Truthful observations that most people see

[wobycat]

1. Offensive is not good. We run read option with a QB that is rarely going to keep it. Our line has no depth. Our receivers run lazy routes. One true sec back. QB that is severely inconsistent.

2. Defense is better than what they're credit it for. They see too many snaps.

3. Worst special teams I've seen at ky. Both kickers need to upgrade.

Even with the above mentioned, talent is still evident. Kentucky is two wins away from a winning season, something fans have been wanting to see.

 

[Blue Decade]

Our skill players on offense are fine. Baker was the best offensive player on the field on either team the last 2 weeks. As I have been saying since July, our offensive line is still a big problem, and I don't know what Dawson and Schlarman are going to do about left tackle. Our defense is improved this year, but still vulnerable to an athletic opponent that spreads the field. You are plain wrong about our special teams. The backup placekicker played last night because MacGinnis is hurt. We are 4-1, only 5 points short of an undefeated season, going into a bye week. Evidently that's the truthful part that most people don't want to see.

 

[UKSlim]

Come on guys, everyone knows it takes 20 to 30 years to develop a competitive football program. All developing big time programs have 25 year losing streaks to certain teams. Anyone who wants improvement before taking our lumps from in state, and directional U need to find another team to cheer for.

 

[KWilt43atbuzz]

"Take our lumps from in state and directional U"

If you consider "taking lumps" a win, then keep them lumps a comin!

 

[Caveman Catfan]

Here is what I see. I see 2-1 in the SEC with the only loss to UF, 14-9, and 4-1 overall. The Gators are now 5-0 (so much for the baiters and uninformed who said UF was bad) and in the best position to win the SEC East after crushing #3 Ole Miss.

UL fans and negative posters here did not predict 4-1 with this schedule.

So, real UK fans need to take a deep breath and relax during an off week.

 

[K_TIME]

1. I agree on your take on the offense with exception of WR core...I actually think Baker, Juice and Badet can play at most SEC schools. Bone has good potential with his length. But the OLine is as inconsistent as Towles is...and the left tackle spot is a complete mess with Mosier right now. We need Swindle back with his warts in a bad way.
3. As far as special teams....Foster and McGinnis are fine. At times Foster punts some low line drivers but the kicker last night was playing due to McGinnis not playing. We're fine at kicking and special teams hasn't hurt us much this year.

 

[Blue Decade]

Come on guys, everyone knows it takes 20 to 30 years to develop a competitive football program. All developing big time programs have 25 year losing streaks to certain teams. Anyone who wants improvement before taking our lumps from in state, and directional U need to find another team to cheer for.

Idiot post.

 

[Blue Decade]

Here is what I see. I see 2-1 in the SEC with the only loss to UF, 14-9, and 4-1 overall. The Gators are now 5-0 (so much for the baiters and uninformed who said UF was bad) and in the best position to win the SEC East after crushing #3 Ole Miss.

UL fans and negative posters here did not predict 4-1 with this schedule.

So, real UK fans need to take a deep breath and relax during an off week.

You see clearly.

 

[Blue Decade]

But the OLine is as inconsistent as Towles is...and the left tackle spot is a complete mess with Mosier right now.

LOL! Could there be a relationship between our offensive line's performance and Towles' so called inconsistency? I think I read somewhere that quarterback protection is necessary to a successful passing game. By a wide margin, Kentucky is last in the SEC in sacks allowed.

 

[rolaid]

How can you watch the game and seriously blame Towles for being inconsistent when our online just let's the defense come at him in waves.

Guys we couldn't run the ball @ all and couldn't pass block. When Dawson finally went uptempo with short passing game we thrived

 

[aikenite4uk]

We have SEC caliber skill players on offense. Towles, while inconsistent, is very capable of making big plays. Our WR's are very capable. Our OL is barely average by D1 standards, and well below average by power conference standards. Eastern's OL got more push consistently than UK's. If I were the OC, I'd recognize our weakness and lean heavier on the passing game. We're not built to consistently sustain long drives against quality defenses. We will live and die by how well we come up with the big play.

Defensively, we're somewhat of an enigma. Certainly our run defense tonight does not bode well for upcoming games against teams with potent rushing attacks.

 

[Blue Decade]

We have SEC caliber skill players on offense. Towles, while inconsistent, is very capable of making big plays. Our WR's are very capable. Our OL is barely average by D1 standards, and well below average by power conference standards. Eastern's OL got more push consistently than UK's. If I were the OC, I'd recognize our weakness and lean heavier on the passing game. We're not built to consistently sustain long drives against quality defenses. We will live and die by how well we come up with the big play.

