Talent

[UKat1]

Dude the state of Mississippi produces way more talent than Kentucky, ole Miss is a bigger name football program, and they have Jackson dart. Its not just about recruiting rankings and high school
Kids anymore. The talent gap between uk and ole miss has widened. Surely you can look on the field and see that

I look and see a much better coached team is what I see, yes they have Dart but we supposedly had a winner in Leary....you going to try and tell me that UL has better talent?? They will beat us because of better coaching and better Offensive/Defensive schemes.....ours suck, in fact I'm not sold on Liam Coen, offense is too complicated for these kids and too slow. Defensive scheme lacks any imagination, not had a pass rush since Josh Allen, Secondary sucks because the bend but don't break soft zone D sucks.

All we've heard is this is the most talented team he's had with the most quality depth. We'll be lucky to hang onto the recruit commits until signing day, I fully expect a few of the top ones to flip after what they've seen the past few weeks.

 

[BlueWorldOrder74]

true. Our coaching isn’t the greatest; but Saban couldn’t coach our team over a win against his.

 

[K_TIME]

Dude the state of Mississippi produces way more talent than Kentucky, ole Miss is a bigger name football program, and they have Jackson dart. Its not just about recruiting rankings and high school
Kids anymore. The talent gap between uk and ole miss has widened. Surely you can look on the field and see that

Dude....keep on with this talent excuse 11 years into Stoops.

If you want to look at recruting rankings....Ole Miss is about the exact same rankings over past 5 years. Stoops is not developing kids for crap anymokre.

 

[Deli owl]

Wrong it’s about coaching. Look at Ole Miss and Kansas as examples.

 

[Rockfly78]

Yeah, it really started widening when Lane Kiffin showed up. Odd how that works.

It was wide when freeze was there too. They are a better program and Mississippi is a football hotbed.

 

[Rockfly78]

Dude....keep on with this talent excuse 11 years into Stoops.

If you want to look at recruting rankings....Ole Miss is about the exact same rankings over past 5 years. Stoops is not developing kids for crap anymokre.

Kiffin is better than stoops yes. Kiffin also would not have stayed here 11 years to drag uk from the gutter.

 

[Rockfly78]

I look and see a much better coached team is what I see, yes they have Dart but we supposedly had a winner in Leary....you going to try and tell me that UL has better talent?? They will beat us because of better coaching and better Offensive/Defensive schemes.....ours suck, in fact I'm not sold on Liam Coen, offense is too complicated for these kids and too slow. Defensive scheme lacks any imagination, not had a pass rush since Josh Allen, Secondary sucks because the bend but don't break soft zone D sucks.

All we've heard is this is the most talented team he's had with the most quality depth. We'll be lucky to hang onto the recruit commits until signing day, I fully expect a few of the top ones to flip after what they've seen the past few weeks.

This really has been one of stoops worst coaching seasons. Underwhelming at every facet except ST. The talent we have hasn’t been what we thought either. But he’s not getting fired. His seat is cold as Ice. Nobody on staff is getting fired.

 

[tf4fun]

Absolutely correct. There are some fans that refuse to accept that, but it is reality.

I disagree, yes bama had more talent today. But key barion Davis ECT are being wasted. They should be able to compete against mizz TN ECT. They aren't. This team has a lot more talent then you realize,or are Willing to admit. This was a very very bad coaching year for this staff. This is IMO the worse coaching Job stoops has put in since he has been here.

 

[ptril]

At least Kentucky is doing something for the future of Kentucky football. Yesterday, Vince Marrow offered a scholarship to Paducah Tilghman 8th grade quarterback Avery Thompson, the son of the PT head coach. Avery led PT to the 8th grade state championship, routing Corbin in the semi-finals and Boyle County in the finals today. Tilghman returns junior Jack James at quarterback, as well as junior Martel Carter (rated #1 junior player in Kentucky), so Avery will likely be starter at wide receiver and backup quarterback as a high school freshman. This kid is really special in both football and basketball. There can't be too many middle school 8th graders to be offered football scholarships at any SEC school. Very rare. At least Kentucky is getting an early start on his recruitment, allthough it still will be hard to keep him in Kentucky as Georgia, Alabama, and Ohio State will come hard after him. You are going to hear his name a lot over the next four years.

