Why can't we get decent quarterbacks?

[AshWilliams]

Last 20 years, name your top 5 QBs.

Woodson, Hartline, BOWDEN, Levis, and...Steve Johnson, maybe?

Other than Woodson and Bowden, none of them have really stood out, have they?

Levis had a great arm, but he was inconsistent. Wan'Dale made him look good most of the time.

Imagine if we had a decent QB this year, not even a top 10 but a guy who could complete down the field passes, with our running game.

It's frustrating to see us struggle from QB position year after year.

I know Tim Couch isn't walking through that door but damn.

 

[thepip]

Why can we not get a good coach?
They could be related.

 

[UKAlum88]

Have you not saw our offense??? Top QB’s don’t and won’t play for that!

 

[K86]

Last 20 years, name your top 5 QBs.

Woodson, Hartline, BOWDEN, Levis, and...Steve Johnson, maybe?

Other than Woodson and Bowden, none of them have really stood out, have they?

Levis had a great arm, but he was inconsistent. Wan'Dale made him look good most of the time.

Imagine if we had a decent QB this year, not even a top 10 but a guy who could complete down the field passes, with our running game.

It's frustrating to see us struggle from QB position year after year.

I know Tim Couch isn't walking through that door but damn.

Evidently it's because the fans haven't bought one.

 

[Cat_Man_Blue]

I don't know about Cutter Boley, but I am throughly cinvinced that Stone Saunders is the real deal. I wish he was here next year.

 

[UKAlum84]

Any prior qb's go on to coaching and develop great qb's in college?

 

[seccats04]

Stoops offense. Nuff said.

 

[Bluesbrother]

Evidently it's because the fans haven't bought one.

Well there's some truth. A rare commodity. Well done.

 

[Blue Bigfoot]

Our passing game is like pulling teeth when nearly every lower division school can trot out a functioning pitch and catch offense. It's really frustrating. It feels like Stoops is stuck in some cloud of dust, clock control neothlic football mindset that limits our ceiling.

 

[oldsports_]

No 5* qb wants to play stall ball.

 

[sluggercatfan]

Evidently it's because the fans haven't bought one.

Unless it's wrong information...our current qb makes 40k a month.

 

[sluggercatfan]

Would love to see someone introduce Stoops and Coen to the middle of the field. It's like they think you have to rent property there for it to be used.

 

[_ukcat]

No matter who OC is Stoops is in control and he old school Big 10 Grind it out and play defense. No top QB coming into his style of play

 

[bigblueinsanity]

Had to check the dates on most of these posts. Hard to believe they aren't 4+5 years old.

Football success of recent years is great except it brings the bandwagon basketball fans over. They're easy to spot

 

[Emarc]

Had to check the dates on most of these posts. Hard to believe they aren't 4+5 years old.

Football success of recent years is great except it brings the bandwagon basketball fans over. They're easy to spot

so ignorant

 

[NoDef]

You can't put up great stats in a system that snaps the ball less than any other team in the nation. You also are not going to get the best wide receivers because limited snaps mean limited targets. We've won more than we ever have, but we also are not beating top 10 teams no more than we did in the past. Maybe this is the only way to consistently win at Kentucky. Beat the teams with similar or less talent on a routine basis, but continue to get blown out by the best teams because you have no way of stopping them because of the talent gap and no way of scoring with them because of the offensive system in place.

 

[crestcat]

QB’s like to throw the ball

 

[Rockfly78]

Why can we not get a good coach?
They could be related.

We have one. You’re just not smart enough to understand.

 

[gamecockcat]

We're not going to get the 5*, everybody wants him QB. Every so often, especially with Coen, we can get a 4* QB. What I would like to see is a QB who really understands the offense inside and out and is quick and accurate with the football. We haven't seen that really since Couch. A QB who can do that doesn't have to be a future NFL player or a 4+* prospect. Just someone who has a high football IQ and enough arm to accurately put the ball where it needs to go. It seems that Mumme's offense always had a quick outlet to prevent the QB getting creamed and to avoid a sack. I truly believe that Coen's offensive system also has that attribute but neither Levis nor Leary seem to have caught on.

There was one play Saturday I believe in the 3rd quarter. Obvious passing down and Georgia had two guys right over the RT. At the snap there was another who started to come through the middle which Davis picked up. But the two over the RT came straight through. And Leary didn't seem to recognize it (I knew what was coming well before the snap and I've never played a down of college football) and actually took a couple of steps backwards when he finally saw the rush and took a 13 yard sack. Somewhere between the time those two guys walked up to the LOS and the snap, Leary and the WRs should have seen what was coming and immediately switched to a hot route. I can't imagine Coen's system doesn't have that built into every play. Rather than take a huge loss, a quick pass might have gained 3 yards (or a busted tackle away from 20+ yards). That's a 16 yard difference on one play. That's what I'd like to see in our QB - the ability to recognize what the D is going to do, know where to go with the ball and when and the accuracy to make a good throw. I don't care at all about being able to throw it through a brick wall. I want someone who can find the right guy to throw to and get it to him accurately. Is that too much?

