Anyone who thinks that Coach Stoops needs to be fired...

[rabidcatfan]

Here's why I don't think Stoops needs to be fired right now:

I mean, what other coach will come here if he is???? Certainly not any one reputable. I recall thinking back when he was hired that if he doesn't succeed here, then no one will. Bill Curry averaged a 4-7 season in 7 seasons here. Hall Mumme averaged 5-7 over 4 seasons. Guy Morriss averaged 4.5 wins in his two seasons here. Rich Brooks averaged a record of 6-6 over 7 seasons (the best of the group). Joker Phillips averaged 4-8 in 3 seasons, and now Coach Stoops has averaged 4-8 in 3 seasons as well. So, with the exception of Coach Brooks, no coach at UK has averaged a record better than 5-7 here at UK. When will we just give a coach time to build the program into a contender???? Thanks to the success of the basketball program, UK fans want instant gratification in regards to football when it is painfully obvious that it is going to take more time than we've given Stoops to right this ship.

I say we need to quit focusing on Stoops being the problem and look at the glaring issues which are the play-callers. I think changes need to be made in the coaching staff, just not the HC.

For the record, although Rich Brooks averaged 6-6 for his career at UK, he only averaged a 3-8 record over his first three seasons.

 

[mtn cat1]

Anyone who thinks that Coach Stoops needs to be fired is an absolute nutjob in my opinion. I mean, what other coach will come here if he is???? Certainly not any one reputable. I recall thinking back when he was hired that if he doesn't succeed here, then no one will. Bill Curry averaged a 4-7 season in 7 seasons here. Hall Mumme averaged 5-7 over 4 seasons. Guy Morriss averaged 4.5 wins in his two seasons here. Rich Brooks averaged a record of 6-6 over 7 seasons (the best of the group). Joker Phillips averaged 4-8 in 3 seasons, and now Coach Stoops has averaged 4-8 in 3 seasons as well. So, with the exception of Coach Brooks, no coach at UK has averaged a record better than 5-7 here at UK. When will we just give a coach time to build the program into a contender???? Thanks to the success of the basketball program, UK fans want instant gratification in regards to football when it is painfully obvious that it is going to take more time than we've given Stoops to right this ship.

I say we need to quit focusing on Stoops being the problem and look at the glaring issues which are the play-callers. I think changes need to be made in the coaching staff, just not the HC.

For the record, although Rich Brooks averaged 6-6 for his career at UK, he only averaged a 3-8 record over his first three seasons.

NO!!! Certainly not at this time!!!

 

[Big John Stud]

Anyone who thinks that Coach Stoops needs to be fired is an absolute nutjob in my opinion. I mean, what other coach will come here if he is???? Certainly not any one reputable. I recall thinking back when he was hired that if he doesn't succeed here, then no one will. Bill Curry averaged a 4-7 season in 7 seasons here. Hall Mumme averaged 5-7 over 4 seasons. Guy Morriss averaged 4.5 wins in his two seasons here. Rich Brooks averaged a record of 6-6 over 7 seasons (the best of the group). Joker Phillips averaged 4-8 in 3 seasons, and now Coach Stoops has averaged 4-8 in 3 seasons as well. So, with the exception of Coach Brooks, no coach at UK has averaged a record better than 5-7 here at UK. When will we just give a coach time to build the program into a contender???? Thanks to the success of the basketball program, UK fans want instant gratification in regards to football when it is painfully obvious that it is going to take more time than we've given Stoops to right this ship.

I say we need to quit focusing on Stoops being the problem and look at the glaring issues which are the play-callers. I think changes need to be made in the coaching staff, just not the HC.

For the record, although Rich Brooks averaged 6-6 for his career at UK, he only averaged a 3-8 record over his first three seasons.

Yup, that's why Joker failed, the playcallers.

