It has been mentioned that we couldn't get anyone to look at the UK job in 2002. Further, that every agent told their clients to stay away from the UK football coaching job at UK except for Mark Stoops and Mike McIntyre in 2012. I don't doubt it and do believe this was true!
However, things have changed since 2002 in many ways! First, obviously UK's facilities are much better - and yes they do matter. Second, although we still need players to build depth - our existing roster of younger plays is much more enticing to a new coach (at present). Third, UK and Vince Marrow in particular have proven we can get and recruit decent talent out of nearby Ohio. Fourth, UK is paying top dollars for it's coaching staff now - this includes the head man and the assistants. Fifth, UK is in the top power 5 conference and anyone who is watching can clearly see that this is where a good coach wants to be.
Sixth, Lexington, Kentucky is a great place to raise a family if a coach has any interest in his family. Seventh, Kentucky fans have always supported a coach who shows any signs of knowledge of the game. Eighth, the Kentucky Athletic's board has finally shown it does care about football and has been making changes in the program's facilities and marketing to promote the program to both recruits and fans. Ninth, the SEC has consistently proven it is the best overall conference in football the last decade. That's 5 years after 2002 when the SEC was not winning or playing in "the" championship game playoff's every year. Tenth, UK's success in basketball is now helping the "Kentucky brand recognition in football". The basketball program was once a noose around the football coaches neck - now, at least IMO, it is marketing tool and provides great exposure to UK and all the athletic programs.
Now it is up to the head coach to deliver with great recruiting, style of play and competence in running a program. Let's get real about this NOW, what we seem to be missing is a good "head man". It is hard being a great head coach. You have to be good at EVERYTHING concerning the program. Recruiting, hiring good assistants, developing talent, developing a game plan, being able to make quick decisions in a game and not "going" to sleep for even one play - that can be the difference in many games! You can't let personal relationships destroy you when it comes to hiring and getting the best co-ordinators and assistants. Plus the Head man has to know what he wants to do and then do it! Coach Stoops has done a lot of great things for the program. However, in all seriousness, he may have done ALL he can do for this program. Some people are not cut out to be the Head Coach. I have contended this was Joker's problem - and I think most will agree - it was NOT Joker's love for UK why he failed here. It was his ability to be a "Head Coach", not a great assistant, recruiter or even co-ordinator!
I would agree with the 2002 assessment in 2002 - heck even in 2012! But that is simply not the case now. UK has shown and proven it can compete with facilities and recruiting now. We have lost the finishing touches to some tremendous classes not because of not trying or now not having great facilities - we have lost because of on the field results. We have gotten all of the kids from Kentucky who grew up loving UK - but we have lost the kids who didn't love UK - because other coaches can point to our on field coaching results! It's hard to expect a five star player in your back yard, a kid who knows the game and sees what other schools have and are doing, to want to stay and play if you don't believe in the coaches ability to make winning decisions on game day. These kids want to win, go to bowls, play for championships and eventually make a living in the NFL.
We could have easily been bowl eligible last year and possibly even the year before - but it came down to game day coaching and experience. People say you have to gain experience. Well, let me say this about that - a head football coach who has been in the game in all aspects for 25 plus years as a coach and has been a successful co-ordinator for several of those years either has "IT" or he doesn't! Being a head coach and winning at high level programs with schedules like we have requires "IT" and unfortunately, watching the sidelines - just from the few shots we got on TV on Saturday - Mark Stoops doesn't have "IT". Remember this, look at the "supposed" talent gaps between us and the teams who have beaten us or almost beaten us the last couple of years.
Knowledgeable fans saw that Joker was the wrong guy as head coach his first year - even though we went to a bowl game - It was really obvious in the second year. Why didn't we make the change then - because it was the attitude of some fans and the AD you have to give him more time. The argument that no future coach would ever come here without being given time is hogwash. Why? Do you think that anyone who is a good/great football coach could not see what the problem was with Joker as Head Coach? Do you think that the same thing can't be seen with Mark Stoops? Time is relevant - time is important if you can see improvement - did you and do you see game day improvement? Afterall, this is Mark's FOURTH year - a competent staff should be in place to do game planning and executing a plan with the right players by now. Let's face it, how did keeping Joker that extra season work out for UK? I agreed with giving Stoops the fourth year myself - but this opening game has shown he is not the right guy.
Loyalty is a great trait - but if you want to win, you have to make the courageous and right decisions. You have to go all in. I can go on and on with examples of this for everyone to see - if you will open your eyes! How long did Florida stick with Wil Muschamp? How long did Louisville stick with Kragthorpe, how long did Auburn stick with Cheznik? How long did Tennessee stick with Dooley? I think you get my point. To be a good AD, an AD committed to winning, you have to make the right decision and you have to make timely decisions. You can't wait until you have slid back to the bottom to start all over again.
