of our reporters had this to say about Jones. That he was very accurate with average arm strength and needed to work on his release and footwork a little. That he was rail thin right now and would have to put on some weight regardless of where he went. But that his biggest asset was his competitiveness and desire to improve. But he was also surprised he flipped to Bama but his willingness to compete gave him a chance to be the qb 2-3 years down the road but he had to make some physical changes too.
 
I can see that. No, Bama has not been a QB factory. But he can also say to new teams and to NFL suitors, "I spent 2 years under Lane Kiffin's tutelage (pro experience)" No one is going to hold your time at Alabama against you. It's like Kentucky basketball and how they all say "it prepared me to be a pro." That's basically what Alabama does (even though they've had a series of flops lately).




Can anyone name a QB that has transferred from Alabama to go on and have a great career?
 
Having a starting OL that could possibly AVERAGE over a 5.9 in 17 says you are wrong, (that IS a change that matters) plus more than enough four stars to start at every other position.

I sure hope it pans out, I really do. But we tend to be the place where 4 stars come to die. On the field results are lacking at this point.
 
I just don't understand why these kids feel the need to commit to a school if it's not the school they really want to play for. What is the point in that? I know Bama is considered elite and probably has the best coaching staff in college football, but why commit to Kentucky if you weren't interested in actually going there? Of course our fans are going to be mad. I don't think you deserve the respect you ask for if you commit to one school and then flip as soon as a better offer comes along. Just don't commit untl you are 100% confident you know where you are going to play college football. It's that simple. It stops fans from bashing you in situations like this. If you don't know for sure if you really want to play at whatever school, just keep your recruiting open and don't lead any fanbase on about wanting to play for their school. I know these are kids we're talking about, but still. Parents or someone should be there to tell them not to do something unless you know for sure. It's just annoying as heck to deal with things like this. It's not fair to the coaching staffs involved or the fans. Oh well. We will still move on and survive.
 
I think he got a little cocky there at the last,but he can do what ever he wants. I am not angry with him as much as disappointed he can not keep his word! So much for being honest. This is why I do not click like on any recruit on twitter.
GBB
 
Alabama football versus Kentucky football..that is a no-brainer to me. This does not bother me in the least..I was some what P/O'd when Harris led Stoops and staff along and then chose the Tide..This shows you Alabama can get any kid at any position they want, when they want them..sorta like us in BB..
 
I feel Jones sold it as if UK was his choice and he was all in. Shame on him for doing that. I don't wish him ill, just think he really seemed to sell it when it was not real.

I have to say, I would have preferred him decommitting and giving it a few weeks before announcing for Bama.
 
Well, I just hope that Mac understands that the Alabama offense does not showcase its quarterbacks and the only reason AJ McCarron was a household name was because of Katherine Webb. He'll be handing the ball off more often than he'll be allowed to throw it.

Yeah, Bama puts a lot of players into the NFL. How have they done with QBs?
 
I just don't understand why these kids feel the need to commit to a school if it's not the school they really want to play for. What is the point in that? I know Bama is considered elite and probably has the best coaching staff in college football, but why commit to Kentucky if you weren't interested in actually going there? Of course our fans are going to be mad. I don't think you deserve the respect you ask for if you commit to one school and then flip as soon as a better offer comes along. Just don't commit untl you are 100% confident you know where you are going to play college football. It's that simple. It stops fans from bashing you in situations like this. If you don't know for sure if you really want to play at whatever school, just keep your recruiting open and don't lead any fanbase on about wanting to play for their school. I know these are kids we're talking about, but still. Parents or someone should be there to tell them not to do something unless you know for sure. It's just annoying as heck to deal with things like this. It's not fair to the coaching staffs involved or the fans. Oh well. We will still move on and survive.

Because it was the only SEC offer at the time? Because a Bama offer was not guaranteed? Because he's freaking 16 years old and that's what teenagers do?

