coach stoops has done more for this football program than anyone in resent memory. his plan is in place and I think all fans who understand even a little bit about what it takes to build a competitive program in the SEC will back off and let his staff work. Coach Brooks and the Ditch Rich and Mitch comes to mind. We won't have to worry about this after this year, I promise you'll see the progress!! I guess SDS has to put someone in the hot seat,
Stoops could be on the hot seat in 2015 according to SDS
- Thread starter Rawrrr
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Yea I know the the Bear is dead, I watched him coach.
And I also watched a Vandy coach win 4 SEC games his first year! With KY type players.
Stoops is no Bear, but who knows maybe one day.
Crap article, but I for one am glad we are getting no respect...This team will be noticably different. Substantially more depth at OL/WR......Defense is deeper, while slightly untested..the offensive line has two platoons Krok or no Krok. Any of them that could start
The strength and conditioning programs in place are second to none. And we will have the size and talent NOW to compete with virtually every opponent on the schedule
We are going to surprise at least 2 opponents this year, and win at home or away when we are a decided underdog
The strength and conditioning programs in place are second to none. And we will have the size and talent NOW to compete with virtually every opponent on the schedule
We are going to surprise at least 2 opponents this year, and win at home or away when we are a decided underdog
My only thought was it seemed you tried to associate a lack of great coaching with a roster that wasn't ready to be SEC competitive. And the BEAR was the only coach in the last 70 years at Kentucky who could have even come close to doing the job that you seemed to think Stoops should have done. I don't know if Stoops will ever be a Bear like coach but its still too early to be upset with him at this stage of his career at Kentucky. No matter what the fools say, he did not come in here with very much talent at all, it was very poor at most positions. And I would disagree that Vandy had KY type players, he elevated his recruiting probably even better and faster then we did, and players make the team that's for sure.
Building a successful SEC football program is 1 hell of an accomplishment, no matter who does it. But the school is committed, as we can see from the Commonwealth Stadium and Nutter Center renovations. Our coaches are committed, as we can see from the great recruiting effort. In 2013, Stoops inherited CJP's roster and won 2 games. In 2014, Stoops got more of his own players on the field and won 5. Unlike you, I would be shocked if Stoops only wins 4 in 2015. I predict 6-7 wins this year, and all the momentum in our program supports this expectation. The only way we regress to a 4-8 season would be a massive rash of early injuries to key players like Towles, Boom, Baker, Toth, Forrest, Stamps.
Not going to slam SDS. It focuses on something I love, SEC football. I think they have a bunch of fillet crap, but I like that it gives me a fix or two in the offseason.
Stoops has been pointing to year 3 since he started, so I'm hoping to see something this year. Whether or not it's a failure if we win less than 6 is still up for debate...there are a lot of factors that go into that...injuries, freakish happenings, other teams' improvements, etc.
In other words, the manner in which we get or don't get our wins matters.
In other words, the manner in which we get or don't get our wins matters.
Besides all of your rambling nonsensical attack of me, which amounts to next to nothing, I have to ask you this. You really dont think we as a fan base should expect a bowl game this year?
I think almost all knowledgeable fans are looking at 5-7 wins as a reasonable expectation this coming yr.......there are always outlier fans, though. There are fans who predict <4 wins and fans who shout >8 wins. The outliers represent a small portion of the fanbase as a whole.
Moreover, you mentioned that if we don't make a bowl game that "most" of the fans will stop supporting Stoops. This is likely an unrealistic hyperbole on your part. Probably less than 25% of the fanbase will completely stop supporting him if we go 5-7 next yr and call for his firing. <25% of the fanbase will shout they support him and "we need to give him more time." The majority of the fanbase will be mixed in the middle.......call them cautiously supportive, if you will. However, which of the 3 groups listed above will be the loudest? As you can probably figure out it will be the unhappy minority. This is what happened in Brooks' 3rd yr.
He will lose a fair amount of recruiting momentum. You are correct on that angle. But if he wins well in 2016, then he can recover it.
Like you said though, I think we make a bowl game and the train keeps pulling forward out of the station.......so it's likely all moot
Hot seat vs fired.
Yes, with some people if there isn't marked improvement then support for Stoops will start to waver in some segments of the fan base. That said, barring an 0-12 meltdown where we lose every game by 20...there is zero chance of Stoops being fired. Stoops just got a raise and contract extension last year. UK isn't writing him a check for $15 million to walk away.
Yes, with some people if there isn't marked improvement then support for Stoops will start to waver in some segments of the fan base. That said, barring an 0-12 meltdown where we lose every game by 20...there is zero chance of Stoops being fired. Stoops just got a raise and contract extension last year. UK isn't writing him a check for $15 million to walk away.
I expect a bowl game
I expect a better team (due to depth)
I expect more competitiveness
if we do not see a bowl game....it will hurt BUT IT WILL NOT COST STOOPS ANYTHING BUT MORE TIME RECRUITING!
Proof has already been shown - we got better last year from the previous season and had gotten better (no depth created our problems) at end of season from the beginning....and I do not expect anything less than an uptick in each category as a cornerstone is being laid for a new foundation that Joker destroyed.
