This week is Towles defining moment.

[WhyNotBBN]

This is how I see it. This is no longer about talent and skill it's about mental stability. This week we will know what Towles is really made of. He now has real pressure on him, UK is favored to over a top 25 team for the first time in ages...I think he either comes out gang busters, throws for over 250+ yards and 2+TD's...or a continuation of last week. I don't see any middle ground at all. He either rises to the occasion, or crumbles under the pressure.

I really hope it all just clicks this week, Barker plays in a blowout against EKU and we sail off into the sunset.

At the same time Stoops has to know the situation and have the guts to make a change if the latter happens. Mizzou is probably the defining game of the Stoops Era to date. The coach and the QB need to rise to the occasion in one way or another.

 

[STUCKNBIG10]

Hard to argue with your assessment. Mizzou is well-coached, but they don't have UF talent. If he doesn't lead us to a win, then we have to consider other options.

 

[CHAMPCAT11]

This is how I see it. This is no longer about talent and skill it's about mental stability. This week we will know what Towles is really made of. He now has real pressure on him, UK is favored to over a top 25 team for the first time in ages...I think he either comes out gang busters, throws for over 250+ yards and 2+TD's...or a continuation of last week. I don't see any middle ground at all. He either rises to the occasion, or crumbles under the pressure.

I really hope it all just clicks this week, Barker plays in a blowout against EKU and we sail off into the sunset.

At the same time Stoops has to know the situation and have the guts to make a change if the latter happens. Mizzou is probably the defining game of the Stoops Era to date. The coach and the QB need to rise to the occasion in one way or another.

I can't disagree with this but I have a feeling you may catch some h*ll for your comments. This has become a really touchy topic.

 

[Bigblueforever]

Hard to argue with your assessment. Mizzou is well-coached, but they don't have UF talent. If he doesn't lead us to a win, then we have to consider other options.

If Towles don't lead us for a win this week then it's time to try someone else.

 

[zannmann]

I think if we haven't scored a TD by halftime, Barker should be given a chance in the 3rd quarter.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

Hard to argue with your assessment. Mizzou is well-coached, but they don't have UF talent. If he doesn't lead us to a win, then we have to consider other options.

If Towles don't lead us for a win this week then it's time to try someone else.

In terms of the QB situation, Towles play is more important than the win. He can play well, and we still lose. This would solidify his spot. Last season, Towles had a terrific game against UF but we still lost.

 

[NCukcat62]

Great post! it's time to stop playing like we can't win big games and rise to the occasion. I'm tired of fans saying well we lost by 5 points so we can't too mad. That's BS! We can be mad especially if the fans are doing their part. Stoops has to win this game and he already knows it, people would be more forgiving and positive had we beaten Florida and lose against Missouri. Still have faith in stoops but people only remember winners.

 

[Chuckinden]

Like Yogi Berra (RIP) said, "Make a game plan and stick to it. Unless it's not working."

 

[JHB4UK]

like what Freddie said about the entire team, I think it is short sighted to put so much on a game against another excellent talented defense as being a defining moment for the entire season for Towles. The coaches want to win more than us (as amazing as that concept seems to fans sometimes), they will play the guy who gives them the best chance to win.

I guess I won't be surprised if Towles is having another off game of frequent sacks, INTs, and completing less than 40% of his passes that Barker is put out there. Pretty important game often requires big decisions. But how fair of an evaluation of how Barker does would that be? Mizzou has never seen him nor can prepare for him, unlike Towles. And Barker has never played against live bullets.

 

[crestcat]

Would we be looking at Towles differently if we had not taken our foot off the gas in the first two games?

 

[UK90]

The way fans come up with these "defining" theories get a bit silly.

Hell, I think this is around the 4th or 5th game in the last couple years where I've seen fans proclaiming this week will be Towles defining game. Hell, just last week I recall hearing people make statements like that about the Florida game. Well, that didn't work out so .....nevermind, we really meant this week.... And if this week doesn't pan out I'm sure he'll have other games our fans proclaim as the defining one in the future.

