UK Football will never be above average. Why? Long.

[TNCatfanforever]

The state doesn’t produce enough quality D-1 players and we are located the middle. Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame Penn State control Ohio Michigan Indiana and Pennsylvania. Tennessee produces several D-1 players and all dream of playing for UT or UGA or Bama. UNC, NCSU, Duke, and even Tn gobble up the talent in North Carolina. Clemson and USC jr own South Carolina. Georgia belongs to Georgia Tennessee. Florida belongs to FSU, Miami, Florida. Alabama belongs to Bama and Auburn. Mississippi is owned by Ole Miss and State U. Etc Etc.
You see the problem. We are like most mid majors we eat leftovers. About 15 teams dominate college football and Kentucky isn’t one and never will be because we have no tradition and there isn’t enough home grown talent. UK basketball is a power because of Rupp and tradition and the state has always produced talented players even though Cal wouldn’t recognize them. Calipari was right though…UK always has been and always will be a basketball school.

 

[3Bluefever325]

True, except we had talent on par with USCjr according to rankings sites and got rolled.

 

[KattieCat]

In this age of the portal, I bet some team breaks through and does it. Someone who isn't considered a blue blood. It may not be UK, but I bet at some point someone will put together a good enough team to do it. A couple years ago TCU made it. They got destroyed, but I believe it will be done eventually.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

In this age of the portal, I bet some team breaks through and does it. Someone who isn't considered a blue blood. It may not be UK, but I bet at some point someone will put together a good enough team to do it. A couple years ago TCU made it. They got destroyed, but I believe it will be done eventually.

Don't see that happening as playoff continues to expand. It will be the same ole teams that spend a ton in NIL and have the tradition and history.

 

[K_TIME]

The state doesn’t produce enough quality D-1 players and we are located the middle. Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame Penn State control Ohio Michigan Indiana and Pennsylvania. Tennessee produces several D-1 players and all dream of playing for UT or UGA or Bama. UNC, NCSU, Duke, and even Tn gobble up the talent in North Carolina. Clemson and USC jr own South Carolina. Georgia belongs to Georgia Tennessee. Florida belongs to FSU, Miami, Florida. Alabama belongs to Bama and Auburn. Mississippi is owned by Ole Miss and State U. Etc Etc.
You see the problem. We are like most mid majors we eat leftovers. About 15 teams dominate college football and Kentucky isn’t one and never will be because we have no tradition and there isn’t enough home grown talent. UK basketball is a power because of Rupp and tradition and the state has always produced talented players even though Cal wouldn’t recognize them. Calipari was right though…UK always has been and always will be a basketball school.

So how did UK have 2 10 win Citrus bowl seasons in 2018 and 2021? Were those not above average seasons?

 

[gamecockcat]

Until just recently, I felt we could be Iowa of the SEC. Win 6-9 games consistently with an outlier once every 4-5 years (both high and low).

Honestly, I think that's as good as we'll ever be. We aren't ever going to be top 12 year in and year out, imo. Too many disadvantages vs Bama, USC, OSU, MI, Pa St, GA, FL, FSU, LSU, TX, TN, OK, et al. But, four wins this year may send us reeling for a few years and I don't know if I'm up for several bad years in a row. Already feeling my love for CFB wane with NIL, transfer portal insanity, 40+ bowl games, coaches making insane salaries, 3.5 hours to play the darn game, etc.

 

[Fadhi]

So how did UK have 2 10 win Citrus bowl seasons in 2018 and 2021? Were those not above average seasons?

They were above average seasons but who in the SEC did they beat?

 

[jnewc2]

The state doesn’t produce enough quality D-1 players and we are located the middle. Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame Penn State control Ohio Michigan Indiana and Pennsylvania. Tennessee produces several D-1 players and all dream of playing for UT or UGA or Bama. UNC, NCSU, Duke, and even Tn gobble up the talent in North Carolina. Clemson and USC jr own South Carolina. Georgia belongs to Georgia Tennessee. Florida belongs to FSU, Miami, Florida. Alabama belongs to Bama and Auburn. Mississippi is owned by Ole Miss and State U. Etc Etc.
You see the problem. We are like most mid majors we eat leftovers. About 15 teams dominate college football and Kentucky isn’t one and never will be because we have no tradition and there isn’t enough home grown talent. UK basketball is a power because of Rupp and tradition and the state has always produced talented players even though Cal wouldn’t recognize them. Calipari was right though…UK always has been and always will be a basketball school.

Dang, we don’t have enough “talent” to not get blown out on our home field by a team that squeaked by Old Dominion last week? The NFL draft experts say this is one of the most talented teams in the country. But what do they know. Is this Stoops’ burner account?

