Losing the Mo

[GridCats]

Losing the last six games was a downer for us all. And a lot of fan's have their opinion about it. It has happen over many years that the team just don't compete well the last part of the season. Key players get injured and some play with injuries. Ohio St. won out with a third string QB. In most positions we don't go two deep without a big loss in talent.

You just can't be competitive if there's not a roster of quality players. One or two good recruiting classes is not near enough. Year in a year out there has to be a good class coming in. Looks like it's a lot harder to do that than we thought it would be.

You build it, they will come. Problem is how do you consistently get them here when you don't have the tradition of winning. Well coach up what you have and win. You won't get the best without being one of the best. Just my opinion.

 

[Calsarmy]

Im not going to get into the quality of players we have or dont have, or how our recruiting classes rank.

At days end Coach needs to win this year. We have 4-5 wins again coupled with news headlines and it will end up being a big problem for Coach. I like Stoops and no one wants him to be successful more than me, but this year, it will have to be all about wins.

 

[kats23]

It's why building in football is so difficult and cannot be done overnight. Seeing a lot of fans ready to pull the plug on Mark Stoops this morning thanks to some off the field troubles and losing a few recruits. I'll admit, this past week has been rough and we'll see where we are next week but I think you're seeing why a lot of us were saying this will be an uphill battle and to try to be patient.

UK could offer immediate playing time, coupled by a fired up new head coach who made a lot of promises. A lot of promises I knew he couldn't deliver on, like competing for the East, but I think now the recruits are finding out as well. Kids want to at least play for a winner. They don't have to be National Contenders but they want to play for a program that is winning games. I think if you're Stoops, you have to make a bowl next season or the seat starts getting warm in year 4. I'm not saying you have to win 7 or 8 games just win 6 and make the product look better. That will boost recruiting again.

 

[AbsoluteCats]

Originally posted by GridCats:

Losing the last six games was a downer for us all. And a lot of fan's have their opinion about it. It has happen over many years that the team just don't compete well the last part of the season. Key players get injured and some play with injuries. Ohio St. won out with a third string QB. In most positions we don't go two deep without a big loss in talent.

You just can't be competitive if there's not a roster of quality players. One or two good recruiting classes is not near enough. Year in a year out there has to be a good class coming in. Looks like it's a lot harder to do that than we thought it would be.

You build it, they will come. Problem is how do you consistently get them here when you don't have the tradition of winning. Well coach up what you have and win. You won't get the best without being one of the best. Just my opinion.

I can tell you the day we lost the Mo...it was the day the news broke about the air gun crap. We were just off a big program win against USCjr and were feeling good. Then a few days later news breaks about the kids getting in trouble and NOTHING positive has happened to this program since.

 

[railroadkat_1]

We beat one bowl team...South Carolina . The 6 game losing streak happened against 6 bowl teams, 5 from the SEC. I will say this we didn't show up against Georgia or UT. We should be better but everybody else will be too. It's a group effort with players, coaches and fans.

 

[seccats04]

Originally posted by AbsoluteCats:

Originally posted by GridCats:

Losing the last six games was a downer for us all. And a lot of fan's have their opinion about it. It has happen over many years that the team just don't compete well the last part of the season. Key players get injured and some play with injuries. Ohio St. won out with a third string QB. In most positions we don't go two deep without a big loss in talent.

You just can't be competitive if there's not a roster of quality players. One or two good recruiting classes is not near enough. Year in a year out there has to be a good class coming in. Looks like it's a lot harder to do that than we thought it would be.

You build it, they will come. Problem is how do you consistently get them here when you don't have the tradition of winning. Well coach up what you have and win. You won't get the best without being one of the best. Just my opinion.

I can tell you the day we lost the Mo...it was the day the news broke about the air gun crap. We were just off a big program win against USCjr and were feeling good. Then a few days later news breaks about the kids getting in trouble and NOTHING positive has happened to this program since.

Wrong. The air soft incident happened BEFORE the USCjr game. We won despite the controversy earlier in the week..

 

[GridCats]

We clearly don't have the numbers to replace those who go down. But effort and coaching has to make up for what we don't have. Just as was said, they didn't show that in a couple games.

 

[Wildcats4EverandEver]

All of the white noise really doesnt matter, Stoops has to win and go bowling this year.

