So sick of fans dwelling on the past

[Dontworryboutit23]

The attitude that we should never expect to be a top notch program because of our dreadful past drives me crazy. What a loser mentality. I’m not saying we can ever be Georgia or Alabama, but just because our history isn’t great, doesn’t mean with our resources (coach pay, facilities, fan support, etc.) we can’t expect better than what we are. And I’m not advocating for firing Stoops, but goodness, stop with the lectures of the 2 win season already. Stoops has done a very good job but needs to get better. Fix the issues that have plagued our program for the last 11 years or stand aside and let somebody else give it a go. Tired of seeing the same mistakes play out every single year.

Agree with everything said here. But our problem is both our coaches(stoops &calipari) are extremely stubborn and will not change to much. Calipari did a little with the offensive guy coming in. Stoops still wants to play big 10 football, and our defense in big games still gives the other team 5 free yards every play with the way they play coverage. The penalties and undisciplined crap are just icing on the cake. Kentucky can be good and given the history has been very successful with stoops. But to take the next level, stoops has to stop playing the not to lose big ten drown the clock type stuff, and let coen have the offense after the scripted stuff is gone. And also they need to get somebody to develop WRs and skill position players better. Our WRs outside of Robinson are overrated and bad. Leary is what he is, Kentucky missed on him for sure, but his WRs have been pathetic

 

[bigblueinsanity]

Blue Bigfoot beat me to the meme.

The OP is 100% correct. Now go tell the administration that same thing.

This crap about how we can never surpass Stoops is insane. Those who are afraid to take risks accomplish nothing in life or business.

We have a top 5 overall cfb staff. Noone says we can never get better. The problem is it needs to be the perfect fit to exceed what he did. Anything less than perfect and we're certainly going backwards.

Years ago people started beating the same "let's get a better coach" drums. Even then it was premature. People forget stoops is literally still learning in the job. First he learned to make us competitive. Then he learned how to win some of those games where we just competed. He hired better staff fought for better facilities and did some things noone thought possible. Now he's struggling to take the next step.

What is the next step? Being a consistent 9 game winner and beating the powerhouses 1/3 of the time? Let's be honest - that's insanely hard to do in the sec and even more insane at UK. He can get it done, he just has to figure out the way over this hump. That includes learning to recruit and hold accountable guys in the new portal nil era. The moves this off-season will tell us if stoops is trending back towards accountability or if we will continue to deal with the 4* guys with 5* attitudes

 

[MrHotDice]

Have you ever looked at how many high D1 prospects come from Ky vs. the other states mentioned? Miss.St and Ole Miss have only been marginally better than UK. The big years they have had were largely aided by recruiting in state jucos and cheating.

Have you looked at how many D-1 players no matter what ranked go to schools other than UK.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

Largely agree, but you failed to mention Stoops is putting a bunch more players in the NFL than any other Kentucky coach did. We need to get back to putting offensive linemen like Landon, Fortner, and Kinnard in the NFL. If that means Yenser isn't up to the task, then fix it and move ahead.

We don't recruit those guys anymore because we run a different scheme. When we first started wide zone I voiced a concern about changing a style that had us at the top of the list for all the big physical inside zone guys. Now we're competing with everyone else for the outside zone OL.

Offensively I totally get why we run outside zone but the recruiting brand was so strong I hated to see us throw that aside. Not to mention the years of transition in personnel. Then the irony is we're still so much better at pin and pull anyway.

 

[BigBlue1992]

Okay sunshine.

Hey listen most of us don’t get excited beating Ball State and Vanderbilt like you do. We want more.

 

[BigBlue1992]

I would seriously give a thousand bucks to be able to hit a magic button revealing each poster’s true school allegiance and primary sport of interest.

I’m just spitballing, here, but these persistent folk I think are 40 percent U of L fans, 15 percent UT/Other SEC fans, 40 percent U K Basketball fans seeking escape from the true source of their misery., and 5 percent actual UK Football fans.

