I have been as hard as anyone on wanting to make a head coaching change in football. Let's face it - this year has not gone like most of us thought it would. I would love to see a younger guy who is perceived to be the next great college football coach become our coach - BUT - we all need to be fair and calm down about Coach Stoops and this year't team. He has had a really rough year, he has brought some of it on himself and he accepts that fact. But the man has many family and personal issues he has had to address that is also not a normal year. We know of his Mom's last months health and passing. We don't know what he is facing with two teenage sons living with their mother a thousand miles away and issues surrounding that situation if any. So, let's all give him a humanity break here.
Now, lets talk about football. It's November 3rd, let's look a little closer at the season. First, how many of our fans realize that 8 SEC teams are still seriously in the hunt for the 12 team playoff. Two other teams could potentially make it with 3 losses! How many people realize that Vanderbilt is only a few points away from being unbeaten? The South Carolina team that was our bad game foe - well they have a legitimate shot at a 9 win season and have close losses as well. How many games have we actually been blown out of? I contend that to be ONE! Florida was not a blowout - it was in score to many - but not in the game. I was at Ben Hill Stadium. I doubt if we would have won - but the Florida goal line touchdown never happened. UK was in that game and trailing by only a touchdown at that point. The score looked bad because of tipped balls for interceptions and then trying to get some playing time for a true freshman. Yes its the head coaches job to have your team emotionally ready to play - but how many of us would be able to do our best as our mother lays at her wake? Yes we have lost some games we could/should have won - but bad breaks happen. Now look at the injuries this team has had. The record looks bad, but the team isn't like many previous teams with this record. This team, everyone needs to think - just a couple of plays going the other way and we could be 6-3 right now instead of 3-6.
The Texas A & M coaching search fiasco took its toll on Kentucky, the other coaches, the players and many of the fans as well. I know I didn't want Coach Stoops back after that happened - why? Because I felt we wouldn't play as hard as we have in the past - the coach made a decision to leave - which in reality, no would can blame him for taking that job! It is perceived to be a better job and A & M had a roster loaded with high ranked players, a huge stadium full of fans, unlimited amounts of money at its disposal as well. Texas A & M backed out on Stoops! We all know that - so in reality we should respect that part. I felt it would hurt our recruiting - but I'm not sure it actually did. The time to have changed coaches was then for sure! I believe that fiasco did contribute directly to Liam Coen leaving. That had a really powerful impact on this team in my opinion. Coach Hamdan may be a great coach - we give him heck - but he didn't recruit any of these players. He didn't get to pick the QB he wanted nor develop or choose any of the offensive lineman - those are huge factors in your offense. People talking about Eddie Gran improvising , he did and I liked Coach Gran and really didn't understand getting rid of him personally, but Coach Gran had a strong offensive line and one of the best multi purpose backs to ever play at UK in Lynn Bowden.
If Coach Stoops leaves it will be because he and the people involved in his coaching future will believe his time here is over. It will be because the recruiting class doesn't believe in him or his vision. So, far we have seen stability in the recruiting class. We really don't know what is going on with the current players and how they feel about the coaches and the future of Kentucky football. Again, if we see stability in the ranks - it still speaks volumes about Coach Stoops and the staff and the stability of the program. One thing for sure, the SEC with 10 potential playoff teams is not going to be any easier in the future. You can also easily realize why coaches don't want to see a 9 team SEC schedule. Just looking at the rest of the league season, with 4 weeks to go, it is very conceivable that the league champion will have 2 losses. How many people would have thought that when the year began. Parody in the SEC is here. I think you are going to see many teams go thru sub par years unexpectanly from now on - the league has been the toughest conference in America for decades - and now it is even more competitive. It IS going to be harder and harder for every team to win 10 games - UK is not the only team on that island anymore. Finally, the team has been up and down, flat, etc. - but the team was playing hard to win last night - they didn't play like a team that had quit on its coach. The remaining three games will provide us with lots of answers to the future. The odds are we go 1-2 in those games - a disaster year for sure, but if we play hard and are competitive in those games it will be speaking loud and clear on how the other players and coaches feel about our program being led by Coach Stoops.
Go Big Blue!
Now, lets talk about football. It's November 3rd, let's look a little closer at the season. First, how many of our fans realize that 8 SEC teams are still seriously in the hunt for the 12 team playoff. Two other teams could potentially make it with 3 losses! How many people realize that Vanderbilt is only a few points away from being unbeaten? The South Carolina team that was our bad game foe - well they have a legitimate shot at a 9 win season and have close losses as well. How many games have we actually been blown out of? I contend that to be ONE! Florida was not a blowout - it was in score to many - but not in the game. I was at Ben Hill Stadium. I doubt if we would have won - but the Florida goal line touchdown never happened. UK was in that game and trailing by only a touchdown at that point. The score looked bad because of tipped balls for interceptions and then trying to get some playing time for a true freshman. Yes its the head coaches job to have your team emotionally ready to play - but how many of us would be able to do our best as our mother lays at her wake? Yes we have lost some games we could/should have won - but bad breaks happen. Now look at the injuries this team has had. The record looks bad, but the team isn't like many previous teams with this record. This team, everyone needs to think - just a couple of plays going the other way and we could be 6-3 right now instead of 3-6.
The Texas A & M coaching search fiasco took its toll on Kentucky, the other coaches, the players and many of the fans as well. I know I didn't want Coach Stoops back after that happened - why? Because I felt we wouldn't play as hard as we have in the past - the coach made a decision to leave - which in reality, no would can blame him for taking that job! It is perceived to be a better job and A & M had a roster loaded with high ranked players, a huge stadium full of fans, unlimited amounts of money at its disposal as well. Texas A & M backed out on Stoops! We all know that - so in reality we should respect that part. I felt it would hurt our recruiting - but I'm not sure it actually did. The time to have changed coaches was then for sure! I believe that fiasco did contribute directly to Liam Coen leaving. That had a really powerful impact on this team in my opinion. Coach Hamdan may be a great coach - we give him heck - but he didn't recruit any of these players. He didn't get to pick the QB he wanted nor develop or choose any of the offensive lineman - those are huge factors in your offense. People talking about Eddie Gran improvising , he did and I liked Coach Gran and really didn't understand getting rid of him personally, but Coach Gran had a strong offensive line and one of the best multi purpose backs to ever play at UK in Lynn Bowden.
If Coach Stoops leaves it will be because he and the people involved in his coaching future will believe his time here is over. It will be because the recruiting class doesn't believe in him or his vision. So, far we have seen stability in the recruiting class. We really don't know what is going on with the current players and how they feel about the coaches and the future of Kentucky football. Again, if we see stability in the ranks - it still speaks volumes about Coach Stoops and the staff and the stability of the program. One thing for sure, the SEC with 10 potential playoff teams is not going to be any easier in the future. You can also easily realize why coaches don't want to see a 9 team SEC schedule. Just looking at the rest of the league season, with 4 weeks to go, it is very conceivable that the league champion will have 2 losses. How many people would have thought that when the year began. Parody in the SEC is here. I think you are going to see many teams go thru sub par years unexpectanly from now on - the league has been the toughest conference in America for decades - and now it is even more competitive. It IS going to be harder and harder for every team to win 10 games - UK is not the only team on that island anymore. Finally, the team has been up and down, flat, etc. - but the team was playing hard to win last night - they didn't play like a team that had quit on its coach. The remaining three games will provide us with lots of answers to the future. The odds are we go 1-2 in those games - a disaster year for sure, but if we play hard and are competitive in those games it will be speaking loud and clear on how the other players and coaches feel about our program being led by Coach Stoops.
Go Big Blue!