 

[The_Godfather_rivals]

Anyone who thinks that Coach Stoops needs to be fired is an absolute nutjob in my opinion. I mean, what other coach will come here if he is???? Certainly not any one reputable. I recall thinking back when he was hired that if he doesn't succeed here, then no one will. Bill Curry averaged a 4-7 season in 7 seasons here. Hall Mumme averaged 5-7 over 4 seasons. Guy Morriss averaged 4.5 wins in his two seasons here. Rich Brooks averaged a record of 6-6 over 7 seasons (the best of the group). Joker Phillips averaged 4-8 in 3 seasons, and now Coach Stoops has averaged 4-8 in 3 seasons as well. So, with the exception of Coach Brooks, no coach at UK has averaged a record better than 5-7 here at UK. When will we just give a coach time to build the program into a contender???? Thanks to the success of the basketball program, UK fans want instant gratification in regards to football when it is painfully obvious that it is going to take more time than we've given Stoops to right this ship.

I say we need to quit focusing on Stoops being the problem and look at the glaring issues which are the play-callers. I think changes need to be made in the coaching staff, just not the HC.

For the record, although Rich Brooks averaged 6-6 for his career at UK, he only averaged a 3-8 record over his first three seasons.

Brooks was coming off probation.

Secondly, Brooks got a pass on his 3rd season because about 30 guys had season ending injuries. People weren't thrilled, but they also knew that 2006 was positioned a little like 2015 in that UK had a friendlier schedule and roster with potential, especially on offense.

UK will be lucky to reach 5 wins next season when you look at the schedule. If Stoops couldn't take advantage of the 2015 schedule, he never will.

So, Stoops won't be fired this season, but the 2016 season will be an ongoing erosion of the UK football program setting up the inevitable hire of a new coach brought in to "rebuild" the program for the 7th straight season.

 

[Cats_2010]

And the buck also stops with the head coach as well. Nothing we did this year improved and everything got worse. That has now happened two years in a row with two different OC's. Call me a nut job all you want but if you are what you are as a QB after three years, the same can be said as a head coach. Stoops appears in over his head and unless he gets a proven head coach on his staff that can mentor him he is not going to get better. You can't surround yourself with zero experience when you have zero experience and not get what we have witnessed. Any quality high school coaching staff could have produced better results than this years staff did. He has his money now he can earn his damn paycheck or hit the bricks.

 

[Blue_White_KY]

People want to make a point about how "easy" or favorable our schedule was this season but they fail to realize we did not have the talent to take advantage of it. 2007 team could have done great things with it but that wasn't rich brooks 3rd or even 4th season. He had some time to build up to that.
Then the Joker train ran us into the ground for 2 wins a year and Stoops has going back up the win column.
Yes we have had two late season collapses but that's gonna happen with younger teams who have no depth. I have reservations about Stoops but I'm not stupid to think firing him now would lead us to something better.
A third year QB can not be compared to a 3rd year HC. Cal continues to improve and evolve as a coach so I'm pretty sure Stoops can and will to.
As of now, keeping him outweighs firing him and it's not even close.

 

[Comebakatz3]

I don't think you can fire him this year, but if he doesn't fix some big time problems then it is just a matter of time. His team doesn't show much discipline, they don't get lined up right, they need better offensive line coaching, they need to learn to make adjustments throughout the game, they need to simply play better basic football.

Talent and depth are part of the problem, but they aren't all of it. Look at Butch Jones' football team at Tennessee. They played tough all year and they probably have less depth than we do. Sure, they are more talented, but they are also the youngest team in the country. Despite being that young they played every team (except maybe Arkansas) to the wire. Then, when their schedule got easier they took advantage and ended up 2nd in the SEC East and 8-4 overall. UK played a much easier schedule, granted they had less talent on their team, and when the times got tough we pretty much laid down. You can just see the different mindset the two teams have. Tennessee never lost heart and fought hard all year. UK didn't fight hard at any point after the Auburn loss. That is coaching and motivation. Unless he can fix some basic and fundamental problems then things won't get better for UK.

 

[mrhotdice]

No coach alive can make UKs players stronger, quicker, and smarter. Only better recruiting and time does that. Anyone who doesn't know that is a football idiot.