Come on people we're acting like we are new to recruiting.
 
yeah...i'm shocked at how shocked people are and how some are acting...

maybe if he was a homegrown i could understand some of the soreness...maybe...

like i said earlier, kid was interested when we were the first and only girl at the dance...then the bombshell showed up casually late, hot as hell but cool as ice at the same time...the girl who has plenty of options...she asked him to dance and he said yes...

who among you says no to a 10?
 
yeah...i'm shocked at how shocked people are and how some are acting...

maybe if he was a homegrown i could understand some of the soreness...maybe...

like i said earlier, kid was interested when we were the first and only girl at the dance...then the bombshell showed up casually late, hot as hell but cool as ice at the same time...the girl who has plenty of options...she asked him to dance and he said yes...

who among you says no to a 10?
If you're single and ready to mingle lol then hell no you don't turn down a 10. But if you show up at the dance with another girl and ditch her to hook up with the 10 it sure does make you look like a $&$&!! I get the allure of playing for Alabama and Nick Saban. But all along Mac Jones went on social media and declared how committed to UK he was and how he was married to Mark Stoops. When you tell people bold faced lies I think you deserve any and all backlash you get.
 
Following the news, Kentucky’s co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Darin Hinshaw tweeted out a quote attributed to James E. Faust.

“In this life, we have to make many choices,” the message read. “Some are very important choices. Some are not. Many of our choices are between good and evil. The choices we make, however, determine to a large extent our happiness or our unhappiness, because we have to live with the consequences of our choices.”

Hinshaw subtweeting a teenager by quoting Faust is petty. He probably did it in a moment of frustration without thinking, but it looks bad IMO.
 
I'm very disappointed in his change of mind. But we are going to be faced with this until we start winning some games and actually proving on the field that we are an up and coming program that an elite player can be proud of going to. We already have had adequate recruiting to make the improvements on the field. Now we just have to do it. If we succeed we will begin to land some of the really good ones. Otherwise, they will be looking to the really elite programs.
 
Yeah, Bama puts a lot of players into the NFL. How have they done with QBs?
I think I posted this earlier and if so I'm sorry... Saban has been ay Alabama going on 9 years now and they have signed 13 Top Flite quarterbacks in those years...TWO of them have ended up as starters...something I think Jones should ponder before he signs papers in Feb
 
If you're single and ready to mingle lol then hell no you don't turn down a 10. But if you show up at the dance with another girl and ditch her to hook up with the 10 it sure does make you look like a $&$&!! I get the allure of playing for Alabama and Nick Saban. But all along Mac Jones went on social media and declared how committed to UK he was and how he was married to Mark Stoops. When you tell people bold faced lies I think you deserve any and all backlash you get.

that's high school...young love...growing up...being an indecisive kid...

which is why I like the analogy...perfectly applicable...

we were the first little puppy love...it was sweet for a while...cute...both uk and mac on the way up, neither one much of anybody yet...but Mac hit a growth spurt, developed a bit, started to gain some fame under the bright lights of friday night...here comes the head cheerleader...seasoned...knows how to seal the deal...

lots of boys start of the year with one girl...and end up with another one in the back of their truck after prom...

would anybody here have a problem if CMS snatched a 5* and told Mac to take a hike...nope...
 
that's high school...young love...growing up...being an indecisive kid...

which is why I like the analogy...perfectly applicable...

we were the first little puppy love...it was sweet for a while...cute...both uk and mac on the way up, neither one much of anybody yet...but Mac hit a growth spurt, developed a bit, started to gain some fame under the bright lights of friday night...here comes the head cheerleader...seasoned...knows how to seal the deal...

lots of boys start of the year with one girl...and end up with another one in the back of their truck after prom...

would anybody here have a problem if CMS snatched a 5* and told Mac to take a hike...nope...

The thing is, Mac isn't some 12 year old kid. He's on the cusp of being a legal adult. He's old enough to know right from wrong. And it is beyond obvious that the way he treated this program, the coaches and the fans was extremely wrong. He doesn't deserve one tiny little bit of respect from our fans because he sure as hell didn't show us any. He deserves to be ridiculed for the lying dirtbag he has proven himself to be through his own actions. If he wanted respect, then he should have kept his word. By running around all spring talking about how he was 100% committed to UK, that he was "married" to coach Stoops, that he was going to shut down his recruitment and all this garbage....to turn around and do what he did shows just to what degree he's lacking in character. I could forgive him for choosing Bama over UK. I could forgive him for flipping from UK to Bama. But I can't forgive him for his over the top level of dishonesty. Mac Jones spit into each and every one of our faces by doing things the way he did. So screw him. I hope he never gets so much as a meaningful snap his entire time at Alabama, much less sniff the NFL. It would be karma.
 
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