 

[Girthang]

Who have we lost QBs to that we've recruited?

Bama, Miami, USC, OSU, Cincy, ... any others I'm forgetting?

We have to put up numbers and/or
...have to be aggressive.
...have to have a great OL.
...have a shot at winning conf or national titles.
...have a sht ton of NIL money to throw around.
...have a track record of developing QBs.
...have great uniforms.
...have an offensive "genius" as OC, QBC, or HC.
...have a great system.
...have a great tradition.
...have a great stable of receivers.
...have to market our players well for national recognition.

Some combination of that.

 

[Girthang]

You can't put up great stats in a system that snaps the ball less than any other team in the nation. You also are not going to get the best wide receivers because limited snaps mean limited targets. We've won more than we ever have, but we also are not beating top 10 teams no more than we did in the past. Maybe this is the only way to consistently win at Kentucky. Beat the teams with similar or less talent on a routine basis, but continue to get blown out by the best teams because you have no way of stopping them because of the talent gap and no way of scoring with them because of the offensive system in place.

It is as frustrating this year as it was the years we had Terry Wilson and wouldn't run tempo, which really really suited him.

If we DID have a great QB like gamecockcat describes, (and I'm not saying we don't), and he was forced to slow the game to a crawl, never establish a rhythm, and not be trusted to audible to a better play if he wanted to, he wouldn't stay long, and would likely look really bad in running the offense. Jmo

 

[mattrudd]

Stephen Johnson=underrated

 

[grevey35]

No matter who OC is Stoops is in control and he old school Big 10 Grind it out and play defense. No top QB coming into his style of play

So the Big Ten has no QBs? The Big Blue Wall made it's name with great run blocking but pass protection has always been iffy. Between pressure and receivers who either can't get open or can't hold on to the ball it all adds up. You can't really say we have not taken enough shots downfield but you've got to protect to take the shot and you've got to complete more of them. I think we would actually be better off if we were more conservative given our efficiency.

 

[KyCatFan]

We play chicken sh*t football. It gets us wins over average to bad teams with a few good ones occasionally, but just won't ever get us over the hump. No great QB's or WR's want to sit there wasting clock, fake a snap, look to the sideline, and then rush to get the play off over and over.

They see other teams get like 80 plays while we get darn near half that. It makes it so you have to be nearly perfect all of the time with less opportunities to score. We saw what happened when we played undisciplined and not perfect Saturday. We blew multiple drives and got blown out. That's on Stoops and his old school football approach.

The only time the whole offense really shines in most games is when we were starting bad and forced to speed it up. Leary looked much better in uptempo. It's time to dump the defense first, defense second, defense third, with offense last system and let the offense open it up and play. I think Stoops is just to stubborn to do that and I'll be surprised if we aren't replacing another offensive coordinator after the season or in another year.

 

[megablue]

There are many good points made in this thread, but we would probably be 5-1 right now with a Heisman candidate at QB ... gotta be honest. Let's see how we do over the next six (6) games and then re-visit this conversation. Having said that, I do not disagree with the original OP question ... we should definitely do better recruiting QBs.

What is amazing to me is how both UK and LOU apparently missed out on Desmond Ridder.
I thought he was very, very good.

 

[jauk11]

Unless it's wrong information...our current qb makes 40k a month.

And Thug U paid what, $10,000,000 for a QB that hasn't even played yet?

 

[WalterTheHippo]

I truly think if we can stick with a single Offensive Coordinator in Liam Coen we will be just fine. Especially if Stoops lets him do his thing. Dude was an NFL Coordinator/QB coach for a reason. Stoops should respect that. Things will get better. A team that is like 3 deep at every position with studs beat us at their place. I mean, they are ranked 1 for a reason. I wish we would have showed up and stayed within the 14.5 (gee, can you tell I am taking advantage of the new Kentucky laws! lol). This ish happens, we will be back! This week is VITAL to turn around.

 

[Skyguyb27]

Five star you say? Hell at this point I’d settle for a qb that can throw a pass to a guy wide open with no pressure.

 

[WalterTheHippo]

Five star you say? Hell at this point I’d settle for a qb that can throw a pass to a guy wide open with no pressure.

This. I can't say I disagree at all with this premise. Leary has been a big disappointment thus far. I don't understand, at this point, how he was rated on of the top QB transfers.

 

[_ukcat]

This. I can't say I disagree at all with this premise. Leary has been a big disappointment thus far. I don't understand, at this point, how he was rated on of the top QB transfers.

Myself like most wanted Leary because we remember him prior to his injury. Everyone felt he would regain his old form but it I am not mistaken his injury is super rare and not sure if he not the first to even try to play at QB after this injury and the type of surgery he had to correct it. No one really knew if this surgery could ever restore him to the former passer he was. I think we have learned he not ever going to be the same.

 

[Grumpyolddawg]

Myself like most wanted Leary because we remember him prior to his injury. Everyone felt he would regain his old form but it I am not mistaken his injury is super rare and not sure if he not the first to even try to play at QB after this injury and the type of surgery he had to correct it. No one really knew if this surgery could ever restore him to the former passer he was. I think we have learned he not ever going to be the same.