 

[Freetaxreturn]

Dude the state of Mississippi produces way more talent than Kentucky, ole Miss is a bigger name football program, and they have Jackson dart. Its not just about recruiting rankings and high school
Kids anymore. The talent gap between uk and ole miss has widened. Surely you can look on the field and see that

Until Kentucky gets their head out of Ohio and Midwest this is what you’re gonna get 🍺

 

[Rockfly78]

Until Kentucky gets their head out of Ohio and Midwest this is what you’re gonna get 🍺

We will pull better players from Ohio than we will from the south regularly. I prefer southern athletes too but it’s easier for a program like Kentucky to pull a 4 star kid away from mich st or Purdue than it is from Georgia or LSU. So it get stoops strategy and it’s worked out pretty well

 

[Freetaxreturn]

We will pull better players from Ohio than we will from the south regularly. I prefer southern athletes too but it’s easier for a program like Kentucky to pull a 4 star kid away from mich st or Purdue than it is from Georgia or LSU. So it get stoops strategy and it’s worked out pretty well

🤫

 

[sambowieshin]

Learn to read …clearly stated in year 11 Talent isn’t a valid excuse. And Arkansas and ole miss are able to play more competitive games

So I don’t care to hear the talent baloney

Ummm....
Ole Piss 17 ---Georgia 52
Not sure what your definition of competitive is.
Our talent is just not Bama/Ga level at this point either. Sucks to be us.

 

[K_TIME]

Ummm....
Ole Piss 17 ---Georgia 52
Not sure what your definition of competitive is.
Our talent is just not Bama/Ga level at this point either. Sucks to be us.

Ole Miss played Bama to a one score loss…early

UGA game got out offhand in second half in first half was competitive

Uk was down 21-0 at UGA in first quarter….way less of a game

I just don’t know why we’re going to start arguing talent is the reason now after some real piss poor football we’ve seen this year I get it will always be a talent issue but mizzou this year didn’t have some wow classes

Stoops and staff just have done a bad job snd there is no plan to improve this I’m sure we’ll whack Buffano or something….but we’ve been firing. Rb coach, special teams, two OCs etc…at some point the head coach has to be examined

 

[mrschwump]

Arkansas? You mean the team that lost 48-10 at home yesterday and gave up nearly 400 yards rushing?

Kiffin? Got beat at GA about like UK did. Kiffin closed out 2022 with 5 losses in his last 6 games.

 

[K_TIME]

Arkansas? You mean the team that lost 48-10 at home yesterday and gave up nearly 400 yards rushing?

Kiffin? Got beat at GA about like UK did. Kiffin closed out 2022 with 5 losses in his last 6 games.

Here we go with one game narrative band

Kitten is about to toss up a second two loss season on resumes and NY6 bowl

Ole miss was outclassed by UGA. But it was competitive thru half and got out if hand late. Ky was down 21-0 by first qtr and it got worse

Maybe your on the stoops pony up brigade…but this is second year in a row staff had done a poor job and three of last four seasons

 

[chevyman 50]

Its all about coaching we have 4 stars and high 3 stars bet we have as many 4 stars as the Ville or Missouri its all about coaching.

 

[footerball]

I get some of you fans go back to the early days but don't hate on folks that want more or expect more. With success, comes expectations. So while Ky is far improved from the past 70 years you have been a fan and spectator, it's ok for fans to want more and its ok for you to be satisfied with 6 wins, we all have different expectations, it's ok.

Ha Ha I am an old fan and yes would like to see 10-win seasons. Stoops has gone about where he's going. The way we play D is all on him, he likes to prevent D even when behind. I have been in the stands when we would celebrate first downs. expect more but realize, it's a game they are young, doing the best they can. get a new coach play a new way.

 

[screwduke1]

Weird thread considering it's the coaches who recruit.

 

[mrschwump]

Here we go with one game narrative band

Kitten is about to toss up a second two loss season on resumes and NY6 bowl

Ole miss was outclassed by UGA. But it was competitive thru half and got out if hand late. Ky was down 21-0 by first qtr and it got worse

Maybe your on the stoops pony up brigade…but this is second year in a row staff had done a poor job and three of last four seasons

No, I'm giving you recent factual history. If you don't want to accept it then so be it, that's on you.

