This Board amazes me at times

[WildcatforLife1965]

Now I’m as critical as anybody of CMS but the range of emotion on this board after knocking off a Top 10 team, albeit an overranked Louisville team but I don’t think folks realize how close we came to watching this entire program burn down last night. When a coach leaves, he takes most of his assistants with him. Now we would find a coach, no doubt, but it would destroy the recruiting class, there would be mass transfers and we would be looking at a minimum of 5 years until we made a bowl game.

Now I don’t know the facts or exactly what happened but I’d have to think the interest was real and so was the offer. I doubt the “fan revolt” down there had much to do with the decision. Maybe he rushed into the decision and after yesterday sat down with his family and they decided as a group that it wasn’t the right time.

We need to make some changes, it’s obvious there will be, but to burn it all down and start over? Who does that serve? We are an impatient fanbase, would we give the next guy the time he needs or be calling for his head year one? I’d rather fix what we have and keep going. From the comments I read here last night and this morning, it seems like a lot of us made comments without thinking them all the way through.

That’s my 2 cents. I’m happy that we still have our coach and some of the staff here. I’m happy we have a very nice recruiting class coming in. Let’s get back to celebrating beating Louisville, wrecking their season, knocking them out of the playoffs and continuing our dominance over the state.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

I think the fanbase on the whole is sensible and reasonable. However the minority who wants a change just happen to be the loudest. They either 1) weren't around for uks massive struggles or 2) somehow forgot just how bad it was.

Everyone wants to do better but given all the circumstances, UK isn't going to do better than stoops and that's pretty much a fact.

 

[Whoppercat]

Now I’m as critical as anybody of CMS but the range of emotion on this board after knocking off a Top 10 team, albeit an overranked Louisville team but I don’t think folks realize how close we came to watching this entire program burn down last night. When a coach leaves, he takes most of his assistants with him. Now we would find a coach, no doubt, but it would destroy the recruiting class, there would be mass transfers and we would be looking at a minimum of 5 years until we made a bowl game.

Now I don’t know the facts or exactly what happened but I’d have to think the interest was real and so was the offer. I doubt the “fan revolt” down there had much to do with the decision. Maybe he rushed into the decision and after yesterday sat down with his family and they decided as a group that it wasn’t the right time.

We need to make some changes, it’s obvious there will be, but to burn it all down and start over? Who does that serve? We are an impatient fanbase, would we give the next guy the time he needs or be calling for his head year one? I’d rather fix what we have and keep going. From the comments I read here last night and this morning, it seems like a lot of us made comments without thinking them all the way through.

That’s my 2 cents. I’m happy that we still have our coach and some of the staff here. I’m happy we have a very nice recruiting class coming in. Let’s get back to celebrating beating Louisville, wrecking their season, knocking them out of the playoffs and continuing our dominance over the state.

Well said.

 

[bthaunert]

Now we would find a coach, no doubt, but it would destroy the recruiting class, there would be mass transfers and we would be looking at a minimum of 5 years until we made a bowl game.

The issue is that most vocal people go to the extreme’s nowadays in just about everything. You just did it here yourself. Minimum of 5 years?

If you don’t pick the extreme on one side or the other, you’re the minority.

I’ve always thought that if Stoops moved on, Mitch would most likely go to Sumrall immediately if he had any success at Troy. Well, he has.

Sumrall is a players coach, an amazing recruiter (dare I say he was actually the lead recruiter for guys at UK that had a higher star average than Vince) and would have had a shot to keep the recruiting class mostly in tact and keep guys here. I’ve been a Sumrall fan for awhile now. Does he have areas he would need to improve on? Of course, but I don’t think it would be doom and gloom as you say.

I like Stoops. Stoops does things that drive me crazy. If/when he leaves, I don’t believe we will all of a sudden fall apart. The biggest question will be if we can take the momentum that he has put into the program and move the program forward. I hope we can.

 

[Aces Fan]

I think Stoops felt disrespected by the fans here and really wanted to weigh his options with someone else. I do think the talks were very serious with AM and then the disrespect he got from those nut jobs was far worse than anything we could deliver and he decided to stay.

 

[ganner918]

I think the fanbase on the whole is sensible and reasonable. However the minority who wants a change just happen to be the loudest. They either 1) weren't around for uks massive struggles or 2) somehow forgot just how bad it was.

Everyone wants to do better but given all the circumstances, UK isn't going to do better than stoops and that's pretty much a fact.