This is the decision year! Not next year! Mark Stoops and the current staff still have 11 games to prove me wrong. I hope they do - but unfortunately, I can't see it happening. But the decision is easy for Mitch now. Mark should be told now - not 6 games from now - we either get to a bowl game this year or this is it. I felt we should win 7 games this year. Now, we should still win 6 IMO, but that was taking into consideration competent game day coaching and preparation. As I said, make it simple for Mark - bowl or bust. 4 years is enough time to get us to a bowl game. A competent AD doesn't need to waste another year to make this decision and lose the momentum of a decent roster and the positives from the new facilities. We don't need to have 5 victories and a "close loss - should have won the UL game again" as the final decision. It's bowl game or bust!
Do you remember Dickie "V" and others saying how big a mistake it was for Kentucky to let Tubby Smith get away? Do you remember how quickly Billy G. was let go? (2 years for those of you with short memories). Now, think about our football program and it's head coaches. Yes it takes time - well 4 years of incompetence on the sidelines should be enough. If you want to win - you have to hire a winning coach. The pieces are in place now, things are aligned for this place to bust wide open. John Ray provided a great service to UK - he got Commonwealth Stadium built - then we went out and hired a coach who got us to a top 5 ranking and almost a National Championship! Mark Stoops has, IMO, done the same thing for UK football - he has gotten the football program's facilities equal to anyone's.
A great comparison to me is this. Let's say UK made the decision to purchased a 747 airplane. Now do want the guy who was flying the Universitie's piper cub to fly this new 747, or do we hire a pilot who has flown 747's for years?
My last point is this - Mark Stoops was 100% the correct hire in 2012! He has accomplished all HE can do at UK and for that we should be thankful. He has brought us into the conversation about being competitive in football. This is not a question about liking Mark Stoops. It is not a question about his integrity. I don't feel sorry for Mark if he is replaced. He got his shot at the big time. He will have been paid $12 million dollars for that shot. WE (UK) has been loyal to him! How many of us will make $12 million in our life times - let alone 4 years? This is a question about what do you want from your football program? We didn't have the facilities or even a decent roster to offer a good coach in the past. But that, is what it is, the past!
Go Big Blue!
However, things have changed since 2002 in many ways! First, obviously UK's facilities are much better - and yes they do matter. Second, although we still need players to build depth - our existing roster of younger plays is much more enticing to a new coach (at present). Third, UK and Vince Marrow in particular have proven we can get and recruit decent talent out of nearby Ohio. Fourth, UK is paying top dollars for it's coaching staff now - this includes the head man and the assistants. Fifth, UK is in the top power 5 conference and anyone who is watching can clearly see that this is where a good coach wants to be.
Sixth, Lexington, Kentucky is a great place to raise a family if a coach has any interest in his family. Seventh, Kentucky fans have always supported a coach who shows any signs of knowledge of the game. Eighth, the Kentucky Athletic's board has finally shown it does care about football and has been making changes in the program's facilities and marketing to promote the program to both recruits and fans. Ninth, the SEC has consistently proven it is the best overall conference in football the last decade. That's 5 years after 2002 when the SEC was not winning or playing in "the" championship game playoff's every year. Tenth, UK's success in basketball is now helping the "Kentucky brand recognition in football". The basketball program was once a noose around the football coaches neck - now, at least IMO, it is marketing tool and provides great exposure to UK and all the athletic programs.
Now it is up to the head coach to deliver with great recruiting, style of play and competence in running a program. Let's get real about this NOW, what we seem to be missing is a good "head man". It is hard being a great head coach. You have to be good at EVERYTHING concerning the program. Recruiting, hiring good assistants, developing talent, developing a game plan, being able to make quick decisions in a game and not "going" to sleep for even one play - that can be the difference in many games! You can't let personal relationships destroy you when it comes to hiring and getting the best co-ordinators and assistants. Plus the Head man has to know what he wants to do and then do it! Coach Stoops has done a lot of great things for the program. However, in all seriousness, he may have done ALL he can do for this program. Some people are not cut out to be the Head Coach. I have contended this was Joker's problem - and I think most will agree - it was NOT Joker's love for UK why he failed here. It was his ability to be a "Head Coach", not a great assistant, recruiter or even co-ordinator!