 

[WildcatofNati2]

In this age of the portal, I bet some team breaks through and does it. Someone who isn't considered a blue blood. It may not be UK, but I bet at some point someone will put together a good enough team to do it. A couple years ago TCU made it. They got destroyed, but I believe it will be done eventually.

Yep, Oregon is that, even if they're off to a shaky start this year. Washington. Nebraska was and may be again someday. Wisconsin, Iowa, and even a team in North Dakota has been good enough to probably beat us more years than not, recently. Boise St. has also managed better teams than we have quite often. Idaho is no recruiting hotbed.

 

[TNCatfanforever]

They were above average seasons but who in the SEC did they beat?

That’s the point

 

[tf4fun]

You never achieve excellence, when you are satisfied with average.
With the right coach we can field a great team.
But you have to pursue the best across the board. And that starts with the HC.

 

[K_TIME]

They were above average seasons but who in the SEC did they beat?

They beat top 10 Pen st
They beat Florida in swamp
They demolish ranked Miss st
They beat ranked Iowa


I get the last game and I the past two seasons are going wrong direction…but to crap on great years of past out of current frustration is silly

 

[WildcatofNati2]

They beat top 10 Pen st
They beat Florida in swamp
They demolish ranked Miss st
They beat ranked Iowa


I get the last game and I the past two seasons are going wrong direction…but to crap on great years of past out of current frustration is silly

No doubt. 2018 and 2021 were the best years as UK fan that I'm old enough to remember and actually every year from 2016 on at least had some positives and were better than normal UK football seasons. Unfortunately, yesterday suggests that things are going back to normal, and normal isn't good for UK football.

 

[gojvc]

They were above average seasons but who in the SEC did they beat?

In 2018 they beat Florida at the swamp who finished the season ranked 6th/7th.

 

[SkyPrince1]

They beat top 10 Pen st
They beat Florida in swamp
They demolish ranked Miss st
They beat ranked Iowa


I get the last game and I the past two seasons are going wrong direction…but to crap on great years of past out of current frustration is silly

They were great years historicaly for UK football but where was our overall finish in the SEC?
Did we get as high as 5th or 6th those seasons?
I think we cracked the top 25 final polls both seasons.
It's possible to have an outlier season at UK once a decade but with the SEC expanded, a top half finish and cracking the top 25 final polls is probably going to be the pinnacle of UK football going forward.

 

[Bluesbrother]

The state doesn’t produce enough quality D-1 players and we are located the middle. Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame Penn State control Ohio Michigan Indiana and Pennsylvania. Tennessee produces several D-1 players and all dream of playing for UT or UGA or Bama. UNC, NCSU, Duke, and even Tn gobble up the talent in North Carolina. Clemson and USC jr own South Carolina. Georgia belongs to Georgia Tennessee. Florida belongs to FSU, Miami, Florida. Alabama belongs to Bama and Auburn. Mississippi is owned by Ole Miss and State U. Etc Etc.
You see the problem. We are like most mid majors we eat leftovers. About 15 teams dominate college football and Kentucky isn’t one and never will be because we have no tradition and there isn’t enough home grown talent. UK basketball is a power because of Rupp and tradition and the state has always produced talented players even though Cal wouldn’t recognize them. Calipari was right though…UK always has been and always will be a basketball school.

Start with a the right AD who hires the right coach and everything you mention, although valid, becomes much less relevant. To ACCEPT the notion that what you say is correct is throwing in the towel. UK's problems start with the President, BOT, and the AD. We have always sucked in football because of what I mention. These three entities working together have never hired a quality coach in football, save Bear Bryant who they ran off. The rest have ALWAYS been terrible hires ... every one of them, including Stoops. All bad to mediocre hires and evidence is in the results. To say that it can't be fixed is just wrong, IMO. It will take dedication and smarts. Smarts we don't have which is why you need a new AD first.

 

[SkyPrince1]

Start with a the right AD who hires the right coach and everything you mention, although valid, becomes much less relevant. To ACCEPT the notion that what you say is correct is throwing in the towel. UK's problems start with the President, BOT, and the AD. We have always sucked in football because of what I mention. These three entities working together have never hired a quality coach in football, save Bear Bryant who they ran off. The rest have ALWAYS been terrible hires ... every one of them, including Stoops. All bad to mediocre hires and evidence is in the results. To say that it can't be fixed is just wrong, IMO. It will take dedication and smarts. Smarts we don't have which is why you need a new AD first.

So how long would a young Lincoln Riley if hired stay at UK?
Kiffen bailed on UT after 1 season.
You can't get a Saban/ Meyer level coach to stay at UK.