Two really good bits of news today

[UKErik]

*Patrick Towles wins the QB job. It didn't matter to me which guy won it, I just wanted one to take the bull by the horn (so to speak). Really good news that Towles was able to take care of business. Might mean he's starting to become a more consistent player.

*IMO, corner is Kentucky's weakest position group (among returning players). Seeing a newcomer move up the depth chart is huge! It means UK has upgraded at the position, something they badly needed to do.

GBB!!!

 

[Devils58]

I agree. Chris Westry is getting rave reviews from everyone who see's the young fellow play. I hate it for Fred Tiller, but the spot on the field belongs to the guy that can best get the job done. If UK can shore up the secondary, look out. I honestly feel the offense under the direction of Shannon Dawson will put up huge numbers. Keep in mind, UK returned basically everyone from last year, and the offensive line seems to have made progress. With the offensive line, it'll come to their performance in SEC games. For the most part, the o-line performed well in non-conference games. It was just the beating they took in SEC games, that hindered the offense. I see no reason not to be very optimistic about 2015!

 

[WildCard]

...*IMO, corner is Kentucky's weakest position group (among returning players). Seeing a newcomer move up the depth chart is huge! It means UK has upgraded at the position, something they badly needed to do.

GBB!!!

In general, you "get better" on defense by adding more talent, not more experience.

Peace

 

[weused2luvhim2]

I knew that Towels guy was going to start.

 

[DACats86]

I knew that Towels guy was going to start.

He'll "wipe up" the field! Get it? Get it?

 

[CatDaddy4daWin]

#2 is huge!!! HUGE!!! I hate to continue to rag on Tiller, but he has absolutely killed us over the years. I'm not sure he would have started on any other team in the SEC except for possibly Vandy. The UL and Florida games are perfect examples of why we need to upgrade this position in order to win.

Sounds like Quinn is holding his own though. Which is good, have always thought he had the talent, moreso than Tiller does.

 

[matt_man]

Remember when we were all excited about getting Tiller? 5.6 RR 3 Star Athlete. He was one of our highest rated players and a late signee.

 

[CatDaddy4daWin]

man, looking back at previous classes pre-Stoops is depressing.

 

[ukalum1988]

Remember when we were all excited about getting Tiller? 5.6 RR 3 Star Athlete. He was one of our highest rated players and a late signee.

yep - a typical Joker signee. Some of them turned out to be solid players (Towles, Dupree, a few others) but most of them didn't or haven't. Tiller is kind of middle of the road - adequate but not a game changer.

 

[Smashcat]

man, looking back at previous classes pre-Stoops is depressing.

So were many of the games we watched under Joker.

 

[seccats04]

Remember when we were all excited about getting Tiller? 5.6 RR 3 Star Athlete. He was one of our highest rated players and a late signee.

Tiller had some solid offers, namely Nebraska and Miss St. Maybe he would've been better off at WR? He was supposed to be a solid athlete but he just doesn't have the instincts to play CB in the SEC.

 

[Stonewall12]

yep - a typical Joker signee. Some of them turned out to be solid players (Towles, Dupree, a few others) but most of them didn't or haven't. Tiller is kind of middle of the road - adequate but not a game changer.

Towles was not a joke recruit.

 

[matt_man]

Towles was not a joke recruit.

Yes he was. 2012

RS Jr. 4th year here.

 

[jimmy cowboy]

Yes he was

 

[gossie21]

Towles was not a joke recruit.

He played in the Miss St. game (and 4 other games I believe) during Joker's last year.

 

[matt_man]

He played in the Miss St. game (and 4 other games I believe) during Joker's last year.

He led a solid 7-9 play drive and scored a TD, then got hurt the next series (sprained ankle?). I think this was after Smith got hurt. Whitlow finished out the season with the exception of Roark beating UT. IIRC

 

[SDcatfan13]

Having the QB job fight end so quick definitely backs up that they were both playing well IMO. Finally a year where it doesnt drag all the way up to the first game.