I would agree with the 2002 assessment in 2002 - heck even in 2012! But that is simply not the case now. UK has shown and proven it can compete with facilities and recruiting now. We have lost the finishing touches to some tremendous classes not because of not trying or now not having great facilities - we have lost because of on the field results. We have gotten all of the kids from Kentucky who grew up loving UK - but we have lost the kids who didn't love UK - because other coaches can point to our on field coaching results! It's hard to expect a five star player in your back yard, a kid who knows the game and sees what other schools have and are doing, to want to stay and play if you don't believe in the coaches ability to make winning decisions on game day. These kids want to win, go to bowls, play for championships and eventually make a living in the NFL.
We could have easily been bowl eligible last year and possibly even the year before - but it came down to game day coaching and experience. People say you have to gain experience. Well, let me say this about that - a head football coach who has been in the game in all aspects for 25 plus years as a coach and has been a successful co-ordinator for several of those years either has "IT" or he doesn't! Being a head coach and winning at high level programs with schedules like we have requires "IT" and unfortunately, watching the sidelines - just from the few shots we got on TV on Saturday - Mark Stoops doesn't have "IT". Remember this, look at the "supposed" talent gaps between us and the teams who have beaten us or almost beaten us the last couple of years.
Knowledgeable fans saw that Joker was the wrong guy as head coach his first year - even though we went to a bowl game - It was really obvious in the second year. Why didn't we make the change then - because it was the attitude of some fans and the AD you have to give him more time. The argument that no future coach would ever come here without being given time is hogwash. Why? Do you think that anyone who is a good/great football coach could not see what the problem was with Joker as Head Coach? Do you think that the same thing can't be seen with Mark Stoops? Time is relevant - time is important if you can see improvement - did you and do you see game day improvement? Afterall, this is Mark's FOURTH year - a competent staff should be in place to do game planning and executing a plan with the right players by now. Let's face it, how did keeping Joker that extra season work out for UK? I agreed with giving Stoops the fourth year myself - but this opening game has shown he is not the right guy.
Loyalty is a great trait - but if you want to win, you have to make the courageous and right decisions. You have to go all in. I can go on and on with examples of this for everyone to see - if you will open your eyes! How long did Florida stick with Wil Muschamp? How long did Louisville stick with Kragthorpe, how long did Auburn stick with Cheznik? How long did Tennessee stick with Dooley? I think you get my point. To be a good AD, an AD committed to winning, you have to make the right decision and you have to make timely decisions. You can't wait until you have slid back to the bottom to start all over again.
This is the decision year! Not next year! Mark Stoops and the current staff still have 11 games to prove me wrong. I hope they do - but unfortunately, I can't see it happening. But the decision is easy for Mitch now. Mark should be told now - not 6 games from now - we either get to a bowl game this year or this is it. I felt we should win 7 games this year. Now, we should still win 6 IMO, but that was taking into consideration competent game day coaching and preparation. As I said, make it simple for Mark - bowl or bust. 4 years is enough time to get us to a bowl game. A competent AD doesn't need to waste another year to make this decision and lose the momentum of a decent roster and the positives from the new facilities. We don't need to have 5 victories and a "close loss - should have won the UL game again" as the final decision. It's bowl game or bust!
Do you remember Dickie "V" and others saying how big a mistake it was for Kentucky to let Tubby Smith get away? Do you remember how quickly Billy G. was let go? (2 years for those of you with short memories). Now, think about our football program and it's head coaches. Yes it takes time - well 4 years of incompetence on the sidelines should be enough. If you want to win - you have to hire a winning coach. The pieces are in place now, things are aligned for this place to bust wide open. John Ray provided a great service to UK - he got Commonwealth Stadium built - then we went out and hired a coach who got us to a top 5 ranking and almost a National Championship! Mark Stoops has, IMO, done the same thing for UK football - he has gotten the football program's facilities equal to anyone's.
A great comparison to me is this. Let's say UK made the decision to purchased a 747 airplane. Now do want the guy who was flying the Universitie's piper cub to fly this new 747, or do we hire a pilot who has flown 747's for years?
My last point is this - Mark Stoops was 100% the correct hire in 2012! He has accomplished all HE can do at UK and for that we should be thankful. He has brought us into the conversation about being competitive in football. This is not a question about liking Mark Stoops. It is not a question about his integrity. I don't feel sorry for Mark if he is replaced. He got his shot at the big time. He will have been paid $12 million dollars for that shot. WE (UK) has been loyal to him! How many of us will make $12 million in our life times - let alone 4 years? This is a question about what do you want from your football program? We didn't have the facilities or even a decent roster to offer a good coach in the past. But that, is what it is, the past!
Go Big Blue!
