The Top 10 Kentucky Football Players of the Mark Stoops Era

[TuckyFB]

The Top 10 Kentucky Football Players of the Mark Stoops Era

Ten days before the 2022 Kentucky football season, 12 KSR staffers voted for the Top 10 Players of the First 10 Years of the Mark Stoops era.

www.on3.com

Do you agree with the list?

My 10

1. Josh Allen
2. Benny Snell
3. Mike Edwards
4. Lynn Bowden
5. Wan'Dale Robinson
6. Austin MacGinnis
7. Josh Paschal
8. Will Levis (Moves up if he has a good 2022 season)
9. Bud Dupree
10. Darin Kinnard

 

[M4CAT]

I like the list, honorable mentions to Za'Darius Smith, Jamin Davis & Lonnie Johnson.

​

 

[CB3UK]

Honorable mention to the Denzil Ware trash can v Louisville

 

[TBCat]

CRod has to be on that list. I love MacGinnis but he wasn't one of the 10 best.

 

[The-Hack]

I love MacGinnis but he wasn't one of the 10 best.

It’s all pretty subjective (other than putting Josh Allen No. 1), but those game-winning kicks in 2016 made a this conversation possible.

 

[trueblujr2]

Mike Edwards needs to be below Lynn Bowden and Wan'Dale. I know Wan'Dale was only here one season, but his impact last year was immeasurable. He helped make Levis into what he is now. Without him we maybe win 6 or 7 games last year. And what Lynn Bowden accomplished after taking over at QB and literally carrying the team on his back has him right near the top on any list I'm making.

 

[BlueBallz]

I was at the field level in the corner end zone when Snell broke the rushing record for a touchdown and got it on video. At the time, I didn’t know he broke the record. In my best Chris Farley Show voice, “man that was awesome”.

 

[HerrosHeroes]

CRod has to be on that list. I love MacGinnis but he wasn't one of the 10 best.

He is.

 

[HerrosHeroes]

Levis could be on the list after this season.

 

[m080470]

MacGinniss, even though a kicker, almost has to be on the list. He may have singlehandedly saved the Stoops Era. He was automatic and had distance. With most of our other kickers, I don't think we beat MSU or Louisville in 2016. If we had a MacGinniss in 2018, we don't lose to Texas A&M.

 

[zcats]

Stephen Johnson is on my list. Easily one of the most important by saving these coaches' jobs. The play when he went out against UT injured, came back on the field and then gave up his body with that go ahead TD was one of my favorite series in my UK history. Anyone who beats UT gets a nod from me. Too small, easily injured but the heart and courage of a lion. SJ baby.

 

[CB3UK]

CRod has to be on that list. I love MacGinnis but he wasn't one of the 10 best.

I think his importance is what ranks him there. CRod clearly a better talent

 

[HerrosHeroes]

Stephen Johnson is on my list. Easily one of the most important by saving these coaches' jobs. The play when he went out against UT injured, came back on the field and then gave up his body with that go ahead TD was one of my favorite series in my UK history. Anyone who beats UT gets a nod from me. Too small, easily injured but the heart and courage of a lion. SJ baby.

Good post, the smirk before the long TD pass at U of L on the 1st play from scrimmage puts him on the list by itself.

 

[TBCat]

I think his importance is what ranks him there. CRod clearly a better talent

If you take CRod off you'll lose way more games over the past 3 years than you would have lost from MacGinnis. This is no knock on MacGinnis but CRod still has a shot at being our all time leading rusher. Most of our game plan the past 3 years has centered around him.

 

[The-Hack]

If you take CRod off you'll lose way more games over the past 3 years than you would have lost from MacGinnis. This is no knock on MacGinnis but CRod still has a shot at being our all time leading rusher. Most of our game plan the past 3 years has centered around him.

All good points and in a good argument!

But watching that ball clear from 51 yards as the final horn sounded against MSU, reversing the curse on my 45 year (then) fansship, was an incredible moment.

The next year at the QBC Marrow let us know just how cold-blooded Austin really was.

Taking the field for the 48 yard winner against U of L, he winked at The Big Dog as he ran passed him and said, “Easy Money, Coach!”

 

[Nuke99m]

Good post, the smirk before the long TD pass at U of L on the 1st play from scrimmage puts him on the list by itself.

Good ol Smitty.

 

[The-Hack]

Good ol Smitty.

The tongue stuck out on his long, 4th quarter run against USCe in 2017 was pretty cool, too.

 

[Blue63Madison]

Benny Snell is in no way #2. He’s not even the best running back.