I think it's possible we can continue to move forward, but we'd have gone backward if Stoops had left, the assistants left, we lost guys to transfer, and we lost recruits. If Stoops retires fairly soon with advance notice to UK and we have an orderly transition to a successor, we might be able to build on what Stoops has accomplished. Have the next coach come in with a solid roster to work with along with whatever he can bring in.

 

[BlueCephus]

Now I’m as critical as anybody of CMS but the range of emotion on this board after knocking off a Top 10 team, albeit an overranked Louisville team but I don’t think folks realize how close we came to watching this entire program burn down last night. When a coach leaves, he takes most of his assistants with him. Now we would find a coach, no doubt, but it would destroy the recruiting class, there would be mass transfers and we would be looking at a minimum of 5 years until we made a bowl game.

Now I don’t know the facts or exactly what happened but I’d have to think the interest was real and so was the offer. I doubt the “fan revolt” down there had much to do with the decision. Maybe he rushed into the decision and after yesterday sat down with his family and they decided as a group that it wasn’t the right time.

We need to make some changes, it’s obvious there will be, but to burn it all down and start over? Who does that serve? We are an impatient fanbase, would we give the next guy the time he needs or be calling for his head year one? I’d rather fix what we have and keep going. From the comments I read here last night and this morning, it seems like a lot of us made comments without thinking them all the way through.

That’s my 2 cents. I’m happy that we still have our coach and some of the staff here. I’m happy we have a very nice recruiting class coming in. Let’s get back to celebrating beating Louisville, wrecking their season, knocking them out of the playoffs and continuing our dominance over the state.

Good post. Some wanted him gone so bad that they wanted us to lose yesterday and they are showing it today. Let them act like babies and dont worry about them. We are wayyyy better off than we could be. It's little things like penalties now. We have a great OC and need to get a lock down DC. Let's go Cats.

 

[JBHolmesfan]

A minimum of 5 years to make a bowl again? That’s absurd. The only way that happens is if we hired a Joker quality coach, which is of course possible. It’s also possible we hired someone that is capable of managing the transition and we have a successful season.

We’d have guys transfer and probably lose a few recruits, but the new coach would also bring some of his players and recruits with him. It’s not like we’d have 50 players on the roster.

 

[Smashcat]

 

[ktbug]

Remember the last time A@M wanted our coach? I wasn't alive but I can name on no fingers the number of times another SEC team wanted to hire away our HC in my lifetime.
Stoops had a bleh year this year, but it is nearly the same record as Rich Brooks best season.
We have some idiot fans.

 

[BlueCephus]

View embedded media

I hate when I have to hear people say "GD" without any warning.

 

[ukwazoo]

The issue is that most vocal people go to the extreme’s nowadays in just about everything. You just did it here yourself. Minimum of 5 years?

If you don’t pick the extreme on one side or the other, you’re the minority.

I’ve always thought that if Stoops moved on, Mitch would most likely go to Sumrall immediately if he had any success at Troy. Well, he has.

Sumrall is a players coach, an amazing recruiter (dare I say he was actually the lead recruiter for guys at UK that had a higher star average than Vince) and would have had a shot to keep the recruiting class mostly in tact and keep guys here. I’ve been a Sumrall fan for awhile now. Does he have areas he would need to improve on? Of course, but I don’t think it would be doom and gloom as you say.

I like Stoops. Stoops does things that drive me crazy. If/when he leaves, I don’t believe we will all of a sudden fall apart. The biggest question will be if we can take the momentum that he has put into the program and move the program forward. I hope we can.

This. OP says we maybe don't remember how much we've struggled in the past. Brother, I was there in the swamp, watching Bill Curry have Tim Couch run the option. I've seen the lowest of the lows. I know how much Stoops has done for UK. But there can be life after him.