 

[jte123]

It doesn't matter UK is never going to go after a big time coach and thus we will be stuck in this crap cycle we have been in for the last 50 years.

 

[TBCat]

People want to make a point about how "easy" or favorable our schedule was this season but they fail to realize we did not have the talent to take advantage of it. 2007 team could have done great things with it but that wasn't rich brooks 3rd or even 4th season. He had some time to build up to that.
Then the Joker train ran us into the ground for 2 wins a year and Stoops has going back up the win column.
Yes we have had two late season collapses but that's gonna happen with younger teams who have no depth. I have reservations about Stoops but I'm not stupid to think firing him now would lead us to something better.
A third year QB can not be compared to a 3rd year HC. Cal continues to improve and evolve as a coach so I'm pretty sure Stoops can and will to.
As of now, keeping him outweighs firing him and it's not even close.

Yes we did. we should have had at worst a 6 win season. We lost to at least 2 teams with less talent. Both of them with newer coaching staffs than Stoops has. We also were in a position to beat some other vulnerable teams and didn't do it. Even bad coaches have at least one signature win over a 3 year span. We don't have one.

 

[kyjohn]

I don't think you can fire him this year, but if he doesn't fix some big time problems then it is just a matter of time. His team doesn't show much discipline, they don't get lined up right, they need better offensive line coaching, they need to learn to make adjustments throughout the game, they need to simply play better basic football.

Talent and depth are part of the problem, but they aren't all of it. Look at Butch Jones' football team at Tennessee. They played tough all year and they probably have less depth than we do. Sure, they are more talented, but they are also the youngest team in the country. Despite being that young they played every team (except maybe Arkansas) to the wire. Then, when their schedule got easier they took advantage and ended up 2nd in the SEC East and 8-4 overall. UK played a much easier schedule, granted they had less talent on their team, and when the times got tough we pretty much laid down. You can just see the different mindset the two teams have. Tennessee never lost heart and fought hard all year. UK didn't fight hard at any point after the Auburn loss. That is coaching and motivation. Unless he can fix some basic and fundamental problems then things won't get better for UK.

Hooray!! Someone who can write an intelligent fact based post.Thanks.

 

[LadyCaytIL]

UK football is a failure because everyone from Barnhart to the fans accepts failure. 3 years .... at year 3 a program needs to have hope for the future. There is none .........

If your team doesn't fight for you....... you are DONE. DONE ... Go ahead and give Stoops more time . he's already done, His only shot....... only shot is hiring an OC, DC or both who have enough respect and bravado to get the players to at least fight for him/them. And we'll have an early warning system because if we hire inexperienced...... then go ahead and play the death march.

 

[Gaytor Hater]

Anyone who thinks that Coach Stoops needs to be fired is an absolute nutjob in my opinion. I mean, what other coach will come here if he is???? Certainly not any one reputable. I recall thinking back when he was hired that if he doesn't succeed here, then no one will. Bill Curry averaged a 4-7 season in 7 seasons here. Hall Mumme averaged 5-7 over 4 seasons. Guy Morriss averaged 4.5 wins in his two seasons here. Rich Brooks averaged a record of 6-6 over 7 seasons (the best of the group). Joker Phillips averaged 4-8 in 3 seasons, and now Coach Stoops has averaged 4-8 in 3 seasons as well. So, with the exception of Coach Brooks, no coach at UK has averaged a record better than 5-7 here at UK. When will we just give a coach time to build the program into a contender???? Thanks to the success of the basketball program, UK fans want instant gratification in regards to football when it is painfully obvious that it is going to take more time than we've given Stoops to right this ship.

I say we need to quit focusing on Stoops being the problem and look at the glaring issues which are the play-callers. I think changes need to be made in the coaching staff, just not the HC.

For the record, although Rich Brooks averaged 6-6 for his career at UK, he only averaged a 3-8 record over his first three seasons.