Defensively, we're somewhat of an enigma. Certainly our run defense tonight does not bode well for upcoming games against teams with potent rushing attacks.

I cannot really disagree with anything you said here, although Towles' so called inconsistency comes from being the SEC's most sacked quarterback. Offensively, this is a very young team with upside, with a quarterback who will finish his career among 2 or 3 best in Kentucky history. But, still with serious problems on our offensive line. Defensively, a patchwork of 7 senior starters plus a bunch of developing freshmen and sophomores. Some very interesting survivor stories on this team, such as Forrest, Lewis, CJ, Badet. Prior to the season, I predicted 6-7 wins and a bowl. I still think that is about right, although I lean more toward 7 now. Maybe even 8, if we can beat Auburn in 2 weeks. This is not an 11-1 team. This team will lose more games. Our fans can choose to be happy about a bowl season, or they can cry like little babies and dump on our team about every aspect of every game that isn't perfect. Having a password on a website does not excuse dumb behavior.

 

[vhcat70]

How can you watch the game and seriously blame Towles for being inconsistent when our online just let's the defense come at him in waves.

Guys we couldn't run the ball @ all and couldn't pass block. When Dawson finally went uptempo with short passing game we thrived

Can't blame Towles for the OL play. Can blame him for not throwing the ball away more vs. sacks. Not sold on Dawson calling good games.

 

[qwesley]

Not a popular opinion but the Erik Korem PR needs to be questioned.

 

[Zakk Wyldcat]

After last night, I'm less concerned about the players than I am about what's going on with the coaches/coaching. Stoops' third season, have to score 2 TDs in the last 5 minutes to force OT v. an FCS school? That raises major red flags re: game preparation, focus, motivation, etc in the week leading up to the game which is the head coach's responsibility. I'm not articulate or long-winded enough to express it fully on here, but last night was worrisome(hopefully it was just a blip on the radar). IMO.

 

[rolaid]

I am sure staff is worried..EKU was gashing us with zone run constantly setting up 2nd & short. Towles probably is not a great fit in this system...he has a long throwing motion and holds the ball to long. I just have a hard time blaming him when the patch work online was a disaster last night.

When a OVC team wins line of scrimmage you dang right staff is worried

 

[seccats04]

Not a popular opinion but the Erik Korem PR needs to be questioned.

I made this post a couple of weeks ago and was almost crucified for doing so. If his program is meant to deter major injuries, then he has done his job (knock on wood). If his program is meant to give us a serious advantage in the strength and conditioning department, he has failed. Our lines are still getting overpowered almost weekly (save the Mizzou game).

 

[bigbluedon]

O line play is horrific..Mosier needs to sit..Way too slow..Play Stallings or Stenberg or someone who can move their feet just a little bit. I know we don't have any true tackles but what we are looking at is pitiful. When Towles doesn't have much time he panics and his thought processes are not good when this happens.

 

[ace on the river]

LOL! Could there be a relationship between our offensive line's performance and Towles' so called inconsistency? I think I read somewhere that quarterback protection is necessary to a successful passing game. By a wide margin, Kentucky is last in the SEC in sacks allowed.

Mosier is a guard being forced to left tackle, a position he never played much of

 

[qwesley]

I have concerns about PT but folks going hard at him are not being fair. NFL DE versus Mosier on his blindside cannot be flippantly dismissed.

 

[RKulmer]

After last night, I'm less concerned about the players than I am about what's going on with the coaches/coaching. Stoops' third season, have to score 2 TDs in the last 5 minutes to force OT v. an FCS school? That raises major red flags re: game preparation, focus, motivation, etc in the week leading up to the game which is the head coach's responsibility. I'm not articulate or long-winded enough to express it fully on here, but last night was worrisome(hopefully it was just a blip on the radar). IMO.

^^^^^^
THIS.

 

[vhcat70]

After last night, I'm less concerned about the players than I am about what's going on with the coaches/coaching. Stoops' third season, have to score 2 TDs in the last 5 minutes to force OT v. an FCS school? That raises major red flags re: game preparation, focus, motivation, etc in the week leading up to the game which is the head coach's responsibility. I'm not articulate or long-winded enough to express it fully on here, but last night was worrisome(hopefully it was just a blip on the radar). IMO.

I think this was the first time UK was a favorite to destroy an opponent since Stoops has been a head coach. He screwed up by talking about playing backups a lot & I think he now knows that. Net, I think lesson learned & you'll never hear that again from him. He's learning how to coach favorites just like he's trying to teach the players to win. JMO.