 

[KyCPA]

Who's fault is that? who recruits the 3 star players? Your reasoning is an excuse and total BS

No it is not and history proves it. UK and the fans (through NIL) are going to have to dump an a$$load of money into recruiting to change that. I don't see that happening. Haven't seen it in my lifetime.

 

[BigBlueManSouthCentralKY]

It isn’t about coaching. It is about talent. They have all 4 and 5 stars. We have 3’s. It is really simple

Totally agree. If we want to reach the highest level our talent has to rise significantly on a regular basis.

 

[K_TIME]

No, I'm giving you recent factual history. If you don't want to accept it then so be it, that's on you.

Except you’re not factual at all. Just emotional

Recruiting ranks
2023 Ky 27 ole miss 29
2022 Ky 14 ole miss 37
2021 Ky 34 ole miss 17
2020 Ky 23 ole miss 46

I can do mizzou …it be more in Ky favor

Talent alone is no more excuse for why ole miss and mizzou are way more competitive then Ky. Beating Bama and UGA is one thing…but playing a competitive football game in a loss is another

This is bad coaching plain and simple

 

[ace on the river]

No it is not and history proves it. UK and the fans (through NIL) are going to have to dump an a$$load of money into recruiting to change that. I don't see that happening. Haven't seen it in my lifetime.

Did we recruit as well as them BEFORE NIL? Of course not, so what makes you think money matters? you think Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia don't have money?

 

[mrschwump]

Except you’re not factual at all. Just emotional

Recruiting ranks
2023 Ky 27 ole miss 29
2022 Ky 14 ole miss 37
2021 Ky 34 ole miss 17
2020 Ky 23 ole miss 46

I can do mizzou …it be more in Ky favor

Talent alone is no more excuse for why ole miss and mizzou are way more competitive then Ky. Beating Bama and UGA is one thing…but playing a competitive football game in a loss is another

This is bad coaching plain and simple

Arkansas DID lose 48-10 at home yesterday and DID give up nearly 400 rushing yards.

Ole Miss DID close out '22 by losing 5 of 6. Those are FACTS, not "just emotional." My god.

But I do agree coaches need to step it up, players too.

 

[K_TIME]

Arkansas DID lose 48-10 at home yesterday and DID give up nearly 400 rushing yards.

Ole Miss DID close out '22 by losing 5 of 6. Those are FACTS, not "just emotional." My god.

But I do agree coaches need to step it up, players too.

Ole miss is top 15 in next poll wjtb two losses and a NY6 bowl upcoming. I know they hate to lose to UGA but it was a one score game at half. We were down 35-7 at half to UGA.

If the “we ain’t got the talent “ train is your ride. Good for you. This past season’s are not talent alone. There is some crap coaching

 

[KyCPA]

Did we recruit as well as them BEFORE NIL? Of course not, so what makes you think money matters? you think Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia don't have money?

You are making my point. Yes those teams have always dumped money into recruiting.

 

[mrschwump]

Ole miss is top 15 in next poll wjtb two losses and a NY6 bowl upcoming. I know they hate to lose to UGA but it was a one score game at half. We were down 35-7 at half to UGA.

If the “we ain’t got the talent “ train is your ride. Good for you. This past season’s are not talent alone. There is some crap coaching

Didn't I just say the coaches need to step it up? Of course I did.

Oh, you ALWAYS need talent, can't have too much.

 

[seccats04]

We were down 21-0 yesterday after running just 4 offensive plays. Our talent level is not that bad. Our coaching has REALLY SUCKED the last two years.

 

[3632]

Anytime Kentucky plays bama, talent is an excuse. Ole Miss is loaded with talent too. Arky caught bama sleeping because they suck worse than we do.

The only difference between us and Arkansas the last few years is them playing a west schedule

 

[3632]

Yeah, it really started widening when Lane Kiffin showed up. Odd how that works.

Kiffen style of play attracts players. They get some home guys no doubt but miss best players typically leave the state. I will also point out their leading wr is from UL and it was reported on this site our staff passed on him when he reached out

 

[BigBlueManSouthCentralKY]

Kiffin said they have to recruit better players to reach the upper level. He said they have 1 five star and GA has 24 5 stars? Whether true or not, there comes a point where you can't overcome so many better players. Talent discrepancy is ridiculous between GA and AL and everybody else. How do we get better recruiting coaches?