 

[uk_fan_in_tn]

Towles hasn't played well, but it's not all on him. The OL has been atrocious in pass protection. They were beat on the edges and up the middle last week against a very good Florida DL, albeit. But 6 sacks and another half dozen hurries will throw off any QB. WR's have to limit drops as well. It's certainly not coachspeak when Stoops says everyone has to be better around Towles.

 

[wildcatglenn]

For me it depends on how the game is going. If it's a close game, the offense is struggling a bit but have done some nice things, I say keep Towles in. but if they are struggling and it doesn't look like it will click Barker needs to get a shot.

 

[BlueRaider22]

Towles performance is Jekyll/Hyde to be sure, but it's directly tied to the WR and o-line performance.....which has also been up/down/sideways. It is entirely possible that Towles plays well, but Baker drops another TD.....or lets the ball deflect off his hands for another pick-6. It is entirely possible that Baker plays his guts out and Towles flops. It's entirely possible that Towles and Baker play well, but the o-line stinks. This isn't "all about Towles."

Is it a "offense defining moment?".....ok, I'll partake in the conversation. But whether it is Towles or Baker, the offense woes are well past the QB position.

 

[WhyNotBBN]

Towles performance is Jekyll/Hyde to be sure, but it's directly tied to the WR and o-line performance.....which has also been up/down/sideways. It is entirely possible that Towles plays well, but Baker drops another TD.....or lets the ball deflect off his hands for another pick-6. It is entirely possible that Baker plays his guts out and Towles flops. It's entirely possible that Towles and Baker play well, but the o-line stinks. This isn't "all about Towles."

Is it a "offense defining moment?".....ok, I'll partake in the conversation. But whether it is Towles or Baker, the offense woes are well past the QB position.

Not completely true. He never steps up in the pocket and seems to have no feel for pressure. Our D-Line was in UF's backfield all night and their QB kept drives alive. We haven't scored a TD in 6 quarters. Something has to change

 

[BlueRaider22]

^And the WR's aren't consistently where they need to be.
And the o-line doesn't consistently provide protection.
And the new OC still is calling a very conservative and small playbook.
And the QB has inconsistent play.

THIS ISN'T JUST THE QB....

 

[truebluewildcat]

This week is a defining moment for the Stoops program...

I don't put a lot of stock into a loss to florida who has beaten us 29 times...cant blame a QB for not beating a team no QB or UK team has beaten in the modern era of football...even with a new coach and going through a transition, there is a talent gap between UK and the Gators...we may have a few individuals who are better, but over all florida's caliber of athlete is on another level..

Missouri is a defining moment because they're talent level is more on par with where we are at...one could argue that UK has had more talent...

also Missouri is the next step in terms of programs UK can and should surpass...beating florida would be great, but that wouldn't put us on that level, it would be a nice aberration...much like LSU under Brooks and UT under Joker...we beat them, then look what has happened since...not a whole lot...

we cannot hope to consistently compete in the east until we can start to regularly beat Missouri...why they have had our number the past few years is absolutely beyond me...

 

[UK90]

This week is a defining moment for the Stoops program...

I don't put a lot of stock into a loss to florida who has beaten us 29 times...cant blame a QB for not beating a team no QB or UK team has beaten in the modern era of football...even with a new coach and going through a transition, there is a talent gap between UK and the Gators...we may have a few individuals who are better, but over all florida's caliber of athlete is on another level..

Missouri is a defining moment because they're talent level is more on par with where we are at...one could argue that UK has had more talent...

also Missouri is the next step in terms of programs UK can and should surpass...beating florida would be great, but that wouldn't put us on that level, it would be a nice aberration...much like LSU under Brooks and UT under Joker...we beat them, then look what has happened since...not a whole lot...

we cannot hope to consistently compete in the east until we can start to regularly beat Missouri...why they have had our number the past few years is absolutely beyond me...