In the last two weeks, two of the more persistent sh!t slingers insisted we played our next game in Knoxville, and that Stoops had topped out at nine wins.

And these are likely Kentucky Basketball fans that have a passing knowledge/interest in the game. Good frauds would likely Google that info, or avoid getting trapped into specific factual errors.

Ten or more times I have checked posting history on these folk and found either (1) very recent membership/or sparse posting over a lengthy period of time, or (2) thousands of posts for many years, 98% on the roundball and other forums.

And the roundball fans confuse me the most: they know that the Grinch is going to steal their Christmas, again, when Cal loses to another unranked team in the post-season.

I guess UK football losses are all they have to hang their hats on, now!!

I’ll take the bait since you commented on him who commented on mine. Instead of going on some victimized UK football rant, why don’t you explain where I’m wrong?

As far as the football vs basketball crap, that’s just stupid. You have no idea what I like. Over at least the past 7 or 8 years I’d choose watching college football over college basketball 10 out of 10 times.

The difference is even with as bad as Calipari has been lately, we have a chance against any team every time we step foot on the court. We don’t have that with football. Georgia just proved that after 11 years they’re still three leagues above us.

Teams like Missouri and ole miss have closed that gap. We still haven’t. We’re stuck with a guy who tries not to lose by 70 instead of trying to win by 3. You be okay with that, I’m not.

 

[cat_in_the_hat]

I don't think are living in the past. I think most who support Stoops, like I do, are simply saying you have to have reasonable goals for the program to build over time. No one is saying they don't want to win an SEC title or a national championship, but setting that as a short term goal will not lead to growth in the program. Someone brought up Bobby Bowden earlier. He was at West Virginia for 6 years. They went to 2 bowls and were ranked one year he was there. Their best record was 9-3, his last year. Yearly, he went 8-3, 7-4, 8-4, 6-5, 4-7, 9-3. According to many on here, WV should have fired him. He was at Florida State for 11 years before they were consistently a top program. His first 11 seasons were 5-6, 10-2, 8-3, 11-1, 10-2, 6-5, 9-3, 8-4, 7-3-2, 9-3, 7-4-1. Then he reeled off about a 13 year stretch where they were consistently in the top 5 and lost 1 or 2 games a year. That's in talent rich Florida. It simply takes time to build a program even in a talent rich state. One of the first rules of management you learn is that you have to set reasonable, attainable, goals for your employees. Setting a goal where the coaches job hinges of winning the SEC and playing for a championship at a historically subpar football program in a talent poor state that is also economically poor, is just poor management. It will not lead to championships no matter how many times people say if you don't expect championships the program doesn't improve. That's patently false. Programs improve by setting long term goals for improvement. At some point those goals progress to where you hope to play for championships. But you always expect the team to be working toward those long term goals. But teams do not progress every year over year. No team does that. Managing businesses and programs requires a long term approach. Short term, knee jerk decisions usually leave you worse off than where you started.

 

[catben]

I don't think are living in the past. I think most who support Stoops, like I do, are simply saying you have to have reasonable goals for the program to build over time. No one is saying they don't want to win an SEC title or a national championship, but setting that as a short term goal will not lead to growth in the program. Someone brought up Bobby Bowden earlier. He was at West Virginia for 6 years. They went to 2 bowls and were ranked one year he was there. Their best record was 9-3, his last year. Yearly, he went 8-3, 7-4, 8-4, 6-5, 4-7, 9-3. According to many on here, WV should have fired him. He was at Florida State for 11 years before they were consistently a top program. His first 11 seasons were 5-6, 10-2, 8-3, 11-1, 10-2, 6-5, 9-3, 8-4, 7-3-2, 9-3, 7-4-1. Then he reeled off about a 13 year stretch where they were consistently in the top 5 and lost 1 or 2 games a year. That's in talent rich Florida. It simply takes time to build a program even in a talent rich state. One of the first rules of management you learn is that you have to set reasonable, attainable, goals for your employees. Setting a goal where the coaches job hinges of winning the SEC and playing for a championship at a historically subpar football program in a talent poor state that is also economically poor, is just poor management. It will not lead to championships no matter how many times people say if you don't expect championships the program doesn't improve. That's patently false. Programs improve by setting long term goals for improvement. At some point those goals progress to where you hope to play for championships. But you always expect the team to be working toward those long term goals. But teams do not progress every year over year. No team does that. Managing businesses and programs requires a long term approach. Short term, knee jerk decisions usually leave you worse off than where you started.