 

[PensacolaBlue]

Wow, where do I start. No, our program won’t burn down to the ground if Stoops leaves. Coaches leave programs all the time and they don’t forfeit the next year. So give me a break. Brohm is a perfect example of what a coach can do IN ONE YEAR (and yes we beat them…got it). Most people are fine with Stoops but many have issues with his idiotic contract that allows for no accountability. And this fantasy that major college teams want to hire Stoops is also idiotic. We saw last night that Stoops is going nowhere because fans know he’s not a top 10 type of coach and won’t tolerate their AD hiring him. Has he done some great things for the program? Yes. But some of you are stuck with this attitude that we’re nothing without him and that simply isn’t true…if we’re willing to pay $9M/yr for mediocrity, there is no doubt we could find another serviceable coach. Not every coach out there is Joker Phillips or Bill Curry. Just because we have a history of hiring terrible coaches doesn’t mean we have to continue that trend. Stoops is a good example of this as he was a good hire. When you get guys like Couch involved in the hiring process, better things will happen. This loser mentality that we have to be bad because we’ve always been bad is discouraging for many others. And yes, I’ve lived through decades of poor play…that’s why I want us to be relevant going forward and to build on our recent success. I think Stoops may have peaked, and I don’t think we need to settle for 6-6, 7-5 seasons. I think he is extremely stubborn and won’t change things that need to be changed. I’m happy to give him some more time however.

 

[BigBlue1992]

I think the fanbase on the whole is sensible and reasonable. However the minority who wants a change just happen to be the loudest. They either 1) weren't around for uks massive struggles or 2) somehow forgot just how bad it was.

Everyone wants to do better but given all the circumstances, UK isn't going to do better than stoops and that's pretty much a fact.

So because we only won 2 games in 1980 that means we should expect the same in 2023? That’s a terrible mindset and those who feel that way need to step away.

 

[mrschwump]

Let's see....some are pissed Stoops is UK football coach despite his dominance of our in-state rival? Then we're pissed that somebody comes along and offers Stoops another job that would take him away thereby giving some what they want? Then they're pissed that Stoops would consider said offer even tho it'd take him away? Then they're pissed Stoops declines the offer thereby assuring they'll remain pissed for the forseeable future? All righty then. What a world, what a world.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

A minimum of 5 years to make a bowl again? That’s absurd. The only way that happens is if we hired a Joker quality coach, which is of course possible. It’s also possible we hired someone that is capable of managing the transition and we have a successful season.

We’d have guys transfer and probably lose a few recruits, but the new coach would also bring some of his players and recruits with him. It’s not like we’d have 50 players on the roster.

Name the coach that would come here and be an upgrade while bringing his players upgrading our roster.

There are no known quantities we can get, so it would have to be rolling the dice. That means the hire by this ad wouldve been a much greater chance of being joker than a better version of stoops

 

[ace on the river]

I think the fanbase on the whole is sensible and reasonable. However the minority who wants a change just happen to be the loudest. They either 1) weren't around for uks massive struggles or 2) somehow forgot just how bad it was.

Everyone wants to do better but given all the circumstances, UK isn't going to do better than stoops and that's pretty much a fact.

How do you know? Stoops is the 8th highest paid coach in college football. He makes more than Harbaugh from Michigan, for gods sake. All I want is a return on the money. You wave 9 million a year at some coaches you would probably be surprised at who would come

 

[ace on the river]

Name the coach that would come here and be an upgrade while bringing his players upgrading our roster.

There are no known quantities we can get, so it would have to be rolling the dice. That means the hire by this ad wouldve been a much greater chance of being joker than a better version of stoops

I think you wave 9 million a year at coaches you would be shocked at who would come

 

[MrHotDice]

The fact you think Louisville was a Top 10 team shows me the real problems in the ranks of UK football. No one that follows football actually thinks any ACC football team can play in the SEC and have success on a constant basis.

 

[vhcat70]

OP, I think him considering another offer is damaging. Becomes a trustworthiness issue for everything he says/does for me.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

So because we only won 2 games in 1980 that means we should expect the same in 2023? That’s a terrible mindset and those who feel that way need to step away.

That isn't even a point. We sucked way more recently than that. Just prior to this current coach in fact

 

[bigblueinsanity]

I think you wave 9 million a year at coaches you would be shocked at who would come

Name the coach. You can't because there isn't one

 

[BC_Wader]

I think Stoops felt disrespected by the fans here and really wanted to weigh his options with someone else. I do think the talks were very serious with AM and then the disrespect he got from those nut jobs was far worse than anything we could deliver and he decided to stay.

Put me in the camp that's glad Stoops is coming back. People are hateful and it's easy to spew it online. If true about Aggie fans, I hope they never get back to any sort of relevance.

 

[cats2010]

Now I’m as critical as anybody of CMS but the range of emotion on this board after knocking off a Top 10 team, albeit an overranked Louisville team but I don’t think folks realize how close we came to watching this entire program burn down last night. When a coach leaves, he takes most of his assistants with him. Now we would find a coach, no doubt, but it would destroy the recruiting class, there would be mass transfers and we would be looking at a minimum of 5 years until we made a bowl game.

