Recruiting tell the whole truth

[Cobb4uk]

For all the Negative Nancy's around that love to complain, most who know nothing about football. I think the following should shed some light on how lucky we are to have the coach and staff we currently have. We have over achieved across the board according to these numbers taken from 247 recruiting ranking from 2012.
GA FL. TN. SC. KY. Mizzo. Vandy

2012. 9. 3. 19. 15. 50. 33. 46
2013. 12. 3. 25. 20. 34. 43. 26
2014. 8. 9. 7. 19. 22. 37. 46
2015. 6. 21. 4. 20. 38. 25. 49
2016. 6. 12. 14. 25. 34. 43. 54
2017. 3. 11. 17. 21. 30. 43. 65
2018. 1. 14. 21. 18. 37. 43. 41
2019. 2. 9. 10. 21. 34. 37. 58
2020. 1. 9. 10. 19. 25. 51. 53

Coaching and the right Jimmy's and Joe's really makes a difference. Looking at the numbers we, UK, must have some very good coaches. Maybe looking at these numbers will indicate why it seems we are so conservative at times. When your out talented you have to counter with your own strengths, even though it may not be the most popular, but winning is the goal. Let's appreciate the talent and coaching, it's only going to get better.

 

[HerrosHeroes]

We got the Horses, we got the Coach;
We got the swagger, we bought to poach.

 

[Cobb4uk]

Sorry about the jumbled numbers, computer had a mind of it's own, I didn't format it the way it came out.

 

[cats2010]

Recruiting numbers look good on paper but the performances on the field Trumps recruiting numbers any day of the week. There have been many games were we were obviously the better team on the field and still played conservative and lost the game as a result. Stop trying to defend conservative style of play yes at times it may be warranted but most of the times when stoops implores it it is not!

Tennessee is the only game that I can recall of recent time against a power five school that we actually took it to them in the second half and we all saw the result. Had stoops gone to his normal conservative style that game likely comes down to the wire as well and possibly we even lose. Putting a team away and stepping on their throat I will take any day of the week.

 

[The-Hack]

Stop trying to defend conservative style of play yes at times it may be warranted but most of the times when stoops implores it it is not!

Frankly, he used a very conservative style of play to put UT away, Saturday. A handful of passes that were completed at a high rate, along with running power.

Had Bowden completed a relatively easy pass to a wide-open TE in the third Q last year, instead of short-arming it for a pick and 40 yard return, that play would have qualified as putting our boot on their neck.

Conversely, had the fade for a TD in the 4th Q this season been picked and returned by UT, allowing them an improbable comeback, folks would have blamed the loss on “conservative play.”

If you don’t think Stoops and company relied upon “conservative play” at UT Saturday, consider this: we passed for 101 yards. I’m willing to bet that was in the bottom 15 percent of college teams this last weekend.

About the only real difference between Saturday’s win and “conservative losses” of which you complain, was that of the 15-20 passes our staff was willing to risk, almost all were caught.

In short, pass 18 times and lose: that’s conservative suicide. Pass 18 times and win by 27: that’s the frickin’ Air Raid, BABY!!

Your analysis is merely defining losses as “conservative” and a defensive win as a more open attack.

 

[willievic]

I'm a Stoops supporter. I think he is the best defensive mind in the game today. He is doing a good job recruiting. I don't think that many posters on here want to see him gone, and a lot of posters KNOW football. Coach Stoops has made several mistakes that cost us games. He had never been a HC until UK, and it was obvious, the game was to fast for him as a HC. We have seen him grow as a HC, but more important, he is trusting his other coaches. His first two OC, did not call the plays he wanted, but it appears Gran does. I can recall a couple of times when he cost us a game, like not covering the receivers. No one is above criticism, when the mistake is his fault. However, most of us realize that Coach Stoops is doing a good job, and because we criticize him sometimes, it does not mean we want him replaced, as some posters seem to think.

OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!

 

[The-Hack]

I'm a Stoops supporter. I think he is the best defensive mind in the game today.

I agree with all, but there are still a few looong-tiiime posters I know who are at least my age . . . at least in their 50’s, that do openly cheer against him, yet he’s brought more fun to UK football w/o probation than anyone in our lifetimes.

Hell, I’m as pro-Stoops as you will find, but everytime he goes for it on 4th and short, I LOSE MY F@$KIN’ MIND.

LET DUFFY PUUUUUUNT!!!!!

 

[point1zero]

Would be nice to throw in our other 2 annual opponents- MS St and Louisville. I’m sure we’ve out-recruited UofL and probably kept pace with MS St too.

 

[The-Hack]

Would be nice to throw in our other 2 annual opponents- MS St and Louisville. I’m sure we’ve out-recruited UofL and probably kept pace with MS St too.

Yes on both counts. State and we are typically w/i 5 slots on Rivals, one way or the other.

The Cards had some 30ish unbalanced classes the last two years of Petrino, and fell off the table, averaging at best 50-55th for ‘19, ‘20 and ‘21 combined.

