Wow. The staff has mined the portal significantly this offseason. Could this mean...?

[gamecockcat]

We're desperate and feel we need to fill a lot of holes where we've had recruiting misses. Or, the staff is very confident that just another piece or two could be the difference between a solid-to-good season and a potentially great/10+ win season?

It does make me wonder specifically about the OL, though. We all thought Wolford was a top notch recruiter and, yet, we've added 4 (5?) OL through the portal this year. Does not speak very well of his recruiting or development, frankly. Yenser is still a question mark on both of those fronts, too. Would expect 1 or more perhaps of the OL transfers to start this season, plus Silver plus one or both of the DB transfers to play significant snaps. Have we just missed in recruiting more often lately and need the help? Or, are we pretty solid everywhere and have looked to find an upgrade to maximize what could be a huge season?

 

[KYWC36]

Recruiting never stops, pretty simple

 

[gojvc]

We're desperate and feel we need to fill a lot of holes where we've had recruiting misses…

I’m not sure of that but so what if it did? As long as those holes got filled it’s all good.

 

[Eccain01]

We're desperate and feel we need to fill a lot of holes where we've had recruiting misses. Or, the staff is very confident that just another piece or two could be the difference between a solid-to-good season and a potentially great/10+ win season?

It does make me wonder specifically about the OL, though. We all thought Wolford was a top notch recruiter and, yet, we've added 4 (5?) OL through the portal this year. Does not speak very well of his recruiting or development, frankly. Yenser is still a question mark on both of those fronts, too. Would expect 1 or more perhaps of the OL transfers to start this season, plus Silver plus one or both of the DB transfers to play significant snaps. Have we just missed in recruiting more often lately and need the help? Or, are we pretty solid everywhere and have looked to find an upgrade to maximize what could be a huge season?

We gotta stop blaming Wolford lol he was here for 1 season. Most of those lineman were here before he got here

 

[The-Hack]

We're desperate and feel we need to fill a lot of holes where we've had recruiting misses. Or, the staff is very confident that just another piece or two could be the difference between a solid-to-good season and a potentially great/10+ win season?

Those concepts are not mutually exclusive. Hand-pick two or three spots on last year’s team, and we might have been playing January 1st, again!

 

[entropy13]

As long as those holes got filled it’s all good.

That's what she said!

 

[The-Hack]

That's what she said!

A Broad-minded person!

 

[JHB4UK]

I don't think you have examined the numbers of transfers typical around CFB if you ask is UK 'desperate'.

2023 Transfer Football Team Rankings

In order to create the most comprehensive Team Recruiting Ranking without any notion of bias, 247Sports Team Recruiting Ranking is solely based on the 247Sports Composite Rating.

247sports.com

 

[YaketySax]

I think the OL is obvious one, but just about every other position group requires depth with our schedule. Could make the argument 9 Win Or More teams are only 9, 10, or 11/12 win teams because their second string would go bowling on a team where they are starters.

 

[3632]

We play against the best rosters in cfb so any time they can add they have to add.

 

[JHB4UK]

Among the 14 SEC schools, 8 took on more portal transfers than UK. 2 others have so far got 1 less (Mizzou and Knoxville) but are recruiting more.

dEsPeRaTe

 

[Rembrandt90]

We're desperate and feel we need to fill a lot of holes where we've had recruiting misses. Or, the staff is very confident that just another piece or two could be the difference between a solid-to-good season and a potentially great/10+ win season?

It does make me wonder specifically about the OL, though. We all thought Wolford was a top notch recruiter and, yet, we've added 4 (5?) OL through the portal this year. Does not speak very well of his recruiting or development, frankly. Yenser is still a question mark on both of those fronts, too. Would expect 1 or more perhaps of the OL transfers to start this season, plus Silver plus one or both of the DB transfers to play significant snaps. Have we just missed in recruiting more often lately and need the help? Or, are we pretty solid everywhere and have looked to find an upgrade to maximize what could be a huge season?

Respectfully, that seems like an odd portrayal. Why is Stoops' use of the transfer portal different conceptually from every other head coach's use of the portal? Every SEC coach uses the portal. Stoops has the smallest home recruiting base in the SEC. Given that fact, he has done a remarkable job as as recruiter. Now he is doing a great job using the portal too.

Portal or no portal, it is best to sign hs seniors and develop them in the program. Stoops has been getting his players into the NFL draft at a notable pace, only one of the clues available out there that Stoops' recruiting classes have been better than the market-skewed "class rankings" have indicated. But when there is a thin spot on the roster, Stoops addresses it by all means necessary. Like a proactive coach should.

 

[docholiday51]

The O line needed help, Stoops tried to get the most help he could find. I think this team has a chance to be pretty good(8 to 10 wins seems to be possible) We caught several bad breaks last season maybe we can avoid some of those this year. My concern is that we are thin at QB, 1 injury and we could be in scramble mode at that position. I hope whoever #2 turns out to be that he gets snaps in the first 4 games so if he is needed we don't have a deer in headlights back there in games 7,8,9

 

[CRZ4UK]

Alabama recruiting is second only to Georgia the last few years. They took a Vanderbilt OL transfer that started for them. Vandy is dead last in SEC recruiting. Enough said.

 

[JHB4UK]

This weekend I listened to a CFB recruiting podcast, talking portal. They brought up last year Ryan Day dismissed it, saying Ohio builds through recruiting.
12 months later & another uncompetitive loss to Michigan - Ohio has 10 & counting additions from the portal. Like UK, probably 2 of theirs will be O line starters.

It's a new world. Adapt or die, don't go into a season with a weakness, fill holes and gaps via the portal.

 

[TucsonCat]

I wonder if in 2037, Freddie Maggard and the staff will still use Wolford and his one year at UK as the scapegoat for OL performance.

 

[YaketySax]

I wonder if in 2037, Freddie Maggard and the staff will still use Wolford and his one year at UK as the scapegoat for OL performance.

The year is 2037. A geriatric Freddie Maggard is stirred from his nap on his front porch to talk about how a three star offensive guard from eastern Kentucky is "a road-grader lineman with country strength" who will be All-SEC in a few years.

 

[Oldtrainer]

Looks like CATS have done good in the portal! I think!

 

[Dallas-Wild]

Looks like CATS have done good in the portal! I think!

Could be even better soon!