If you read the OP and most of the responses, our fans have been more than reasonable with our expectations for Coach Stoops and UK Football. NO ONE expects UK to win the SEC Championship every year. But what we want to see is a program that DOESN’T continue to make dumb mistakes, game changing penalties, or undisciplined play while smack talking after every play. This is uncalled for in year 11 of a coaches tenure when he’s making a top 10 salary.

Coach Stoops KNOWS that our program has to play at a near perfect level because we are NEVER going recruit at the level of UGA and Bama or even UF or UT. So why doesn’t he DEMAND the utmost DISCIPLINE from his players and have his coaches teaching this????

We are losing as many games because of our lack of discipline as our lack of talent. That’s my biggest gripe!!

 

[3632]

True but calipari was a big reason for that $9 million and his “basketball school” comment as well as an athletic director that is so scared to have to make a basketball or football hire he would probably pay twice that lol.

Obviously stoops has put us in position to maintain a real football program for the first time in our history. The next hire could take us back to the joker days, could keep us at the same level or could propel us to something else.

What is that something else I guess is the true question?

Yeah I’m not an anti stoops get out of here poster but I’m a ‘stoops isn’t a statue guy’ either and this narrative that what he has done isn’t duplicatable isn’t accurate. Yes, he has accomplished much but he also has more tools and the athletic department has more money than they’ve ever had to compete with.

Brooks came in considered a washed up coach with no geographical fit that just wanted to cash paychecks til he retired. He earned ky fans respect and now is considered a solid stodgy coach that was right for the time. He had no resources and played against the East and UL when it was brutal. My point is that stoops is only about a win a season better than brooks against an easier schedule and with competitive tools. Has he done things? Absolutely. But in todays tv contract era comparing the uK job resources to what other coaches had in the past is not a great measuring stick either. I’m not much for ‘he’s the only uk coach’ because he’s also the only uk coach with these resources. Somehow the difference in how people see the two is a big gap but really it’s just one guy who had things to recruit with and recruit to with a lmore manageable schedule.

 

[cat_in_the_hat]

If you read the OP and most of the responses, our fans have been more than reasonable with our expectations for Coach Stoops and UK Football. NO ONE expects UK to win the SEC Championship every year. But what we want to see is a program that DOESN’T continue to make dumb mistakes, game changing penalties, or undisciplined play while smack talking after every play. This is uncalled for in year 11 of a coaches tenure when he’s making a top 10 salary.

Coach Stoops KNOWS that our program has to play at a near perfect level because we are NEVER going recruit at the level of UGA and Bama or even UF or UT. So why doesn’t he DEMAND the utmost DISCIPLINE from his players and have his coaches teaching this????

We are losing as many games because of our lack of discipline as our lack of talent. That’s my biggest gripe!!

My problem with that position is that you are looking at one year. Programs ebb and flow. Stoops has had teams that ranked toward the bottom of the conference in penalties. Stoops isn't the reason for the penalties. This group of players is. Perhaps they will improve, but every group of players is different. Some will be more prone to penalties than others, irrespective of coaching.

 

[catben]

My problem with that position is that you are looking at one year. Programs ebb and flow. Stoops has had teams that ranked toward the bottom of the conference in penalties. Stoops isn't the reason for the penalties. This group of players is. Perhaps they will improve, but every group of players is different. Some will be more prone to penalties than others, irrespective of coaching.