Well, looks like we've still got folks underselling the Missouri program. I bet you were also one of those posters who was on here three years bleating about how Missouri would get ruthlessly stomped on in the SEC. Mizzou has made those folks look like fools, as they've instead won two straight SEC East championships the last two years (and winning 12 and 11 games in those seasons).

UK has not experienced a season with that kind of success in nearly 40 years (and really only once in the last 65 years), so what would make you think the UK program "should surpass" theirs soon? I certainly hope it happens, but to think it "should" happen appears quite contrary to the actual evidence. I fear the gap between their program's status and ours is a wider than you want to believe.

 

[Free_Salato_Blue]

also Missouri is the next step in terms of programs UK can and should surpass...beating florida would be great, but that wouldn't put us on that level, it would be a nice aberration...much like LSU under Brooks and UT under Joker...we beat them, then look what has happened since...not a whole lot...

we cannot hope to consistently compete in the east until we can start to regularly beat Missouri...why they have had our number the past few years is absolutely beyond me...

Yet we haven't consistently beaten Vandy.
Likely UK and Mizzu are about the same in respect of having good defenses but anemic offense with question of QB's that are inaccurate.,

 

[Levibooty]

Everybody defending Towles acts like he hasn't played 15 games for us to form an opinion. It's past time to accept inconsistent play by a RS Jr.

People say it is not all Towles fault and they are right but Towles handles the ball more than any other player on the team and that's why his performance has the most impact on the team. He doesn't have to be spectacular but he has got to make his lay-ups.

 

[sefus12]

Do people forget the first half against SC, which also happened to be the first road game/SEC game for many of the guys playing? Our offense looked as good that half as it has since Woodson was at QB. That wasn't simply a massive fluke. The guys have ability and Dawson can create a great plan/call a great game. Yes, the three halves since then have sucked but it's not like the offense (Towles included) have no clue what they are doing.

 

[truebluewildcat]

90...I'm not underselling missouri so much as i am not overselling this loss to florida...

to me what we do against missouri says a lot more about where this program is at...beating the gators would have essentially been the blind squirrel finding a nut...losing to them was not an indication that maybe Towels needs to be on the hot seat...it means they're still florida, and we're still uk...

beating or losing to missouri will give us a lot better indication of where Towels is as well as where the program is under Stoops is...

They've gotten off to a rocket start in the conference no doubt...historically though they are a middle of the road big 12 program...and in the big picture them making title appearances is about as much of an aberration as UK doing the same...i think eventually things will regress back to the mean...UF, UGA, UT will all get back to form, and then it will be a battle between mizzou, uk, and, SC for that 4th and occasionally above position...

so, i would agree that they are a very good team with a nice recent history...but they are still the next step, because big picture they are not Florida, UGA, or even UT...so i am not underestimating them, just saying they are the next step...and then after we beat them a couple times, then we can start to get upset about loses to the big dogs...

 

[Free_Salato_Blue]

Do people forget the first half against SC, which also happened to be the first road game/SEC game for many of the guys playing? Our offense looked as good that half as it has since Woodson was at QB. That wasn't simply a massive fluke. The guys have ability and Dawson can create a great plan/call a great game. Yes, the three halves since then have sucked but it's not like the offense (Towles included) have no clue what they are doing.

You did see what UGA did to SC right?
Almost 600 yards offense, QB Lambert 24-25 330 yards 13.2 y/a 3 TDs.
SC looks like the worst SEC defense we may see all year.

 

[sgt4269]

Well, I'm hoping this is a season changing game right here, and the Cats get back on track to do some special things this year.

 

[Brock28]

If the offensive line plays like they did last week, Towles won't have a chance to play a good game. I don't see how you people can't see that last week wasn't on Towles, it was on the O line.

 

[TopCatCal]

If I'm not mistaken Towles has completed less than 50% of his passes in 3 of his last 4 games. For a 4th year junior that is unacceptable. He's been given every opportunity there is to succeed. To say the coaches have gone the extra mile with him would be an understatement. One more bad game & then it's time for Drew Barker to warm his arm up.

