Georgia is a perennial power and look how hard it was for them to get over the hump. I don't think we're at the peak of Stoops, but as far as we've come it's still an unbelievable jump to National Title contention.
What will it take?
- Thread starter R.O.T.Muckinfush
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Yeah. Josh Allen & Mike Edward. I'd put those 2 in 2018 to the best on Georgia this yr. Hard to recruit & develop 11 + some backups at that level.
Look, the logical next reasonable goal for Stoops to achieve is N Y 6 bowls. Like Florida, Ole Miss, Mich St have done recently. UK in Orange, Sugar, Cotton, Fiesta, Peach is very achievable soon IMO.
Good point.
Success is also certainly different for certain teams. Everyone wants to win a national championship but it's pretty damn hard especially when the same teams are getting the top of the talent every single year and then voters get to decide which four teams compete. For instance, if I'm Oregon or Penn State, I may not win the national championship but if I win the conference and play for the Rose Bowl, that's an amazing season. For us? A dream season would be a NY6 bowl. We are a long ways to becoming a top tier team. With that said...
Alabama wasn't shit before Saban arrived. They had not been in a title game since 1992 at that point. Ohio State may only have two titles (and even that, their 2002 title is absolute BS from a bad call) but they're competing for titles- 2002, 2006, 2007, 2014, 2020. You basically have to go undefeated to win a championship most times. Hard to do.
They don't currently, but every recruiting class Stoops and co close that gap a little more.
Nobody does, maybe Ohio St is close. Texas A&M, if they figure out QB. Clemson slowly fading off the top 5 stage.
It'll take a generational talent at QB and the skill position players around him to be able to take advantage. If we can bring in a Couch-esque QB, then we will have a chance to compete.
IF UK can beat UGA and UT in the same season I'd say very good things will follow.
That's what I was thinking, too. If Stoops keeps solidifying the defense and supporting talent, and then you hit a "Cam Newton" like season from a QB, then I could see UK making a run at the CFP.
Even considering the quality of the UGA defense, I don't think they win the game last night if Bama had Metchie and Jameson Williams at WR. My point is that even the 2021 UGA defense would've needed a dynamic offense IF Bama would've had their full arsenal of weapons, so even elite schools are going to have to score points.
Exactly! When you have game changers all over the defense, it tends to let you scheme a little different.
The stars have to align to make that happen, obviously. If you don't win the SEC, you've got to have other factors involved to get you in that spot i.e. have 2 losses to guarantee you get a spot, if you're a 3 loss team chances are you're going to get passed over for a more traditional type team such as Florida or Auburn. You get the door opened for you further with two SEC teams in CFP. In 2018, we would have done it if not for the Tennessee loss.
I'm guessing you're focused on the work "luck." It's in reference to not winning the SEC and hoping other conference teams provide the opportunity for us to get in. I don't think it's that difficult to get what I'm saying. You have two losses, you'll get in. You have 3 and stars have to align for that to have a chance and I don't ever see a scenario where we only lose one game or go undefeated to be in the CFP.
The difference in talent from where we are right now to where Alabama and Georgia are is vast. Imagine a whole roster of Wandale Robinson type talent with many being even better. A majority of the players on the field in last night's championship game will play in the NFL. That is where you have to be to have a chance.
Michigan had far better talent than this KY team and they got embarrassed by Georgia. Cincinnati was closer in talent to UK and they weren't really competitive with a Alabama squad that had suffered a bunch of injuries.
So, what's it going to take? A LOT.
Michigan had far better talent than this KY team and they got embarrassed by Georgia. Cincinnati was closer in talent to UK and they weren't really competitive with a Alabama squad that had suffered a bunch of injuries.
So, what's it going to take? A LOT.
More depth in the trenches and corners that can cover. I honestly believe we were 2 good corners away this yr
Obviously more money, plans for another round of renovations and upgrades to facilities.
In the meantime, start doing what Saban does and go pick up a guy with HC or coordinator experience and get them on staff for a year or two, if not to be a coordinator then to "analyze film" or be an "executive assistant"
That is the greatest move Saban has ever made, at some point, it probably dawned on him that he can't get any more talent than what he's got and that other teams, especially in the SEC have pretty close to the same talent and are going to win a recruiting battle or two here and there which may give them a slight edge...so where can he find another edge, well how about stacking staff...
Whether you're Bama, UGA, Ole Miss, or UK...at some point you plateau on the recruiting trail no matter where that plateau is, the programs ahead of you and/or immediately behind you are teams you play on a regular basis.
The same goes for the renovations and spending money...the multi-hundred-million-dollar plans and facilities are great but guess what...everyone in the SEC has them
You know what most SEC and P5 teams don't have...multiple coaches on staff who are former P5 and NFL HCs or coordinators...