 

[RKulmer]

How can you watch the game and seriously blame Towles for being inconsistent when our online just let's the defense come at him in waves.

Guys we couldn't run the ball @ all and couldn't pass block. When Dawson finally went uptempo with short passing game we thrived

it just seems in every game that Dawson takes too long to adjust. then when he does, looks like a different team.

 

[Blue Decade]

After last night, I'm less concerned about the players than I am about what's going on with the coaches/coaching. Stoops' third season, have to score 2 TDs in the last 5 minutes to force OT v. an FCS school? That raises major red flags re: game preparation, focus, motivation, etc in the week leading up to the game which is the head coach's responsibility. I'm not articulate or long-winded enough to express it fully on here, but last night was worrisome(hopefully it was just a blip on the radar). IMO.

Our fans sometimes fail to see context. Players make coaches look good. Last week, we beat a top 25 team. After that big win, we were nicked up and flat. Meant, Swindle, West, Boom, MacGinnis missed yesterday's game. That's our best running back, the left side of our offensive line, a key defensive tackle, and our star placekicker. Ware, Badet, Juice missed most of the game after getting hurt. So, we are 4-1, with our 1st SEC road win since 2010, and also our 1st win over a nationally ranked team since 2010. You say this raises red flags re: game preparation, focus, motivation. LOL!

 

[Blueaz]

After last night, I'm less concerned about the players than I am about what's going on with the coaches/coaching. Stoops' third season, have to score 2 TDs in the last 5 minutes to force OT v. an FCS school? That raises major red flags re: game preparation, focus, motivation, etc in the week leading up to the game which is the head coach's responsibility. I'm not articulate or long-winded enough to express it fully on here, but last night was worrisome(hopefully it was just a blip on the radar). IMO.

IMO. there was way too much emphasis on off the field issues. It got in these kids' heads. That and staff were not ready. Stoops is still learning. I am sure this won't happen in year 4 or 5. If so, the stoops poopers may be right.
And he could not replace PT last night. That would have completely destroyed his confidence. You heard his post game interview. Paraphrasing...last year they wouldn't have let me try that pass to Baker.
Even if we don't have all the faith in PT, at this moment Stoops does. He wants a bowl and a winning season. And his best path for that is PT. Me? I would be looking at Barker for the future.
Really it is a no win situation for Stoops

 

[ukalum1988]

Come on guys, everyone knows it takes 20 to 30 years to develop a competitive football program. All developing big time programs have 25 year losing streaks to certain teams. Anyone who wants improvement before taking our lumps from in state, and directional U need to find another team to cheer for.

A quick perusal of your profile page indicates you are first and foremost a UK BB fan. Your sarcastic post above tells me all I need to know about your (lack of) support for the Football Team. Please return to Rupps Rafters where you guys talk about your Top 5 tweets from Coach Cal or whatever the hell you guys talk about.

 

[tdcat]

It is tough to read so many posts from the psyche of an emotionally scarred fan base.

One game does not make a season. Yes, they looked like crap last night but that doesn't mean the entire 4-1 record is crap or that the team is not improved.

The effort last night doesn't mean:

1. Our wins against South Carolina and Missouri were against bad teams. No this isn't the old SCar but they did beat NC which just beat GTECH and is likely a upper middle tier team in the ACC. Mizzo won't three-peat as the SEC East champ but anyone who believes they are a bad team will be proven wrong over the season. They have a lot of talent and proven coaching.

2. The team that struggled last night is the same team that was one play away from beating Florida. This is the same team that held the gators to 14 points and that gave them 7 of those with a short field. This is a Gator team that just destroyed #3 Ole Miss, scoring 38 points. By the way that vaunted Ole Miss O that destroyed Alabama only scored 10 on Florida. UK scored 9. Don't judge UK exclusively by the performance in its last game.

3. UK has been lucky to win four of their games. Fact of the matter is UK has made the plays at crunch time to win those games. They were not given to us. Running out the clock on the road at SCar and at home against Mizzo when everyone knows you will run is no small feat. Coming back like they did against anyone, even EKU is no small feat. There is a reason that game set the record for a come from behind victory in the history of the program. Should it have come to that? Absolutely not... but that doesn't lessen the performance it took those last six minutes to get the job done...and doing so with a total patchwork OL, your best RB on the sideline and your receiver corp banged up. Past UK teams lose those games to ULL, SCar, Mizzo and EKU.