What was his injury? I know it was season ending but not the injury.

 

[JPFisher]

What was his injury? I know it was season ending but not the injury.

I think it was a torn pectoral.

 

[JPFisher]

We had Coach Brown and got Barker. Really good QB before injury – could've been program changing.

We had Gran and never really got the results we wanted from Wilson, but we had a phenomenal running game. No receiver wants to just block all the time. No QB wants to just hand the ball off. Johnson was good, but once Wilson came back from injury and wasn't his old self, writing was on the wall for offensive recruits.

Coen
Cigarillo*
Coen
... In three years.

The offense was in lopsided shambles when Gran left, we still have up to 2 years with some of the Gran recruits, and we haven't had a consistent, good OC since Gran's departure.

Assuming Coen sticks around, I think he'll get us what we want. Just sucks that we took a chance on Leary and he hasn't panned out along with our WRs having slumps. It sucks. It's frustrating as a fan, but I have to give props to Stoops for going right back to Coen when given the chance.

 

[K_TIME]

Last 20 years, name your top 5 QBs.

Woodson, Hartline, BOWDEN, Levis, and...Steve Johnson, maybe?

Other than Woodson and Bowden, none of them have really stood out, have they?

Levis had a great arm, but he was inconsistent. Wan'Dale made him look good most of the time.

Imagine if we had a decent QB this year, not even a top 10 but a guy who could complete down the field passes, with our running game.

It's frustrating to see us struggle from QB position year after year.

I know Tim Couch isn't walking through that door but damn.

As far as ranking QBs of recent lore

Couch, JLO Jr year, Woodson, Hartline, Levis was really good Jr year, Stephen Johnson.....and the rest I don't are worth ranking....including Bowden season. Terry Wilson wasn't close to Stephen Johnson.

Now to the future.....I'm pissed Scangerello screwed up Levis Sr year and Leary is a mess now. And now 2024 is major "what do we do" with Bolley in the wings and Stone Saunders after that.

- 2024..>i'd like to see start with Sheron and then work in Bolley if Sheron shows to be what many think he is...a QB with a lower ceiling. Coen needs to be here for 3 years and give us solidarity and Stoops needs to let the offense mature as this has got to be one of his last shots at legfit offensive football.

 

[AshWilliams]

As far as ranking QBs of recent lore

Couch, JLO Jr year, Woodson, Hartline, Levis was really good Jr year, Stephen Johnson.....and the rest I don't are worth ranking....including Bowden season. Terry Wilson wasn't close to Stephen Johnson.

Now to the future.....I'm pissed Scangerello screwed up Levis Sr year and Leary is a mess now. And now 2024 is major "what do we do" with Bolley in the wings and Stone Saunders after that.

- 2024..>i'd like to see start with Sheron and then work in Bolley if Sheron shows to be what many think he is...a QB with a lower ceiling. Coen needs to be here for 3 years and give us solidarity and Stoops needs to let the offense mature as this has got to be one of his last shots at legfit offensive football.

JLo wasn't in the last 20 years.

I'd take Bowden over what we have right now.

 

[JPFisher]

JLo wasn't in the last 20 years.

2023 - 2003 = 20
Yes. Yes he was.
Couch? No. JLo? Yes.

 

[truebluewildcat]

It is quite bizarre how CMS hasn't been able to find and develop even a game manager.

He's been bailed out by transfers his entire tenure here. Nobody he nor his staff recruits from high school sees the field.

The best CMS has had, Will Levis was statistically Mike Hartline with a better D, ground game, more talented 3 deep overall. Will also had more turnovers though.

I said in another post that essentially what we needed during the Brooks and Joker era (3 deep with SEC talent, defense, run game) we got now with CMS and kudos to him for it.

What we had then... Joker, Randy Sanders...guys who could recruit, coach, develop, execute a passing game...we need now.

Joker wasn't a HC, but he was a hell of a position coach and OC...and Sanders I think has always been underappreciated and underrated as a coach wherever he's been. The dude can find, develop, coach QBs, and coach offense in general.

Bringing LC back to run the O was huge and an acknowledgement of the fact that we need a modern pro-style offensive guy, specifically passing game. Kudos to CMS for getting him back and undoubtedly telling Mitch to essentially write a blank check for it.

Now all he needs to do is let LC loose. Make him "Assistant HC" let him run the show, bring in his own staff, recruit, his types of players, etc...CMS needs to take Eddie Gran and move to the opposite side of the building, maybe even campus, where they can yuck it up about the good ole days of running the ball and defense.

 

[MTsandfly]

I know the portal let us down this year but that was because we took an injured QB who has missed a lot of football in his career. I like known commodities better. Can’t think of his name right now but the kid from WKU comes to mind. I’d trade Leary for him in a heartbeat!

 

[dvillecatfan]

Evidently it's because the fans haven't bought one.

Nice work

 

[JBHolmesfan]

We run a clock grinding, stall ball, ground and pound offense. We are the slowest team in college football. It should be a wonder why any halfway decent QB would even consider coming here. Any top QB would be insane to come here.