 

[cats2010]

Frankly, he used a very conservative style of play to put UT away, Saturday. A handful of passes that were completed at a high rate, along with running power.

Had Bowden completed a relatively easy pass to a wide-open TE in the third Q last year, instead of short-arming it for a pick and 40 yard return, that play would have qualified as putting our boot on their neck.

Conversely, had the fade for a TD in the 4th Q this season been picked and returned by UT, allowing them an improbable comeback, folks would have blamed the loss on “conservative play.”

If you don’t think Stoops and company relied upon “conservative play” at UT Saturday, consider this: we passed for 101 yards. I’m willing to bet that was in the bottom 15 percent of college teams this last weekend.

About the only real difference between Saturday’s win and “conservative losses” of which you complain, was that of the 15-20 passes our staff was willing to risk, almost all were caught.

In short, pass 18 times and lose: that’s conservative suicide. Pass 18 times and win by 27: that’s the frickin’ Air Raid, BABY!!

Your analysis is merely defining losses as “conservative” and a defensive win as a more open attack.

no sorry we mixed it up quite a bit in the 2nd half. We threw over the middle, something we haven’t done all year with Wilson. The first drive of the 2nd half we threw 5 times, in fact our first 3 plays of that drive were pass. In the past we run uo the middle twice and do a QB scramble on 3rd and nine for a two yard gain and punt. Showing we would pass the ball opened up our running game which UT had effectively shut down the first half

 

[bthaunert]

Would be nice to throw in our other 2 annual opponents- MS St and Louisville. I’m sure we’ve out-recruited UofL and probably kept pace with MS St too.

Agree. We generally recruit just as good or better than 8 of our 12 annual opponents and sometimes 9 of 12 depending on who rotating west is.

4 OOC
Vandy
Mizzou
Mississippi State
USC

We generally are out-recruited by:

Georgia
Florida
Tennessee

I like going into the season knowing we are getting similar talent as two thirds of our schedule. I also feel good about our coaches ability to coach up talent.

 

[Deeeefense]

Recruiting rankings are very useful but they are by no means the gold standard for determining a teams talent level. Some staffs are much better than others at spotting under developed players that they can bring in and develop to a high level. There are countless examples of that on our roster now and in previous rosters. Coaching talent in teaching, S&C program supervision, and most importantly the player's work ethic are highly relevant into what the player ultimately contributes. None of that ever shows up in "stars". You also have to remember there is very likely a built in bias to uprank a recruit with a Bama, Clemson or Georgia offer for instance, over a similar player that holds overs from lesser programs.

 

[seccats04]

Agree. We generally recruit just as good or better than 8 of our 12 annual opponents and sometimes 9 of 12 depending on who rotating west is.

4 OOC
Vandy
Mizzou
Mississippi State
USC

We generally are out-recruited by:

Georgia
Florida
Tennessee

I like going into the season knowing we are getting similar talent as two thirds of our schedule. I also feel good about our coaches ability to coach up talent.

USCe out recruits us every year but Stoops is a better HC than Muschamp.

 

[bthaunert]

USCe out recruits us every year but Stoops is a better HC than Muschamp.

They are still above us, but not by much. On average, maybe 5-6 spots higher over the past 5 years. We are in the same ball park these days.

 

[Caveman Catfan]

This is a seasonal discussion. The top 10-15 ranked teams probably land better recruits than the rest of the country. From 15 to about 35, it can be hard to distinguish. Those teams that recruit to style, need and get high quality people probably have the edge, regardless of where in that range they fall. Then, coaching is the added difference. Quality of person is probably as key an ingredient as any when you get out of the truly elite level talent.

 

[willievic]

I agree with all, but there are still a few looong-tiiime posters I know who are at least my age . . . at least in their 50’s, that do openly cheer against him, yet he’s brought more fun to UK football w/o probation than anyone in our lifetimes.

Hell, I’m as pro-Stoops as you will find, but everytime he goes for it on 4th and short, I LOSE MY F@$KIN’ MIND.

LET DUFFY PUUUUUUNT!!!!!

Hack, I'm with you on that.

OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!

 

[Levibooty]

I'm just so glad to see us throwing the slant. It is effective and takes little time. It keeps the front seven honest and helps with the run game. I have never quite understood why we don't incorporate it more into our game plan. I would include our TE's down the seam and in some mesh patterns as well. But I'm sure there are reasons why we don't see much of that. I guess it's because we are so successful with our horizontal passing attack.

 

[Caveman Catfan]

I'm just so glad to see us throwing the slant. It is effective and takes little time. It keeps the front seven honest and helps with the run game. I have never quite understood why we don't incorporate it more into our game plan. I would include our TE's down the seam and in some mesh patterns as well. But I'm sure there are reasons why we don't see much of that. I guess it's because we are so successful with our horizontal passing attack.

When the LBers are playing close to stop the run and they are trying to get pressure on pass plays, it definitely can move the sticks.

 

[Caveman Catfan]

Question: how good do you think this year’s true frosh class will be when their careers are over? Many have made the field and others are sure to be very good.