By your logic, what coordinator would want to come here if he only gets a year? You can only go through so many coordinators before you have to consider the problem starts at the top.

 

[LadyCaytIL]

we have enough talent on the team you could lure a coach with a good chunk of money. The coach at Memphis, Temple, Houston or even Brohm at Western Kentucky.... We have enough talent that those guys could work with.

If we went 3-9 this year but our guys fought like hell every game...... I'd be first on the keep Stoops wagon. Our guys don't even fight for Stoops. He lost the team. Have you ever seen a coach lose a team one year and the next year get them back?

Stoops doesn't have the experience or name recognition to instill faith into our players.

 

[rabidcatfan]

No coach alive can make UKs players stronger, quicker, and smarter. Only better recruiting and time does that. Anyone who doesn't know that is a football idiot.

This x 1000. You can only recruit so many players in a year. The UK team that Joker left was abysmal and devoid of much in the way of mid to high level SEC talent. Coach Stoops has only been here three seasons. He has brought in top notch (for us) recruiting classes in each season. Yes, next seasons schedule is gonna be a bear, but I'm confident that if Stoops cankeep recruiting the way he has been, that the depth on the team will finally catch up and we will be able to field a quality team that is worthy of playing and winning in the SEC.

That being said, there will HAVE to be some changes made in the coaching staff. There's really no way Stoops can justify retaining everyone with the kind of collapse we had in the last 7 games of the season.

 

[kb22stang]

Yes we did. we should have had at worst a 6 win season. We lost to at least 2 teams with less talent. Both of them with newer coaching staffs than Stoops has. We also were in a position to beat some other vulnerable teams and didn't do it. Even bad coaches have at least one signature win over a 3 year span. We don't have one.

Now you're creating reasons to say he's doing a bad job. That statement is false and it's a stupid way to judge a coach.

Both of those newer staff's walked in to situations with lots more talent.


We lost one extra game, that's it.

 

[catntn_rivals304431]

The cat fans who want Stoops fired all have the same name.....Dell Usional. The same should be said of a fan of any major D1 fball team.

 

[Anon1639625937]

No I (and that that what I think matters) do not think so.

 

[3kidsandme]

If u fire Stoops after 3 years when he took over a team in shambles you will never get a good coach to come here. We won 2 games and 0 in the sec just 2 years ago we have won 5 games and 2 in conference the last 2 years. That my folks is improvement. If we can field a decent oline next year we go bowling for more improvement.

 

[rjr]

People want to make a point about how "easy" or favorable our schedule was this season but they fail to realize we did not have the talent to take advantage of it. 2007 team could have done great things with it but that wasn't rich brooks 3rd or even 4th season. He had some time to build up to that.
Then the Joker train ran us into the ground for 2 wins a year and Stoops has going back up the win column.
Yes we have had two late season collapses but that's gonna happen with younger teams who have no depth. I have reservations about Stoops but I'm not stupid to think firing him now would lead us to something better.
A third year QB can not be compared to a 3rd year HC. Cal continues to improve and evolve as a coach so I'm pretty sure Stoops can and will to.
As of now, keeping him outweighs firing him and it's not even close.

Cry me a river about the lack of talent. Stoops has had the three best recruiting classes in decades over the last three years. This team had plenty of talent to win 6 games. Geez, if the head coach didn't go full retard during the Vandy game, they would have won 6 games! We have soundly out-recruited UL for the last three years. Assuming we hold onto our current recruits- we will do so for the fourth straight year this year. When we lose to them again next year- will you again be lamenting a lack of talent?

There was plenty of talent on this team to win 6 games. Plenty to beat Louisville, imo. The problem is our coaching staff is not developing the talent and has no idea how to manage a football game.

 

[Burly]

We suck upfront on both sides of the ball...going to be worse next year on Dline and young on oline. Stoops is doomed to fail. No matter how much talent is on or around poor line play you are going to get beat.

He better find a front 4 that can get a pass rush and he better find two offensive tackles that can win some one on ones. If not he will be gone this time next year.