Vandagriff

[chevyman 50]

I think he will be good, coming out a winning program like Ga.

 

[blue cincy]

Grumpy said one thing that sticks out. If Stoops opens the offense. It has not mattered the QB so far (besides Levis first year), we just have not opened the offense. I do not expect it to change this year. We are defense heavy up front. Stoops will want ball control so he can control the line of scrimmage from the defense. I look for BV to open it up on lesser competition and against the SEC 8 of our games, we will be conservative. Hope Stoops proves me wrong. But doubt it.

 

[JASUN74]

Grumpy said one thing that sticks out. If Stoops opens the offense. It has not mattered the QB so far (besides Levis first year), we just have not opened the offense. I do not expect it to change this year. We are defense heavy up front. Stoops will want ball control so he can control the line of scrimmage from the defense. I look for BV to open it up on lesser competition and against the SEC 8 of our games, we will be conservative. Hope Stoops proves me wrong. But doubt it.

I sure understand you bud, but honestly, I’ll take a 7-6 win all day and jump for joy. lol I too would 1000% like to see us running 20 or so more plays average than the last few years and would hope with our offensive players we can make it happen this season. I think he’s had to play that way for a number of reasons, including our defensive players were our best group and we were dropping so many balls last season early. We’re about as even this year on both sides as I can remember being and should let us take a few more chances and get those big 3td downs. Thanks bud. I’m really high on this group and even though the schedule is pretty tough, I think we’re going to surprise everyone and have an unbelievable year. Let’s go.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

Legend has it Levis broke his toe kicking something in frustration of the ole Miss loss. And hampered him the rest of the yr.

That was the rumor. Who knows if it was true but i didn't see where he injured it during the game. He twisted an ankle iirc so maybe somehow his toe got something too but didn't look like it.

 

[Deeeefense]

Grumpy said one thing that sticks out. If Stoops opens the offense. It has not mattered the QB so far (besides Levis first year), we just have not opened the offense. I do not expect it to change this year. We are defense heavy up front. Stoops will want ball control so he can control the line of scrimmage from the defense. I look for BV to open it up on lesser competition and against the SEC 8 of our games, we will be conservative. Hope Stoops proves me wrong. But doubt it.

Not sure how you are defining "opening the offense" but last year under Coen the Cats were 52/48 pass to run, the only year during the Stoops era where I would call us being balanced. Scang was 42/58, Coen in 2021 was 42/58, then in the Gran years we were almost exactly 2:1 run to pass every year.

IMO Stoops is attempting to move us towards a more modern college offense that requires balance. Stoops will never be a Mike Leach or a Lane Kiffin but the offenses we feature should show more balance and be more along the lines of the best teams like Georgia and Bama.
I don't think there is any evidence to support Stoops having his thumb on the scales pushing OCs to run more. He does have a general liking for the ability to control games at the end with a combination of running and short passing.

 

[Grumpyolddawg]

Not sure how you are defining "opening the offense" but last year under Coen the Cats were 52/48 pass to run, the only year during the Stoops era where I would call us being balanced. Scang was 42/58, Coen in 2021 was 42/58, then in the Gran years we were almost exactly 2:1 run to pass every year.

IMO Stoops is attempting to move us towards a more modern college offense that requires balance. Stoops will never be a Mike Leach or a Lane Kiffin but the offenses we feature should show more balance and be more along the lines of the best teams like Georgia and Bama.
I don't think there is any evidence to support Stoops having his thumb on the scales pushing OCs to run more. He does have a general liking for the ability to control games at the end with a combination of running and short passing.

By running more plays. I don't know how true it was, but from reading this site UK was near the bottom in total number of plays run during the 23 season, lots of complaining about that. Maybe speeding up the offense would have been less confusing. But imo any means you use to shorten the games is be it running the ball a high percentage or taking near max time between plays does the same thing, reduces the possessions and number of plays you run.

 

[The-Hack]

Maybe speeding up the offense would have been less confusing.

In Scang’s only year, our O-line looked crippled by confusion.

Last year, the light didn’t quite turn on for Leary and his receivers until the U of L and Clemson games. Leary completed below 60 percent of his passes on the season, an anemic number for a team passing the ball 52 percent of the time.

 

[The-Hack]

Coen in 2021 was 42/58,

Is that by the play that was called, or how it resulted?