It’s a standard that has to be set from the Head Coach on down. This is Coach Stoops most talented team overall, IMHO, since his arrival. Yet the unforced errors have really hurt this team. It’s not just the “penalties”. It’s the dropped passes, being out of position, not making the correct call at the line of scrimmage pre snap, etc. He talks about it after EVERY game, even some of the wins. So, WHY is he STILL allowing the undisciplined play to continue???

That is TOTALLY on him!!!

 

[sefus12]

Largely agree, but you failed to mention Stoops is putting a bunch more players in the NFL than any other Kentucky coach did. We need to get back to putting offensive linemen like Landon, Fortner, and Kinnard in the NFL. If that means Yenser isn't up to the task, then fix it and move ahead.

Agree with that. Stoops has been an improvement in every way over where we were when he came in. He’s also proven he can get lower-rated/under-rated guys into the league. But that still doesn’t really negate our lack of recruiting base. That will put any coach at UK at a disadvantage compared to many of the teams we are wanted to equal/surpass. Doesn’t mean we don’t try, but it is something people need to realize and that simply spending some more on recruiting may not truly fix that disadvantage.

And fully agree about Yenser (or any of the coaches for that matter). If they aren’t performing, they are at risk of being replaced.

 

[Jont0805]

Yeah I’m not an anti stoops get out of here poster but I’m a ‘stoops isn’t a statue guy’ either and this narrative that what he has done isn’t duplicatable isn’t accurate. Yes, he has accomplished much but he also has more tools and the athletic department has more money than they’ve ever had to compete with.

Brooks came in considered a washed up coach with no geographical fit that just wanted to cash paychecks til he retired. He earned ky fans respect and now is considered a solid stodgy coach that was right for the time. He had no resources and played against the East and UL when it was brutal. My point is that stoops is only about a win a season better than brooks against an easier schedule and with competitive tools. Has he done things? Absolutely. But in todays tv contract era comparing the uK job resources to what other coaches had in the past is not a great measuring stick either. I’m not much for ‘he’s the only uk coach’ because he’s also the only uk coach with these resources. Somehow the difference in how people see the two is a big gap but really it’s just one guy who had things to recruit with and recruit to with a lmore manageable schedule.

I can agree with a lot of your statements. Still believe stoops will get a statue and deserves one. He is the first modern coach to have sustained success at Kentucky that is actually able to be built upon.

Brooks almost did but recruiting was so bad then it left a Mac level squad that resulted in complete program failure like the old days.

Stoops is building a foundation and the next hire can actually do something with it hopefully.

I would love in my lifetime to have a debate on who was better, stoops or some other guy. Instead of having one coach with a winning record.

 

[cat_in_the_hat]

It’s a standard that has to be set from the Head Coach on down. This is Coach Stoops most talented team overall, IMHO, since his arrival. Yet the unforced errors have really hurt this team. It’s not just the “penalties”. It’s the dropped passes, being out of position, not making the correct call at the line of scrimmage pre snap, etc. He talks about it after EVERY game, even some of the wins. So, WHY is he STILL allowing the undisciplined play to continue???

That is TOTALLY on him!!!

As opposed to what? He clearly is emphasizing it to his players. That obviously isn't working. Do you sit half the team and lose games to make a point? A lot of it seems to be they are letting emotions get the best of them. Some players are like that. Some mature and get better, but some continue to play that way in NFL. The premise that a coach can correct every problem with a team just isn't accurate. Some problems are related to a players mental and emotional capabilities. Those are hard to change. If we had extreme depth, we could sit 10 guys that play a lot now, but in our case, we would probably be worse by doing that.

I also wanted to add, that maybe thinking this would be Stoops best team is on you. Clearly this isn't his most talented team.

 

[CaptainBoogerBuns]

Here’s an idea: whatever we spend on basketball recruiting—let’s spend more in football. Crazy I know 🙄

 

[catben]

As opposed to what? He clearly is emphasizing it to his players. That obviously isn't working. Do you sit half the team and lose games to make a point? A lot of it seems to be they are letting emotions get the best of them. Some players are like that. Some mature and get better, but some continue to play that way in NFL. The premise that a coach can correct every problem with a team just isn't accurate. Some problems are related to a players mental and emotional capabilities. Those are hard to change. If we had extreme depth, we could sit 10 guys that play a lot now, but in our case, we would probably be worse by doing that.