You think getting a spot on the roster or some playing time right now at Bama is tough...try applying for a spot on staff, let alone assistant coach or coordinator...there are HCs right now and in past years who wouldn't get ball boy work at Bama with the depth chart of coaching talent Saban has had...
In the meantime, start doing what Saban does and go pick up a guy with HC or coordinator experience and get them on staff for a year or two, if not to be a coordinator then to "analyze film" or be an "executive assistant"
That is the greatest move Saban has ever made, at some point, it probably dawned on him that he can't get any more talent than what he's got and that other teams, especially in the SEC have pretty close to the same talent and are going to win a recruiting battle or two here and there which may give them a slight edge...so where can he find another edge, well how about stacking staff...
Whether you're Bama, UGA, Ole Miss, or UK...at some point you plateau on the recruiting trail no matter where that plateau is, the programs ahead of you and/or immediately behind you are teams you play on a regular basis.
The same goes for the renovations and spending money...the multi-hundred-million-dollar plans and facilities are great but guess what...everyone in the SEC has them
You know what most SEC and P5 teams don't have...multiple coaches on staff who are former P5 and NFL HCs or coordinators...
You think getting a spot on the roster or some playing time right now at Bama is tough...try applying for a spot on staff, let alone assistant coach or coordinator...there are HCs right now and in past years who wouldn't get ball boy work at Bama with the depth chart of coaching talent Saban has had...
In hindsight, our 17 point loss to UGA in Athens was respectable. Only Alabama and Clemson played them closer.
We have plenty of room to grow in recruiting but, your point is valid. You can never have enough talent on the sidelines in the form of coaches and staff. Great way to build a culture of winning too.
We did just add Mike Stoops but, I'd love to see a way to get Bob on the staff as a "adviser" or "consultant".
Whatever it takes.
The old mantra was "defense wins Championships", but these days it's more like, "Defense will get you there, but you need an exceptional offense to bring it home."
Maybe we don't win it, but Kirby and the defensive staff followed the blueprint that kept Bama out of the endzone all year. Young likes to sit in the pocket, pressure him and he is a different QB. No one was running wide open and all completions were contested, except the TD when the TE pushed our DB down.. another of the review WB fumbles were either incomplete passes or fumbles, yet not called that way.
From 2012 to present Auburn has averaged 10th nationally in recruiting, which was 4th in the SEC over that period, behind Bama, GA., TA&M and LSU.
The bend don’t break philosophy depends on having that kind of talent to be successful. It’s still flawed even then imo.
CMS is what he is and he’s very good. Us UK fans have a lot of good days ahead. Just think that defensive approach is a limiting factor to ever snag that brass ring.
What will it take? Continuing on the path we are on. We are consistently improving every year in performance and recruiting. As long as we continue to make progress and put daylight between us and other SEC teams we are on the right track.
Next big hurdle is winning the East. Georgia loses a ton this year, obviously they still have quality players on their roster but this year the door may be cracked for us to pull it off. Once that happens it changes everything.
Next big hurdle is winning the East. Georgia loses a ton this year, obviously they still have quality players on their roster but this year the door may be cracked for us to pull it off. Once that happens it changes everything.
I wouldn't be surprised to see the Cats favorite @ Gainsville this season as crazy as that sounds. Dawgs at home gives us a reasonable shot at the East IMO.
Sometimes you can pass programs, at least for a bit just because on your way up they meet you on the way down. We passed USC as they had coaching changes, and although they still seem to have our number, I think we are a better program than Tennessee right now. We are right there with Florida, and we were clearly a better team this year. I mean who would have thought we would be in the running for the East ten years ago? Who's to say Saban doesn't retire in a few years, Bama hires a dud, loses some ground talent wise for a few years? If we just keep plugging along, recruiting and developing well, good things, momentum and unexpected opportunities can and do arise.
The team needs to keep setting the standard higher on the field each year, keep building and developing quality depth, do the best they can with what's in front of them each week without looking ahead or putting to much import on any one game, avoid off field issues and avoid injuries as much as humanly possible.
At some point the opportunity will come with this staff and hopefully we will be in a position to take advantage of it.
We have beaten schools with much higher rated talent overall. We have defeated teams ranked much higher than us. We have overcome unlevel playing fields when it comes to officiating. We have overcome our own mistakes to beat teams as well. We have developed lower rated players into draft picks and helped higher rated players move up in the draft. If we keep doing these things the gap will close and the opportunity will present itself.