 

[3632]

Kiffin said they have to recruit better players to reach the upper level. He said they have 1 five star and GA has 24 5 stars? Whether true or not, there comes a point where you can't overcome so many better players. Talent discrepancy is ridiculous between GA and AL and everybody else. How do we get better recruiting coaches?

While true, the grumbling comes from over time just not performing in circumstances where you’re set up to do so…at home, big game atmosphere, teams coming off other successive emotional games and due for letdowns, etc…

Seems like the secn guys put it best by saying ky fans don’t need to win all these games but they need a game to come through for them every once in a while. Best I can tell stoops has 4 wins against teams that have finished ranked. Wins against UF usually come early in the year before everyone figures out they’re mediocre

2022 Miss St
2021 Iowa
2018 UF, Penn st.

And as for bowl streak people, if stoops coached in the 80’s he only has the 2018 team that would get in a bowl with a decent degree of certainty although not a guarantee spot and 2021 would have some outside shot at one. That’s it. That’s not knocking stoops but it just puts in context the golden age stuff. Yes, we have grown as a program during stoops tenure…some due to him and some due to the fact we live in a tv contract age that gives big conference schools a steady amount of money to invest into things. But it has not been all due to mark stoops. Kind schedules and competitive tools for the program.

 

[katwest]

What it all amounts to is we have mostly 3 star talent and 3 star coaching along with minimal NIL money. This is about as good as it gets here, also the SEC is only going to get tougher.

 

[Rockfly78]

Kiffin said they have to recruit better players to reach the upper level. He said they have 1 five star and GA has 24 5 stars? Whether true or not, there comes a point where you can't overcome so many better players. Talent discrepancy is ridiculous between GA and AL and everybody else. How do we get better recruiting coaches?

I was just about to post this. There have been coaches over the years that have wildly over performed with their mid level talent (Boise st, TCU, etc). But it’s never been done in the sec. Not to the level that everyone expects. Talent is king and coaching does matter. But talent will make a coach look like a genius in most scenarios

 

[mrschwump]

I was just about to post this. There have been coaches over the years that have wildly over performed with their mid level talent (Boise st, TCU, etc). But it’s never been done in the sec. Not to the level that everyone expects. Talent is king and coaching does matter. But talent will make a coach look like a genius in most scenarios

View embedded media

This is not hard to understand, don't know why some can't figure it out.

 

[PensacolaBlue]

I’m saying support your team. Celebrate the wins where we can get them. But stop expecting Kentucky to be Georgia or Alabama. Stop thinking urban Meyer or Kirby or someone of that ilk to come here and be our savior. We will not be Georgia in football for the same reason Georgia will not be Kentucky in basketball. Have some perspective

It’s not that fans expect to beat these teams but they don’t want to be down 21 points after running 4 plays.

 

[3632]

It’s not that fans expect to beat these teams but they don’t want to be down 21 points after running 4 plays.

It’s also that the coaches are the ones that have actually started the hype machine in the off season then say ‘why would you expect us to be able to beat anyone?’ When it starts to look bad.

Is bama talented? Yes. Better than us? Yea. But they’ve got weaknesses. They were giving up almost 5 sacks a game coming in and we didn’t sniff the backfield. We play keep everything in front football. Not playmaking football.

 

[Bluesbrother]

It isn’t about coaching. It is about talent. They have all 4 and 5 stars. We have 3’s. It is really simple

Do you believe 5-star talent will sign with mediocre coaching? I say ... no, they will NOT. It starts with coaching and ends with coaching. JMO. Stoops has been here 11 years and sometimes it takes time to get a good read on ability to create consistency. Stoops has been found to be limited in ability and to expect this program to progress any further than what you see now is foolish. He's still here because of the AD who is more concerned about optics than results. Eleven years is long enough.

 

[3632]

This is not hard to understand, don't know why some can't figure it out.

I think most fans get this. But it’s not wrong to expect that on occasion that coaching can make up a gap in a singular game. Even Kansas can do this.