 

[irishcat1965]

The way fans come up with these "defining" theories get a bit silly.

Hell, I think this is around the 4th or 5th game in the last couple years where I've seen fans proclaiming this week will be Towles defining game. Hell, just last week I recall hearing people make statements like that about the Florida game. Well, that didn't work out so .....nevermind, we really meant this week.... And if this week doesn't pan out I'm sure he'll have other games our fans proclaim as the defining one in the future.

Absolutely true. Drawing lines in the sand serves no purpose. That this week is a "must win" etc is ridiculous. So if they lose, what then? Disband the program? There is no doubt this week would be a huge victory but to talk in absolutes doesn't make sense.

 

[irishcat1965]

You did see what UGA did to SC right?
Almost 600 yards offense, QB Lambert 24-25 330 yards 13.2 y/a 3 TDs.
SC looks like the worst SEC defense we may see all year.

And the Tulsa offense rolled over OU for four quarters at OU. Does that mean Tulsa is better than UT? Comparing game stats doesn't prove anything.

 

[WhyNotBBN]

And the Tulsa offense rolled over OU for four quarters at OU. Does that mean Tulsa is better than UT? Comparing game stats doesn't prove anything.

I think you're missing the point. This doesn't have anything to do with the program and everything to do with Towles. UK can lose still make a bowl game and everyone is happy. My point is that Towles has been poor to bad for almost 9 games now. He HAS to turn it around this week or Barker is going to get a real chance against EKU. Its time that PT walk the walk. We hear about how he is a leader, how he has improved. Now its time to see it.

I hope he comes out and lights it up I really do. I am just really worried that he is mentally all over the place and that doesn't bode well for us in a game UK should win.

 

[yoshukai]

^And the WR's aren't consistently where they need to be.
And the o-line doesn't consistently provide protection.
And the new OC still is calling a very conservative and small playbook.
And the QB has inconsistent play.

THIS ISN'T JUST THE QB....

Nope , it's not just the quarterback, but to act like the quarterback isn't HUGE part of the problem is either naive or your judgement is clouded by another factor.

 

[yoshukai]

Towles performance is Jekyll/Hyde to be sure, but it's directly tied to the WR and o-line performance.....which has also been up/down/sideways. It is entirely possible that Towles plays well, but Baker drops another TD.....or lets the ball deflect off his hands for another pick-6. It is entirely possible that Baker plays his guts out and Towles flops. It's entirely possible that Towles and Baker play well, but the o-line stinks. This isn't "all about Towles."

Is it a "offense defining moment?".....ok, I'll partake in the conversation. But whether it is Towles or Baker, the offense woes are well past the QB position.

You keep bringing up the "ball that Baker let deflect off his hands like it was his fault. Everyone that saw the game knows that ball was so overthrown that even with his 40" vertical, Baker barely got his fingers on it .

 

[AirRaid08]

Not a Towles basher at all but sitting there Saturday night, it is becoming harder and harder to defend his play.

Not ALL of it is on him. Dropped passes, shoddy line play and conservative dare say predicable play calling. The one thing I did notice that is squarely on him is recognition issues. Several plays we we rushed with one heavy than we had blocking.

In those instances, it IS SQUARELY on the QB to check out of that play, or at a minimum into a hot read with a WR. One instance, it was obvious Florida was bringing 7, well as obvious as it could be, because they could drop someone, but I digress. Anyway, same step drop, same mid to high range routes, to the hashes as has been more than discussed here, guess what....no time to throw. That ain't on the lineman folks. You have 5 blocking 7 or even 5 blocking 6, you have a problem.

My concern is that he either cannot read a defense or the coaches have him on a short leash with audibles and hot reads. Before anyone blames it on the receivers possibly not getting the call, he took the same deep drop for a long range pass. That is what tipped it off.