If we want to go back downward, we should set the bar lower. We should settle for beating UL or some other team, settle for lower rated recruits that we want to be here for personal reasons, and just "try for a better bowl game." We'll be right back where we were before Stoops got here.
What we need that we haven't yet gotten is better QB and DB recruiting. The former may come in the next year or two if Coen stays. The latter I expected wouldn't be an issue at this point. I don't get it
At some point the opportunity will come with this staff and hopefully we will be in a position to take advantage of it.
We have beaten schools with much higher rated talent overall. We have defeated teams ranked much higher than us. We have overcome unlevel playing fields when it comes to officiating. We have overcome our own mistakes to beat teams as well. We have developed lower rated players into draft picks and helped higher rated players move up in the draft. If we keep doing these things the gap will close and the opportunity will present itself.
If we want to go back downward, we should set the bar lower. We should settle for beating UL or some other team, settle for lower rated recruits that we want to be here for personal reasons, and just "try for a better bowl game." We'll be right back where we were before Stoops got here.
What we need that we haven't yet gotten is better QB and DB recruiting. The former may come in the next year or two if Coen stays. The latter I expected wouldn't be an issue at this point. I don't get it
The bend not break mentality aims at lesser talent not giving up big plays. We have no idea what a Stoops’ defense would look like under Georgia level of talent. If you have that level of talent you can afford to be more aggressive.
Anything is possible, but as you know if Kentucky were to win it all it was because the rest of the SEC just had a bad year. The entire SEC😂 We can definitely do it. With a fan base like BBN. We’ll help’em out!
Here was a supposed “realist” back in 2015, who trashed the “sunshine pumpers” who accurately saw the program growing under Coach Stoops, way back then:
[IMG alt="KingOfBBN"]https://rivals-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/forums/kentucky/data/avatars/m/11/11956.jpg?1631644299[/IMG]
KingOfBBN
All-American
This program s truly terrible. Nothing ever changes but every single year we got sunshine pampers pretending things are going good and time after time, it's the same outcome.This place will never be any good at football. I think we're the only team in the SEC who hasn't had a winning conferencw record since the 70s.”
Now, having inaccurately predicted our rise to being good, and having two winning records in the SEC, what else would we expect him to say?
Lol. We could do this with any of us. I could pull up all of the ridiculous “We’re going 9-3 this year” only to go 6-6 or 7-5, Two seasons in 30 plus years is not the standard. Glad to experience some fun seasons and after years of rock bottom. Now let’s build off of it.
And there’s quite a leap from getting to 10 wins to being SEC champs and playing for a national title. Like everyone here, I’d gladly welcome being wrong. But I appreciate the deep dive into posts from over six years ago.
A Top 10 class and transfers are the only route I know to build.
Franky, had I been honest in 2015, I would have expressed doubt as to our getting this far.
But we are here, and have a shot to build!!
Hoping we can get the offensive firepower needed as I have faith for our future on the defensive side of the ball.
Yep. Waited a long time for this. I'll never forget the days of seeing Kentucky football tickets just tossed like they were trash and going to watch the mid 90s teams get blown out just so I could see a top ranked team play. This is a welcome change.
Seriously, who remembers that 1994 season? Brutal.
Exactly. I know I was pessimistic on my old account in 2013-2015 range. We had two seasons in a row where I think we were like 5-2 or 5-1 or something and then lost out the rest of the way to finish 5-7 two years in a row. Stoops slowly, but surely built UK up though. I think if we have a normal season in 2020 we probably go 8-4 or so as well.
And if Clemson played them later, they don't play them nearly as close as they did
Yeah, I agree. The 2020 season was an * because an all-SEC schedule is insane especially given the lack of preseason/normal prep work. If you're Bama, you can overcome that. But that's not normal for most.
We've made a big jump from what we were while I was growing up and even from when I was in college. Getting to see them beat Florida and Tennessee twice in recent years is something I started to wonder if I'd ever see and getting two 10-win seasons after not being above .500 in the SEC for 30+ years is incredible so hats off to the program for slowly building for this.
I desperately want us to be in the conversation for a NY6 Bowl and playing for an SEC Championship. Having gone to major bowl games and national championships that featured programs like Alabama, Georgia, Florida State, and Auburn, I want to experience that type of atmosphere and moments with Kentucky football because I've lost all interest in basketball.
Probably. But still, the fact is Clemson's QB (awful) threw a 74-yard pick 6 that turned out to be the only time anyone got into the endzone. You hold Georgia's offense to no TDs, that's impressive no matter what.
Overall, Clemson didn't suck. They had two losses, one in OT and then one in October. They won their last six games. It was a down year for their standards as they had been in the playoff every year since 2016 but they just didn't have a QB as he turned out to be a major bust.
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