BrianPoe, do you believe Mitch had his hands tied when it came to football?
That's a great question, and I'm not sure exactly what context in which you are asking but several factors were in play.
In addition to the football issues in overcoming Bassett, Tubby had just completed his 3rd straight 10 loss season. There was no doubt that people wanted Football cleaned up but basketball needed to be addressed.
Lucky for Mitch, Tubby went on to have his 2nd best season the next year before failing off.
I knew Larry Ivy pretty well back then, not to mention that both Guy and Brent Pease lived a few houses down from me. It was no secret that Mitch wanted to clean house football-wise. Guy Morriss was going to be gone no matter what. The major salary issue Guy had was for his assistants which were the least paid in the conference and we just went 7-5.
Thanks to Mitch's genius-ness we won only 10 games the next 3 years.
But this was a bit covered up by Tubby being upset by Marquette, UAB, and then losing to MSU before back to back 13 and 12 loss seasons. All of this overshadowing football in some respects.
The next 3 years Brooks was finally able to get things together without much support whatsoever from Mitch who was stuck at the time with the Billy Clyde scenario.
It can be considered that with basketball on the downswing and pressure from bball boosters Mitch may have had his hands tied. (The opposite being true during Cal and Joker)
Although Mitch handled Guy Morriss terribly as well the search for a new coach. He also eventually promoted Joker and most definitely did not aid the football program whatsoever with needed upgrades during Brooks and Phillips, while all secondary non-revenue sports saw new coaches and much more attention.
Mark Stoops actually pushed for the job himself and we had no one else beating the door down, nor was Mitch a very good salesman for FB or BB HC's obviously. Hate Jurich all you want, and its easy to do, but the guy knows how to pitch his school and convince solid coaches to come.
In my opinion, the positives of Mitch's term is based upon 2 things... the SEC money deal and Cal really wanting to come coach here.
Without those our football team would still be using a corner of the field house for a recruiting room with who knows who as a HC and I shutter to think who would be heading the bball program.
The UK athletic association has always been a bit arrogant but it went to new levels under Mitch and Sandy (who does way more than just eligibility), the unnecessary trademark wars, lies to vendors, treatment of several individuals, the absolute stupidity and ignorance regarding the internet, and the quickness of attacking anyone with attorneys as a first option with a strategy of out spending those who disagree has really caused a negative attitude to those on the administrative side of things.
I apologize for getting off topic...