Levis is as so prone to take off and lower a shoulder in ‘21, that that may skew the numbers. He had a lot of runs, most successful, that were obviously called passing plays.

 

[UKfirst]

The 22 and 23 offensive play calls were to complicated on multiple levels.

 

[Deeeefense]

Is that by the play that was called, or how it resulted?

Levis is as so prone to take off and lower a shoulder in ‘21, that that may skew the numbers. He had a lot of runs, most successful, that were obviously called passing plays.

I use Team Rankings and the categories are just pass play and run play, no further specifics given. What you say sounds logical so maybe Coen's play calling was a bit closer to balanced then the stats show.

 

[gamalielkid]

Grumpy said one thing that sticks out. If Stoops opens the offense. It has not mattered the QB so far (besides Levis first year), we just have not opened the offense. I do not expect it to change this year. We are defense heavy up front. Stoops will want ball control so he can control the line of scrimmage from the defense. I look for BV to open it up on lesser competition and against the SEC 8 of our games, we will be conservative. Hope Stoops proves me wrong. But doubt it.

Blue I understand your statements about Stoops. HOWEVER - this may be the season you see a totally new approach under Stoops. Why do I say that? TEXAS A & M! Stoops had that job but for one reason - his offense! Whether he will retire at Kentucky, be fired from Kentucky or accept another head coaching position - his legacy has been established - unless he changes it. I believe he fully understands that now - and one last thing - WHAT does Stoops have to lose at Kentucky now? No matter what his record is - he is set for life financially. He can do anything and retire anytime very, very comfortably. So, why not go out on top - how can he do that - by opening up the offense and playing to score on every down! I was very down on Stoops after the Texas A & M deal - but now I am very high for the reasons I have mentioned!

Go Big Blue!

 

[Grumpyolddawg]

Blue I understand your statements about Stoops. HOWEVER - this may be the season you see a totally new approach under Stoops. Why do I say that? TEXAS A & M! Stoops had that job but for one reason - his offense! Whether he will retire at Kentucky, be fired from Kentucky or accept another head coaching position - his legacy has been established - unless he changes it. I believe he fully understands that now - and one last thing - WHAT does Stoops have to lose at Kentucky now? No matter what his record is - he is set for life financially. He can do anything and retire anytime very, very comfortably. So, why not go out on top - how can he do that - by opening up the offense and playing to score on every down! I was very down on Stoops after the Texas A & M deal - but now I am very high for the reasons I have mentioned!

Go Big Blue!

I am not sure ATM had full control of that, I think CMS started having 2nd thoughts. Clearly he wasn't who the fanbase wanted, but Saban was stepping away from coaching. At UK CMS has almost 100% fab support before the ATM news leaked, from all the whining done by their fans he was going to have very little fan support there so he decided to stay. Sure he upset some of the fans when he considered leaving, but most have got back on board, the expectations for the 24 season, the recruiting class have taken care of almost all the hard feelings. Look at who ATM ended up hiring, an assistant of the coach they just paid 75m to fire.

 

[The-Hack]

I am not sure ATM had full control of that

There were three or four narratives in the six hour time period the aTm job was being discussed.

I do not know the accuracy of any of them, but will make a serious effort at the QB Club to corner an assistant coach or two (not White or Marrow), to see if what I believe is true.

So, what do I “think” happened??

I “think” the deciding conversation that turned Stoops away from aTm occurred with Coach Marrow. Either he bluntly told Stoops he was not going to aTm and/or talked some plain sense to him.

The friend you’ve shared sports and meals with since grade school is the one who can look you in the eye and tell you that you are being an idiot. And Coach Marrow does have that human gift of getting what he wants with effective communication.

 

[JHB4UK]

Who knows who blinked first. IMO Stoops was tentatively offered the job by the A&M AD, and he tentatively accepted.

Then Stoops went to tell his trusted guys, Marrow, White, & Coen. Unexpectedly all 3 were hesitant if not outright said they wouldn't follow. To compound things Barnhart informed the gang that all 3 senior assistants would get interviews for Stoops job. This all caused Stoops to reconsider.

At the same time word gets out about the hire among the Aggie fanbase, big money boosters and the University leadership. They are thumbs down on Stoops, they fired Jimbo for putting a relic offense on the field. Now they hire a coach with an even worst offensive reputation!?! The AD reconsiders.

Which happened first?