I expect a better team (due to depth)
I expect more competitiveness
if we do not see a bowl game....it will hurt BUT IT WILL NOT COST STOOPS ANYTHING BUT MORE TIME RECRUITING!
Proof has already been shown - we got better last year from the previous season and had gotten better (no depth created our problems) at end of season from the beginning....and I do not expect anything less than an uptick in each category as a cornerstone is being laid for a new foundation that Joker destroyed.
For UK to win 6-8 games they can't bring the B game and expect to have a chance to win. I know UK's recruiting has improved by leaps and bounds the last 3 years but every SEC game UK plays except for Vandy and likely MSST and maybe Missouri will still have a pretty large overall talent edge over UK. Missouri has been running the same system Stoops is trying to run at UK to overcome the talent gap by replacing it with maturity and discipline. That plan worked for BYU for years, those 2 free years to missionary school and a RS year and they had guys 25-26 years old playing against 18 year olds.
For UK to get to those 6-8 wins, the staff has to have them ready to play every week, there can't be games like the LSU, UT or UGA games where it was over by the 2nd quarter, especially against those tossup games, which are USC, UF and Louisville. The question is can they do that, probably not, no one else can because every team has 1 or 2 down games a year, even the almighty Saban and Meyer. I think there are 5 wins, 4 losses and those 3 tossup games.
Mark Stoops isn't on any kind of hot seat. Being this is year three, I'm sure he's feeling a little more pressure to be better, but he could go 0-12 and get a 4th season.
As for how many games UK will win, the safe guesses are probably 5-7 and 6-6. What's the "key" to winning more? Making winning plays at winning time. Last fall, Kentucky dropped INT's at Florida and Louisville at *winning time*. You can't give game changing plays away in one score games late in the 4th quarter and expect to survive.
All long time UK fans have endured plays like those for years. Sure, every team has the same thing happen, it just seems to happen to us more often (LOL).
UK should be a lot better offensively. The defense is what it is, which is probably a 12-14 SEC unit. I think the schedule breaks down nicely, but I'm not sure UK has a good enough defense to take advantage.
GBB!!!
As for how many games UK will win, the safe guesses are probably 5-7 and 6-6. What's the "key" to winning more? Making winning plays at winning time. Last fall, Kentucky dropped INT's at Florida and Louisville at *winning time*. You can't give game changing plays away in one score games late in the 4th quarter and expect to survive.
All long time UK fans have endured plays like those for years. Sure, every team has the same thing happen, it just seems to happen to us more often (LOL).
UK should be a lot better offensively. The defense is what it is, which is probably a 12-14 SEC unit. I think the schedule breaks down nicely, but I'm not sure UK has a good enough defense to take advantage.
GBB!!!
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It will cost him a whole hell of alot, especially credibility. Look at last year, the recruiting class was garbage comparable to the previous two years. Another losing season will destroy recruiting. How do you expect any coach to build a program if they don't keep bringing in good or great recruits. Stoops must win now for the long term, he has to have credibility for recruits to buy what he is selling. Anyone who believes any different is just plain lying to themselves.
Unlike some, I truly believe 6 wins are a must!!
Will he be on the "Hot Seat" if we only win 4-5? Definitely not. But as far as for the progression of the program, recruiting, fan enthusiasm and overall support, a bowl game is close to being a necessity!!
I have full confidence in Coach Stoops and his staff to achieve that 6 win plateau.
Will he be on the "Hot Seat" if we only win 4-5? Definitely not. But as far as for the progression of the program, recruiting, fan enthusiasm and overall support, a bowl game is close to being a necessity!!
I have full confidence in Coach Stoops and his staff to achieve that 6 win plateau.
The rankings went from 17th in 2014 to 35th in 2015?! Oh no, the sky is falling... Granted, getting a 35th ranked class is not ideal but it's a far cry from the 50-60-something ranked classes we've pull in over the yrs. And we are currently sitting at 14th now (understood that it's far from over)
I agree with you that recruiting will take another hit, but it doesn't mean that Stoops can't build something. We have to remember that the better recruits that Stoops has brought in are just barely getting to become upperclassmen.
As to the issue of expectations, you make a very good point. We won 2 games in 2013, 5 games in 2014. Our 2014 recruiting class was the school's best in the last 30 years if not longer. We as a fan base have every reason to expect 6-7 wins this year. Anyone who says otherwise is just hedging for whatever reason.
That "analysis" does not consider a number of crucial factors, such as our opponents' recruiting over the past five years, their records last year, or our schedule.
I have no idea how the record will play this year (guess I am a hedger), but I expect continued improvement on the field.
I have no idea how the record will play this year (guess I am a hedger), but I expect continued improvement on the field.
Speaking of lying, since you introduced the subject. I understand why people were disappointed with Damien Harris' decision, but that was up to Damien Harris. I understand why the number of de-commitments disappointed people. Even after all of that happened, it still turned out to be a pretty good class. That isn't good enough when all the other SEC programs are recruiting lights out. But it was still a decent class, and a bunch of those kids will become important contributors. Other SEC programs wanted and offered Eli Brown, Derrick Baity, Chris Westry, CJ Conrad, Kengera Daniel, Courtney Miggins, Tavin Richardson, Marcus Walker. Jabari Greenwood had offers from Michigan State and Maryland, and Sihiem King was named the offensive high school player of the year in Georgia. To call last year's class garbage, as you just did, IS A LIE, as well as an insult to our players. Before long, you will eat those words.