 

[gossie21]

He led a solid 7-9 play drive and scored a TD, then got hurt the next series (sprained ankle?). I think this was after Smith got hurt. Whitlow finished out the season with the exception of Roark beating UT. IIRC

Yeah. I think that might have been the game that Morgan Newton skipped out on so he could take the LSAT. Good times.

 

[DACats86]

Stop! Stop!! Stop!!! Let's not re-hash that last year... But, anyhow, UK beat UT in 2011, not 2012 (Joker's last year).

 

[RMP82]

Tiller gets trashed a lot amongst the UK fan base. I think most of it is unfair but I do certainly see what the complaints are out there. When we are in a zone D, he plays pretty dang well. In fact, I think he is very good. However, if he is left on an island in man coverage, he gets burnt time after time. The upgrade of Westry is a big plus for us. Fred will be better served as a backup and zone guy. He just lacks that certain IT when it comes to man coverage.

 

[PokerCat67]

Towles was a senior in high school when Roark beat UT!

 

[TBCat]

Remember when we were all excited about getting Tiller? 5.6 RR 3 Star Athlete. He was one of our highest rated players and a late signee.

Tiller has been much better than he will ever be given credit. He's been pretty decent. Most of the receivers he covered were held below their average. Tiller just isn't the elite athlete that some of the SEC WRs he covers. Also keep in mind he is normally lined up opposite the best receiver the other team has. He's done as much as he can with the athleticism he has. 3 star is pretty good if you are in the MAC but it doesn't line up well against the top 10 prospects that you see weekly in the SEC. Being on the boundary he also gets exposed a little more.

 

[kentucky_wildcat_#1]

Also glad to hear Towles has won the starting qb job. I hope he gets the help up front and has time to show the BBN the talent he has. I believe this is the year this kid takes it to another level and is the reason we not only hang in with elite teams, but actually beat those teams on the field. He will be the leader at qb we have all been waiting on. It would be nice for our defense if our corners improve. How frustrating it is to watch the defense hold on for small gains and then on 3rd down they just decide their best receivers can beat our guys and launch it 30 yards down the field over our corners and seem to hit the big play every single time. Or so it felt that way for me.

 

[jauk11]

Towles was a senior in high school when Roark beat UT!

Right, and except for the two JC for stars and Moss in 09 (Newton was a 5.7) Joker got his one four star a year quota, Smith in 10, Faulkner in 11, and Towles in 12.

Of course that was better (on paper) than many of Brooks years when we got zero four stars.

Brooks was a very good coach but didn't have the recruiting (lack of support) to win in the SEC.

 

[footballfanatic77]

Recruiting wasn't really Jokers problem; coaching was. He just didn't do a good job with player development. It's true that a lot of the players he recruited were busts, but look at Jokers recruits that have turned out to be pretty good thanks to Stoops and their development of players. Does anyone really think Dupree would have developed into the player he was if Joker had still been the coach at UK for the last two years?

 

[C1180]

I don't like to bash ex UK players but lets just say Joker was just in way over his head as the UK head coach.

 

[buckkiller]

Interesting read on KSR this morning on situations Barker is in. Most this type guys transfer if they don't win job talking 4*-5* QB recruits. I hope he sticks around but that stats are saying he might be gone. I hope he sticks around and takes over his jr and senior years.

 

[UKWinsAgainYep]

I don't like to bash ex UK players but lets just say Joker was just in way over his head as the UK head coach.

Yeah, great judgment by Mitch to make Joker a head coach in the SEC. Really good judgment. It's a miracle that Coach Stoops came looking/begging for the job at UK. Mitch would NEVER have gone out and found Stoops.

 

[domino79]

Mitch Barnhart wears velcro shoes.

 

[Levibooty]

Interesting read on KSR this morning on situations Barker is in. Most this type guys transfer if they don't win job talking 4*-5* QB recruits. I hope he sticks around but that stats are saying he might be gone. I hope he sticks around and takes over his jr and senior years.

Did the article say how many of those transfers were instate kids who were playing behind another instate kid?