Now I don’t know the facts or exactly what happened but I’d have to think the interest was real and so was the offer. I doubt the “fan revolt” down there had much to do with the decision. Maybe he rushed into the decision and after yesterday sat down with his family and they decided as a group that it wasn’t the right time.

We need to make some changes, it’s obvious there will be, but to burn it all down and start over? Who does that serve? We are an impatient fanbase, would we give the next guy the time he needs or be calling for his head year one? I’d rather fix what we have and keep going. From the comments I read here last night and this morning, it seems like a lot of us made comments without thinking them all the way through.

That’s my 2 cents. I’m happy that we still have our coach and some of the staff here. I’m happy we have a very nice recruiting class coming in. Let’s get back to celebrating beating Louisville, wrecking their season, knocking them out of the playoffs and continuing our dominance over the state.

Coaches leave all the time. Funny UofL just had one leave last year and went 10-1 and broke into the top 10 going 10-1 before our win yesterday. They are still playing for an ACC championship next weekend and regardless of outcome will likely still be playing in a NY6 bowl game. But we won’t even sniff a bowl for 5 years, lol!!!! My goodness some of you still act like this is the 1990’s era of football. Reality is we will barely be sniffing a bowl game with stoops moving forward and will probably even need to win the UofL game to become bowl eligible the next few years. Fun times!!!

 

[BigBlue1992]

That isn't even a point. We sucked way more recently than that. Just prior to this current coach in fact

Rich Brooks was better than that then Mitch made a bad hire with Joker. Time to move on from this staff!

 

[cats2010]

Name the coach. You can't because there isn't one

So if stoops leaves, we are toast? No other coach will ever want to be coach here regardless of money? Guess we only have a program until stoops moves on then the program shuts down forever.

 

[cardkilla]

UL's success this year has had something to do with it too. People panic anytime UL has some success, as if both programs can't possibly be successful. If/when Stoops leaves, it's not gonna be plug n play like some of our fans think. Even with a so called 'better' coach they won't come in and improve the program day 1. Brohm took over an absolute $hit show and doesn't compete in a league like the SEC. It's almost not even the same sport in the ACC.

 

[mrschwump]

Wow, where do I start. No, our program won’t burn down to the ground if Stoops leaves. Coaches leave programs all the time and they don’t forfeit the next year. So give me a break. Brohm is a perfect example of what a coach can do IN ONE YEAR (and yes we beat them…got it). Most people are fine with Stoops but many have issues with his idiotic contract that allows for no accountability. And this fantasy that major college teams want to hire Stoops is also idiotic. We saw last night that Stoops is going nowhere because fans know he’s not a top 10 type of coach and won’t tolerate their AD hiring him. Has he done some great things for the program? Yes. But some of you are stuck with this attitude that we’re nothing without him and that simply isn’t true…if we’re willing to pay $9M/yr for mediocrity, there is no doubt we could find another serviceable coach. Not every coach out there is Joker Phillips or Bill Curry. Just because we have a history of hiring terrible coaches doesn’t mean we have to continue that trend. Stoops is a good example of this as he was a good hire. When you get guys like Couch involved in the hiring process, better things will happen. This loser mentality that we have to be bad because we’ve always been bad is discouraging for many others. And yes. I’ve lived through decades of poor play…that’s why I want us to be relevant going forward and to build on our recent success. I think Stoops may have peaked, and I don’t think we need to settle for 6-6, 7-5 seasons. I think be is extremely stubborn and won’t change things that need to be changed. I’m happy to give him some more time however.

U6 hired Brohm to beat UK and he choked his first match. And if you have a problem with Stoops contract take it up with his agent, he was the one who negotiated it, your bitch is with him and not Stoops.

 

[JHB4UK]

Tightwad poors who fund the program 15th out of 16th yet scream on the internet for top 2 SEC results

Wow, wonder why he is dissatisfied and listening for another job who knows investments are necessary

 

[JBHolmesfan]

Name the coach that would come here and be an upgrade while bringing his players upgrading our roster.

There are no known quantities we can get, so it would have to be rolling the dice. That means the hire by this ad wouldve been a much greater chance of being joker than a better version of stoops

Who knows who is interested in the UK job? I actually think a lot of coaches would be interested. Of course not guys like Kirby or Dabo, but with what we’re willing to pay and the patience our administration will give a coach that’s attractive.