It was not an "analysis". I only said that our fans have every reason to expect 6-7 wins. If you expect less, who cares?
I think that some fans and the media is looking at the quick trigger that UK displayed when it ousted Joker in only three years and think that is the norm. The true norm is UK has always given its coaches plenty of time to show if they can turn this program around. Heck IMO in most cases they gave them way too much time. Joker was an anomaly in that he took over a program that Brooks had in decent shape and let it spiral downward from the start. The coach in waiting thing proved to be a disaster. Joker didn't get the honeymoon period because he took over with the program in as good a shape as it had been for years and just let it slip down from the start instead of building on what Brooks had done in his period at UK. Joker demonstrated almost from the start that he was not up to the job and that the coach in waiting thing was a big mistake.
IMO Stoops gets five plus years at UK at the least before there is any thought of replacing him. History will show that has been the norm with all of the coaches except for Joker and the hiring of Joker was not what I would call a normal hire. It was the coach in waiting thing which was an unmitigated disaster.
IMO Stoops gets five plus years at UK at the least before there is any thought of replacing him. History will show that has been the norm with all of the coaches except for Joker and the hiring of Joker was not what I would call a normal hire. It was the coach in waiting thing which was an unmitigated disaster.
First of all,people inside the program think that the 2015 recruits have the most potential of any of their classes! Second , no SEC football program will be very good,without redshirt jr/sr lineman on offense and defense , therefore Stoops cannot be accurately judged til year 5,ala Mizzou! Stoops is on the right course for a successful program!
I don't care much for SDS and to think Stoops will be on the hot seat after this year is ridiculous. It may take 4 or even 5 years to have the depth and experience he really needs to do well in the SEC. Everyone will certainly take notice if we tank this year (very unlikely), but he won't be on the hot seat.
LOL! What I said is there for anyone to see. Again, it is reasonable for Kentucky fans to expect 6-7 wins in 2015. If you want to make an argument out of that, then piss off.
This is the most accurate statement. I think this team is going to surprise the casual fans who think 5 wins is the benchmark. Is it ready for primetime, no, but it's going to be good enough to win 6-7 games and I am always conservative with preseason predictions. The schedule is not as daunting as some want to believe and this offense will be potent enough to keep this team in more games and win some UK normally does not win.
In a few seasons the talk will be all about how UK keeps Stoops around. Just wait on it.
We wont know if it turned out to be a very good class until we see how they produce in the long term, but looking at their rankings overall, they arent near as good as the past few, comparable is the key word if you can read. Stars do matter, anyone arguing otherwise is a moron. We heard the same drivel from when Joker was here, that he was recruiting at such a high level and to give him more time and that he is finding "his guys", now for some reason these same liars are saying he left the cupboard bare and stoops will need 10 years to rebuild, well which is it? Not sure what your agenda is, but i'll stand by the fact that Stoops will lose most all credibility with recruits and fans alike if we dont get to a bowl game this year and will be on a hot seat going into year 4, but honestly sometimes pressure is a good thing.
I truly believe Stoops & Company get at least 5 yrs to build what we all see coming. That being said, I think we're lucky to keep him after year 4 results.
Going along with this, I think the 0-6 finish to last season really hurt recruiting more than people think, with a lot of decommits, and previously sure fire commits turning into uncommits. Another meltdown in the win loss column this season would probably put the stake through UK's recruiting heart, and that will be the beginning of big trouble for the future of the Stoops and the program.
It all hinges on showing progress in the win column. Become bowl eligible = recruiting back on track and Stoops on the cool seat on the way to possibly becoming a frostbite hazard. Go 5-7 or worse = the recruiting death spiral begins and Stoop's seat starts to become uncomfortable to his cheeks.
I would offer that last year's class was Stoops best, but what do I know...
LOL! I read well enough to know that you called our 2015 class garbage. I don't need to have any agendas to know that's ridiculous.
Hey, I appreciate that you are backing off your accusation about those who might disagree with you. I also realize that you think your opinion is king. Got it.
Lolfiring Stoops would be idiotic at this point it takes 3-5 years to get a bottom feeder football team headed in the right way. He is just now getting his Recruiting pipelines established and most of his recruits are not even fully developed yet. That dude is a idiot plan and simple.
I think that the fan base has a HOPE of winning six games and a near miracle of seven games, Too many probable weaknesses on offense. The QB position and offensive line are the most unpredictable. With the exception of safety, not any unit on defense is likely to be better than an underdog to nearly all SEC offenses
It looks as if we must beat UL and two SEC teams to reach six. Not impossible but definitely not a cold lock. Win seven and Stoops should modestly be considered for COY.
As for an "attack" on you? Fan site posts aren't life threatening or even vaguely serious. Just spare time fillers. You may be taking these things too personally. Not advice just an observation.