 

[UKAlum84]

I feel bowden deserves more cred.

Didn't he play also as quarterback?

 

[The-Hack]

Benny Snell is in no way #2. He’s not even the best running back.

Benny Snell has numbers up there with Tebow and Herschel. Snell’s stats shred Bo Jackson’s in direct comparison.

No, he didn’t have the full athletic packages that Bo and Herschel had, but the numbers are incredible. And he shared a tendency with them: everybody knew Benny was coming. We were hardly a passing juggernaut during his years, here.

 

[The-Hack]

Didn't he play also as quarterback?

He came within 8 yards of breaking Cam Newton’s single-season SEC record for rushing yards from the quarterback position, in 2019, but only played like 8 games at QB, after injuries to two players ahead of him.

 

[azubuikefan]

Benny Snell is in no way #2. He’s not even the best running back.

LOL gtfo.

Anyways..

1. Josh Allen
2. Benny Snell
3. Kinnard
4. Edwards
5. Bowden
6. Robinson
7. MacGinniss/Duffy combo
8. Stallings
9. Z Smith
10. Paschal

 

[zcats]

Good post, the smirk before the long TD pass at U of L on the 1st play from scrimmage puts him on the list by itself.

Right, "I love this s**t". What a player.

 

[YaketySax]

Best single season performances ranked:

1. Josh Allen (2018)
2. Lynn Bowden (2019)
3. Wandale Robinson (2021)
4. Max Duffy (2019)
5. Benny Snell (2018)
6. Jeff Badet (2016)
7. Jordan Jones (2014)
8. Darrian Kinnard (2020)
9. Josh Paschal (2021)
10. Stephen Johnson (2016)
11. Avery Williamson (2013)
12. Mike Edwards (2018)
13. Boom Williams (2016)
14. Dorian Baker (2015)
15. Quinton Bohanna (2020)

 

[Blue63Madison]

Benny Snell has numbers up there with Tebow and Herschel. Snell’s stats shred Bo Jackson’s in direct comparison.

No, he didn’t have the full athletic packages that Bo and Herschel had, but the numbers are incredible. And he shared a tendency with them: everybody knew Benny was coming. We were hardly a passing juggernaut during his years, here.

CRod is better. The stat that carries the most weight for a RB is YPC. Every other stat can be shaped however you want it.

CRod > Snell

Are we really comparing Benny Snell to Herschel and Bo? Anyone outside of the UK fanbase would laugh at that.

 

[TBCat]

CRod is better. The stat that carries the most weight for a RB is YPC. Every other stat can be shaped however you want it.

CRod > Snell

Are we really comparing Benny Snell to Herschel and Bo? Anyone outside of the UK fanbase would laugh at that.

I think they're actually about the same. Their stats are different but that's largely situational.

 

[ktbug]

Stephen Johnson is on my list. Easily one of the most important by saving these coaches' jobs. The play when he went out against UT injured, came back on the field and then gave up his body with that go ahead TD was one of my favorite series in my UK history. Anyone who beats UT gets a nod from me. Too small, easily injured but the heart and courage of a lion. SJ baby.

Without SJ there is no Stoops era of any substance. Coach should buy him a new car every 4 years: he made him a lot of money!

 

[Big Cat fan]

I think they should have had Terry Wilson and Stephen Johnson on the list. They are in the top 10 in Stoops era.

 

[Ugoff]

Right, "I love this s**t". What a player.

Great memory here from SJ courtesy of our old friend NJT (RIP)....

 

[HerrosHeroes]

Great memory here from SJ courtesy of our old friend NJT (RIP)....

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CLASSIC

 

[southindycat]

1. Josh Allen
2. Bud Dupree
3. Mike Edwards
4. Josh Paschal
5. Quinton Bohanna
6. Will Levis
7. Benny Snell
8. Lynn Bowden
9. Darrian Kinnard
10. Wandale! "or" Austin MacGinnis

 

[WildCard]

The Top 10 Kentucky Football Players of the Mark Stoops Era

Ten days before the 2022 Kentucky football season, 12 KSR staffers voted for the Top 10 Players of the First 10 Years of the Mark Stoops era.

www.on3.com

Do you agree with the list?

My 10

1. Josh Allen
2. Benny Snell
3. Mike Edwards
4. Lynn Bowden
5. Wan'Dale Robinson
6. Austin MacGinnis
7. Josh Paschal
8. Will Levis (Moves up if he has a good 2022 season)
9. Bud Dupree
10. Darin Kinnard

I would have to go with Snell and Bowden.

Peace