Stoops was an unknown quantity and he did fine with a much worse situation than Stoops will leave whenever that happens.

I think there’s at least a handful of coaches that could come here and do well. Gus Malzahn, Lance Leipold, Kalen DeBoer, Sonny Dykes, and probably another dozen would be interested in a $7 million contract and could come here and not send the program to 2-10. I think even a ho-hum hire like Neal Brown could come here and win 6/7 games to start.

The defeatist attitude of this board is really discouraging. The program is much better than it’s ever been in terms of administrative support and resources yet some on this board think the options are either Stoops or perpetual 2 win seasons.

 

[cats2010]

U6 hired Brohm to beat UK and he choked his first match. And if you have a problem with Stoops contract take it up with his agent, he was the one who negotiated it, your bitch is with him and not Stoops.

I don’t have a problem with stoops contract other than the results we get from the man himself. As far as stoops is concerned, he would be a better coach if he grew a pair of balls but this far in to his coaching career that’s not going to happen.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

Tightwad poors who fund the program 15th out of 16th yet scream on the internet for top 2 SEC results

Wow, wonder why he is dissatisfied and listening for another job who knows investments are necessary

Then why is he still here?

The UK Stoops KSR spin is that he turned A and M down. Why would he stay in this offer environment where he gets paid top 10 money for top 30 to 40 results most seasons?

 

[Rockfly78]

Stoops has two 10 win seasons in the past 5 years. That may very well be the ceiling for our program. I’m not satisfied with the last two seasons. But I’ll take my chances with the guy who turned in those season over rolling the dice on the next guy.

Florida thought they had their guy
Arkansas though they had their guy
South Carolina thought they had their guy
Tennessee though they had their guy 5 times.
TAM thought they had their guy
Miss st thought they had their guy
Vandy thought they had their guy

Most of the teams I just listed are not bowl eligible. Many will looking for a new coach again this year or next. I think we still have our guy. He’s gonna have to make some improvements sure. But stoops is our guy. Like it or not.

 

[oldsports_]

This. OP says we maybe don't remember how much we've struggled in the past. Brother, I was there in the swamp, watching Bill Curry have Tim Couch run the option. I've seen the lowest of the lows. I know how much Stoops has done for UK. But there can be life after him.

Just be happy with 7-5 brah

 

[docholiday51]

Let's see....some are pissed Stoops is UK football coach despite his dominance of our in-state rival? Then we're pissed that somebody comes along and offers Stoops another job that would take him away thereby giving some what they want? Then they're pissed that Stoops would consider said offer even tho it'd take him away? Then they're pissed Stoops declines the offer thereby assuring they'll remain pissed for the forseeable future? All righty then. What a world, what a world.

Some people are pissed if they don't have something to be pissed about .Maybe that just comes with the territory of being a UK football fan. I was as bummed out at Stoops as I have ever been after the South Carolina game and in a way even more so after yesterday. If we can beat UL on the road we sure as hell should have beaten South Carolina.

All that being said now is not the time to start over with a new coach, staff and group of new players. Keeping Coen for the next few seasons is important I think. Some changes need to be made for sure, maybe we can see some of them between now and the bowl game. Hopefully we don't have too many opt outs and we get to see a new face or two on the depth chart

I'm probably in the minority here but I'd like to see us play Duke in the bowl game, pre game media coverage would be interesting.(Maybe get Cal and K to do a promo)

 

[Freetaxreturn]

Stoops is a lame duck coach at this point 🍺

 

[JHB4UK]

Then why is he still here?

The UK Stoops KSR spin is that he turned A and M down. Why would he stay in this offer environment where he gets paid top 10 money for top 30 to 40 results most seasons?

You answered your own questions. He is very highly compensated for delivering results over the last 8 yrs far beyond UK history for 60 yrs, for far less resources than are given to his SEC competitors.

 

[ace on the river]

Name the coach. You can't because there isn't one

So, if Stoops leaves we just shut down the program? LMAO, I'll tell you what, you Stoops apologist are something else! So the head Coach at Toledo, App state, NC state, BYU, Kansas etc would turn down 9 MILLION a year?

 

[dvillecatfan]

Posters stating "facts" and/or belittling those on the other side of the fence make no sense to me. Myself, glad he stayed. He got some work ahead of him with the program and earning fans trust and respect back.

 

[mrschwump]

Stoops is a lame duck coach at this point 🍺

Not doubting you but care to explain?