I also wanted to add, that maybe thinking this would be Stoops best team is on you. Clearly this isn't his most talented team.

It all comes down to attention to detail that is also TOTALLY on the HC. “Emotions” are a direct result of the coaching staff applying the proper game preparation so as to not allow those emotions to HINDER PLAY.

And it goes way beyond just “emotion”.

Having said all of that, a win against the Vols would be a HUGE boost to the program. Hopefully the coaching staff has gotten through to the players. Would LOVE to see this team finally play a clean game up to their potential. We have yet to see that so far. But another unforced error filled loss will be disastrous.

 

[Jont0805]

I’ll take the bait since you commented on him who commented on mine. Instead of going on some victimized UK football rant, why don’t you explain where I’m wrong?

As far as the football vs basketball crap, that’s just stupid. You have no idea what I like. Over at least the past 7 or 8 years I’d choose watching college football over college basketball 10 out of 10 times.

The difference is even with as bad as Calipari has been lately, we have a chance against any team every time we step foot on the court. We don’t have that with football. Georgia just proved that after 11 years they’re still three leagues above us.

Teams like Missouri and ole miss have closed that gap. We still haven’t. We’re stuck with a guy who tries not to lose by 70 instead of trying to win by 3. You be okay with that, I’m not.

Basketball and football are so different it is hard to compare, when calipari came to Kentucky we had one of the worst seasons in our modern history yet were still the number 5 program in the sec that year and number one historically.

When stoops came in Kentucky was bottom 3 all time and number 14 the year before if I remember right.

In his 11 years Stoops has brought Kentucky to the middle of the SEC. There absolutely can be improvements I agree there.

As far as the gap between Georgia being closed more by other programs, what difference does it make if they don’t beat Georgia?

For most every other sec school the gap is much smaller or even has been surpassed by Kentucky in stoops’ tenure.

 

[EdgeHD]

We don't recruit those guys anymore because we run a different scheme. When we first started wide zone I voiced a concern about changing a style that had us at the top of the list for all the big physical inside zone guys. Now we're competing with everyone else for the outside zone OL.

Offensively I totally get why we run outside zone but the recruiting brand was so strong I hated to see us throw that aside. Not to mention the years of transition in personnel. Then the irony is we're still so much better at pin and pull anyway.

I suppose you have a beef about the scheme. I was only saying we need to recruit better, more athletic offensive linemen.

 

[EdgeHD]

Agree with that. Stoops has been an improvement in every way over where we were when he came in. He’s also proven he can get lower-rated/under-rated guys into the league. But that still doesn’t really negate our lack of recruiting base. That will put any coach at UK at a disadvantage compared to many of the teams we are wanted to equal/surpass. Doesn’t mean we don’t try, but it is something people need to realize and that simply spending some more on recruiting may not truly fix that disadvantage.

While Stoops cannot do anything about the size and geography of Kentucky, he has vastly expanded our recruiting base. Prior to Stoops, we did not do a whole lot of recruiting in Ohio or Tennessee with some notable exceptions. Cobb is from Tennessee, but our recruiting in adjacent states was inexplicably weak overall before Stoops. Of course, Cobb was underrated and lightly recruited. You are right, it takes more than money. This is why Stoops brought his brother in. Given the limitations you discussed, Stoops has done a great job with recruiting. But it still has to get better on the offensive line.

 

[PensacolaBlue]

Largely agree, but you failed to mention Stoops is putting a bunch more players in the NFL than any other Kentucky coach did. We need to get back to putting offensive linemen like Landon, Fortner, and Kinnard in the NFL. If that means Yenser isn't up to the task, then fix it and move ahead.

I’m actually always surprised with how few UK players are on NFL rosters.