No excuses necessary from anybody. Pressure is on Stoops for the first time since he came to UK, lets see how he responds.

 

[Chuckinden]

Originally posted by AbsoluteCats:
I can tell you the day we lost the Mo...it was the day the news broke about the air gun crap. We were just off a big program win against USCjr and were feeling good. Then a few days later news breaks about the kids getting in trouble and NOTHING positive has happened to this program since.

This is probably the strangest take I've seen.

 

[BlueRaider22]

To put things in perspective.....in an overall landscape we have seen a classic 2 steps fwd and 1 bwd.

-2 steps fwd -
-facility improvements
-better 'on paper' recruiting than we've ever hand consistently
-improved season records from the first yr to the second
-better on-field product from first yr to the second
-media talking heads are actually talking about UK in a good way....noting how good Stoops has done with building and recruiting

-1 step bwd
-last half of the season
-missed out on Harris
-decommitments
-off field negativity (Air-soft-gate, EKU-fight-night)



Despite what poorness has gone on the the last few months, the trend is still positive.....
-8 home games (including both our rivals UT and UL.....and a UF team under new leadership)
-away game at a completely gutted Miss St
-Almost every position (except DE) is returning the starters and back-ups.....plus adding more depth from our most talented recruiting classes.
-A QB (going on a limb and suggesting that Towles starts) with experience.
-WR's who should be able to run half-way decent routes now.
-One of the best Kentucky state recruiting classes in a long, long time.
-Drake Jackson will likely be a media presence and a leader to spur the 2016 class
-Opening of revamped facilities....and the breaking ground of some more....will boost fan, player, and recruit motivation

 

[jayhovah]

We are sitting at 5-0, then lose to Florida in a game we should have won, then our star QB gets kicked off the team for a felony gun charge, then we get blown out by UL at home, then then Bear Bryant leaves for Alabama, and the next thing you know lots of teenagers start deciding they don't like us anymore.

 

[WildcatDJ]

^Excellent post Blueraider.
Posted from Rivals Mobile

 

[SeattleKat]

Originally posted by BlueRaider22:

To put things in perspective.....in an overall landscape we have seen a classic 2 steps fwd and 1 bwd.

-2 steps fwd -
-facility improvements
-better 'on paper' recruiting than we've ever hand consistently
-improved season records from the first yr to the second
-better on-field product from first yr to the second
-media talking heads are actually talking about UK in a good way....noting how good Stoops has done with building and recruiting

-1 step bwd
-last half of the season
-missed out on Harris
-decommitments
-off field negativity (Air-soft-gate, EKU-fight-night)



Despite what poorness has gone on the the last few months, the trend is still positive.....
-8 home games (including both our rivals UT and UL.....and a UF team under new leadership)
-away game at a completely gutted Miss St
-Almost every position (except DE) is returning the starters and back-ups.....plus adding more depth from our most talented recruiting classes.
-A QB (going on a limb and suggesting that Towles starts) with experience.
-WR's who should be able to run half-way decent routes now.
-One of the best Kentucky state recruiting classes in a long, long time.
-Drake Jackson will likely be a media presence and a leader to spur the 2016 class
-Opening of revamped facilities....and the breaking ground of some more....will boost fan, player, and recruit motivation

Thank you BlueRaider!!!! With the bandwagon fans AGAIN jumping off the wagon.......it is nice to read a level headed post!

 

[goten170]

If we have another year identical to this year (head lines and all,) Stoops seat needs to be hot this coming year! He and staff just got pay raises to retain them. Their here, time to win 6 or 7 games! All these decommits are Marrow's recruits. Did we not just make him the highest paid position coach in the country? If so, why did we redo his contract for him to lose all the kids he's supposed to have been responsible to get signed!!! Honeymoon is over folks, time for Stoops and staff to win, or find out what a hot seat is like!

 

[BlueRaider22]

Moreover, let's say we "hiccup" and land a #35-40 ranked class for 2015. If a 35-40th ranked class was all that Stoops is capable of, then there would be cause to worry. But this class is coming behind two great classes. If we have a winning season next yr, then the 2015 class will be sandwiched between 3 great classes.

Heck, there was a time when we were grinning when we sniffed the top 40. And that was just on a rare occasion.