 

[fballcats76]

^And the WR's aren't consistently where they need to be.
And the o-line doesn't consistently provide protection.
And the new OC still is calling a very conservative and small playbook.
And the QB has inconsistent play.

THIS ISN'T JUST THE QB....

I agree with this!

 

[BlueRaider22]

Nope , it's not just the quarterback, but to act like the quarterback isn't HUGE part of the problem is either naive or your judgement is clouded by another factor.

I never said that the QB position wasn't huge. But, I know enough about football to realize that it's not all on the QB. If it was the staff probably would've already made a switch.

Football is a major team sport. The QB exists in a symbiotic relationship with the o-line, RB's, and WR's. If the QB plays poorly it will reflect on the other positions, just as if the WR and o-line play poorly will affect QB play.

Towles has played poorly.....no doubt. And no one has disputed this. But after watching the way that the WR's and o-line have played, you have to make a judgment call. Is trotting out a freshman QB who has never played before the correct answer? I'm not on the coaching staff......I'm not equipped to make that decision. Maybe it is and maybe it isn't.

What I do know is that it's not 1 hole in the bucket that causing the mess on the floor. There are many holes in the bucket.



By the way. Towles' pass to Baker was overthrown, however Baker recently said that it hit both hands and he should've caught it. He said that he was embarrased for it and vowed to do better.

There's a reason why there are hall-of-fame QB's with only 60% completion percentages.....it's because throws are not perfect the majority of the time. Towles has to make that throw more catchable and Baker has to do the best with what he has.......both failed on that attempt.

 

[BlueRaider22]

And we really haven't gotten much into Dawson. There has been little adjustments thus far to mask the problems across the entire offense. Towles has has a fair running ability.....if you are struggling advancing the ball......and you have 2 talented QB's on the bench, then why not let him loose a little? It's one of Barker's strengths as well......if they use Barker are they going to tie his feet down too?......and why?

 

[UK90]

By the way. Towles' pass to Baker was overthrown, however Baker recently said that it hit both hands and he should've caught it. He said that he was embarrased for it and vowed to do better.

.

I don't know if Baker said that, but if he did, I suspect it was because he was trying to be a gracious and good teammate by taking heat on himself.

Because anyone who objectively and honestly assesses that play knows it was primarily Towles' fault. It was a badly overthrown pass by Towles, and a solid leaping effort by Baker just to get his fingertips on it. Trying to pin that play on Baker is dishonest bunk.

 

[CatsFanGG24]

You can be frustrated and say its not a defining moment if you'd like, but I think it is due to many factors.

His last 7 or so games have been pretty poor and his 15 starts aren't impressive - but he finally has a little talent behind him that would be a reasonable replacement.

It is early enough in the season that a change could produce improvement for later in the season.

Next week is EKU. Coaching staff would not be afraid to start Barker against EKU for his 1st career start if Towles struggles vs Mizzou. After EKU is an off week and then a Thursday night game - again, plenty of prep time for a new QB.

This game is very important for Towles and his spot - also very important for our season.

 

[Levibooty]

If the offensive line plays like they did last week, Towles won't have a chance to play a good game. I don't see how you people can't see that last week wasn't on Towles, it was on the O line.

This reads to me like "If Towles gets sacked on a play, then he gets a pass on his next two or three poor passes when he has time." Towles did have plays where he had the time and missed badly. The pass to Bone for a TD being a prime example.

 

[fabcat]

I don't know if Baker said that, but if he did, I suspect it was because he was trying to be a gracious and good teammate by taking heat on himself.

Because anyone who objectively and honestly assesses that play knows it was primarily Towles' fault. It was a badly overthrown pass by Towles, and a solid leaping effort by Baker just to get his fingertips on it. Trying to pin that play on Baker is dishonest bunk.

Yeah I agree that pass was on Towles. If Baker makes the catch where the ball dropped right in his hands and gut, there wouldn't be anyone trying to pin the INT on Baker.

Just about every throw Towles had Saturday was high.

 

[Bigbluediddy63]

More like his last chance