 

[jauk11]

You know who else had preseason messageboard hype? Literally every team in America. That’s how sports work. I think every logical UK fan knew 5-2 was very possible 7 games in and it’s not a catastrophic failure as some believe.

I thought we had a very long shot at beating Georgia but the actual game was a huge disappointment. Missouri about the same. We can still have a very good season, but it has to start this weekend, definitely the game I want us to win the most. I bet UK and the over seven wins this year and thought it was a shoo in after five games, but now I think it is a long shot. It isn't really a good bet anyway because you lose the ties, so I lose my over bet even though we tie at seven wins, which I still think we will reach. I still think we could possibly upset Bama but it is a very long shot now, and I am not sure if the bye week helps us or hurts us.

 

[jauk11]

The sad fact is that UK is still a basketball U, and that isn't all bad because I am still a big BB fan (and excited about this year) but football is definitely my number one sport, I played flag football at a pretty high level into my forties.

 

[cat_in_the_hat]

It all comes down to attention to detail that is also TOTALLY on the HC. “Emotions” are a direct result of the coaching staff applying the proper game preparation so as to not allow those emotions to HINDER PLAY.

And it goes way beyond just “emotion”.

Having said all of that, a win against the Vols would be a HUGE boost to the program. Hopefully the coaching staff has gotten through to the players. Would LOVE to see this team finally play a clean game up to their potential. We have yet to see that so far. But another unforced error filled loss will be disastrous.

This team has a uncanny knack for making bone errors at worst possible time. We wouldn't beat Georgia either way, but that would be our only loss if they could play a more disciplined game. I will be there cheering us on as usual. This is one I really want. I hope I'm not disappointed.

 

[jauk11]

While Stoops cannot do anything about the size and geography of Kentucky, he has vastly expanded our recruiting base. Prior to Stoops, we did not do a whole lot of recruiting in Ohio or Tennessee with some notable exceptions. Cobb is from Tennessee, but our recruiting in adjacent states was inexplicably weak overall before Stoops. Of course, Cobb was underrated and lightly recruited. You are right, it takes more than money. This is why Stoops brought his brother in. Given the limitations you discussed, Stoops has done a great job with recruiting. But it still has to get better on the offensive line.

Cobb was a two star until Thug U offered him, but I think that was just a CYA offer in case he did blow up. And boy, did he ever blow up. They were used to signing five stars at the time, and they were signing a lot of them, I don't think it was a serious offer.

 

[jauk11]

This team has a uncanny knack for making bone errors at worst possible time. We wouldn't beat Georgia either way, but that would be our only loss if they could play a more disciplined game. I will be there cheering us on as usual. This is one I really want. I hope I'm not disappointed.

Exactly the way I feel.

 

[jauk11]

U mean after our most successful 11 year stretch in program history. Obviously things could be a little better but it will take another decade of this level success to reach the “next level.” It takes decades, not years, to build a legit SEC football program. Stoops’ keeps us on that path.

I think the Bear's and early Collier years (before the Bear's talent ran out and the ridiculous idea that UK should only recruit in state took effect) was probably a better stretch overall. Good post though.

 

[jauk11]

Have you ever looked at how many high D1 prospects come from Ky vs. the other states mentioned? Miss.St and Ole Miss have only been marginally better than UK. The big years they have had were largely aided by recruiting in state jucos and cheating.

But Ole Miss has an exciting coach now, and a LOT more in state talent than UK. Plus a lot of JC programs in Mississippi.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

I suppose you have a beef about the scheme. I was only saying we need to recruit better, more athletic offensive linemen.

The scheme is great. However it needs the lineman you're talking about which is not our brand.

We had a great thing going with physical inside zone. It was effective but unique enough that we weren't in such recruiting battles. Plus changing automatically set us back at least three years because of existing personnel not being what we need.

 

[jauk11]

Hire Deion.

Probably easier said than done.

 

[jauk11]

A lot has changed over the last 11 years. It’s a shame you missed it.

The main thing that has changed is the flood of money from the OTHER SEC ADs recognizing that FOOTBALL is the money cow. And no, our two TWO win seasons and the FIVE years in a row with no bowl games (caused by our penny pinching) contributed nothing to that flood of money. It actually cost us hundreds of millions, much of it from losing TWENTY THOUSAND (NET) season ticket sales AND their football donations. I still wonder how much of that money that football earns gets fed back into the football program, our coaches salaries the main exception. What facilities improvements have we had since the disaster that caused our facilities improvements almost a decade ago? The other SEC powers seem to recognize where the unbelievable SEC distribution comes from.

Of course other schools have a lot more money than UK, but the SEC distribution does a lot to help that problem. A&M spent four hundred million on their 100,000 seat stadium (back before inflation ran wild) while we spent a hundred twenty million (plus the sixty million BRIBE) to REDUCE our seating capacity by six thousand seats.

There still is a lot of changes needed, but doubtful the stupid administration will allow the money to be invested, even though football is the best investment around.

 

[3632]

But Ole Miss has an exciting coach now, and a LOT more in state talent than UK. Plus a lot of JC programs in Mississippi.

Their big key has been him bringing in the right qb due to the Appel of him and his offenses

 

[jauk11]

I'm just SICK AND TIRED of losing to opponents because of UNFORCED, STUPID, UNDISCIPLINED ERRORS!!!!!

This has PLAGUED Coach Stoops since his arrival and REALLY hurt us for the past 2 seasons!!

To reach that "Next Level" that EVERY UK fan should want, it's going to take Coach Stoops DEMANDING a MORE disciplined program. UK Football has to play nearly mistake free football to win at a higher level. Being in the top 5 of most penalized teams in all of football is TOTALLY unacceptable!! You add that with leading the country in Dropped passes and the CONSTANT mouthing off and it just MAGNIFIES the discipline problem!!

I agree with the OP that I have NO DESIRE to get rid of Coach Stoops and TRULY appreciate where he has brought UK Football. I just want HIM to FIX IT!!!! Can he???? I sure hope so!!

This UT game is HUGE!!! A win against the Vols and most, if not all, will be forgiven!! Another UNDISCIPLINED performance and loss will be CRUSHING to our program.


We all just want MORE and Coach Stoops is more than CAPABLE to get us there. It's going to take MORE attention to detail.

Coach Stoops is handicapped by the short sighted administration that has already cost UK hundreds of millions by their refusal to provide UK football facilities in line with the other SEC competition.

 

[jauk11]

Their big key has been him bringing in the right qb due to the Appel of him and his offenses

True, but the QB problem seems to be in the past, unless our failure to perform discourages our committed QBs. We really need to keep our OC.

 

[jauk11]

I think there is room for criticism and also appreciation for stoops.

To get to the top level of college football what are the suggestions that realistically get Kentucky contending for the playoff every year? Is that what unhappy fans want? What exactly is the ideal season for Kentucky with or without stoops?

$9 million is a lot to look as bad as they have the last two weeks and I hope it turns around. For stoops first 7-8 years it seemed like it was uk vs the world and the players and coaches fed off that. Lately it seems like they feel like they have “made it” or something and that is never the case with any sec program, take any week off and you lose.

Stoops has changed offensive philosophies a lot over the last few years and fans begged for that but the results are mixed. If we didn’t attempt a pass all year probably could be sitting at 6-1 as good as Davis is, but fans would complain also.

Fire the AD? I know, while he is a terrible football AD (even though he has SEC millions to send now) he is a master politician.

 

[jauk11]

I don't think are living in the past. I think most who support Stoops, like I do, are simply saying you have to have reasonable goals for the program to build over time. No one is saying they don't want to win an SEC title or a national championship, but setting that as a short term goal will not lead to growth in the program. Someone brought up Bobby Bowden earlier. He was at West Virginia for 6 years. They went to 2 bowls and were ranked one year he was there. Their best record was 9-3, his last year. Yearly, he went 8-3, 7-4, 8-4, 6-5, 4-7, 9-3. According to many on here, WV should have fired him. He was at Florida State for 11 years before they were consistently a top program. His first 11 seasons were 5-6, 10-2, 8-3, 11-1, 10-2, 6-5, 9-3, 8-4, 7-3-2, 9-3, 7-4-1. Then he reeled off about a 13 year stretch where they were consistently in the top 5 and lost 1 or 2 games a year. That's in talent rich Florida. It simply takes time to build a program even in a talent rich state. One of the first rules of management you learn is that you have to set reasonable, attainable, goals for your employees. Setting a goal where the coaches job hinges of winning the SEC and playing for a championship at a historically subpar football program in a talent poor state that is also economically poor, is just poor management. It will not lead to championships no matter how many times people say if you don't expect championships the program doesn't improve. That's patently false. Programs improve by setting long term goals for improvement. At some point those goals progress to where you hope to play for championships. But you always expect the team to be working toward those long term goals. But teams do not progress every year over year. No team does that. Managing businesses and programs requires a long term approach. Short term, knee jerk decisions usually leave you worse off than where you started.

Excellent post.

 

[StoopsIsPathetic]

As long as a lot of the fans are okay with mediocrity, that is what our program will be. UK is a basketball school to its core. 90% of our fans are completely okay with football being what it is. For most UK fans, fball is just an early sept - mid october time burner until basketball starts. They forget all about it until basketball season is over.

 

[crestcat]

Fire the AD? I know, while he is a terrible football AD (even though he has SEC millions to send now) he is a master politician.

Terrible football ADs are the only kind we have had

 

[The-Hack]

Instead of going on some victimized UK football rant, why don’t you explain where I’m wrong?

Ok.

Aren’t we still the greatest basketball program in the country?

Case closed.

10 years ago, we were in the bottom third in football and had been mired there the vast majority of my (then) fifty years.

We were truly pre-eminent in basketball, an absolute lock at number one.

I am now 60, and we are top third in football but have suffered our second losing season in basketball in my 60 years and get bounced from the Touney routinely by unranked teams [if we make the tourney field}.

10 years ago we led the nation in all-time basketball victories.

Who leads, now?

10 years ago, we had a narrow historic losing record in football.

Today we have a narrow historic winning record.

10 years ago, we held the 4th longest steak without ten football victories in a season.

Under Stoops we held the nations’ longest OOC conference winning streak.

Two Coaches are responsible for the respective trajectories of our major programs, and those trajectories are stunningly clear.

Even Helen Keller could have seen it!

 

[jauk11]

Terrible football ADs are the only kind we have had

Yes, but this one is treated like a hero. when he did nothing for football his first decade here. He was saved because the OTHER ADs did support football, so UK was included in the SEC distribution. Too late to avoid the TWO two win seasons or the five years in a row with no bowl games. But luckily for him UK fans seem to get confused pretty easily, of course a lot are newcomers that have no idea of what really happened.

 

[jauk11]

Ok.

Case closed.

10 years ago, we were in the bottom third in football and had been mired there the vast majority of my (then) fifty years.

We were truly pre-eminent in basketball, an absolute lock at number one.

I am now 60, and we are top third in football but have suffered our second losing season in basketball in my 60 years and get bounced from the Touney routinely by unranked teams [if we make the tourney field}.

10 years ago we led the nation in all-time basketball victories.

Who leads, now?

10 years ago, we had a narrow historic losing record in football.

Today we have a narrow historic winning record.

10 years ago, we held the 4th longest steak without ten football victories in a season.

Under Stoops we held the nations’ longest OOC conference winning streak.

Two Coaches are responsible for the respective trajectories of our major programs, and those trajectories are stunningly clear.

Even Helen Keller could have seen it!

Yes, but Helen Keller probably had the benefit of a seeing eye dog. I had a cousin that was blind from birth and she didn't have the benefit of a seeing eye dog. Helen Keller's seeing eye dog probably would have told her what happened.

And this may be the year UK BB stuns the nation, while most of the football fans are in the doldrums, hopefully not realizing the season isn't over yet.