Biggest concern about the Stoops era?

[Jared1985]

That Stoops is a DEFENSIVE coach. Kentucky, will never (in our lifetimes anyway) ever be a team that is going to win big games consistently because of defense. We don't have a talent and we don't have the depth. And we likely never will.

Anytime Kentucky (or any other smaller program in a power conference) has ever had breakout seasons has been because of offense.

Unfortunately, anytime anyone has any measure of success here as an offensive coordinator (or position coach) it seems even more impressive to other schools due to it being done at Kentucky.

My point is it hasn't happened yet....but IF we are successful and manage to put together winning seasons (or for that matter, a really productive one from a statistical point of view) you can bet your bottom dollar our offensive coordinator will be gone to greener pastures with nearly ever successful season.....

Just by law of averages, he will run out of capable OC's eventually (or at least ones's good enough to make a difference here)

Its the reason IMO that not hiring a offensive head coach who calls his own plays is a HUGE mistake for us.

Im grateful for what Stoops has done for this program, but I can't shake the feeling that his era is likely doomed due to what will eventually be a revolving door at the OC position.

 

[jauk11]

I don't think there is that big of a problem. In fact I am really looking forward to our offense, and think most of us are. This year and for the foreseeable future.

We have a 5.9 QB, a 5.9 RB with another four star one, and some very good under rated ones, a four star TE with two very good backups, an excellent WR corp with some four stars AND some even better highly rated help, and maybe most important a very talented and experienced OL that has a four and FIVE star in the wings..

And maybe most important an experienced and proven OC with good QB coach, with competent help. All he needs to do is step back and let them run the show, IMO, and next year should be even better, which should attract even better talent.

The TALENT he has brought in on offense should make whoever the OC is a pretty good OC, a world of difference in what we have had to work with before.

We should know a lot more shortly.

 

[Ineverplayedthegame]

For a DEFENSIVE coach, our defense sure has sucked.
Just sayin'.

 

[Blue Decade]

The previous posters have it about right. By far, the biggest concern of the Stoops era is lack of development of quality depth in our defensive front 7. We haven't signed enough quality defensive players upfront. The unfortunate stories of Provitt, Hatcher, Meant, Tubman hurt badly. But if Elam, Middleton, Dubose play well this year, which is a big if, that would go a long way toward fixing the problem since all 3 will be back in 2017. Stoops has actually done a solid job with the secondary. The 2nd biggest concern of the Stoops era is special teams, and I remain concerned there.

 

[law1127]

Gran and Hinshaw are a Major improvement for the offense!

 

[maverick1rw]

Top 3 IMO

1. The Dawson Hire, worst move he has made.
2. Blowing the games against VANDY and UL last season that could have got UK a bowl. (some of this is on Dawson but Stoops owns it)
3. The defense, yes stoops is a defensive guy but he has had some bad luck however to be this thin at DL and this young at LB is concerning going into year 4. I'm wondering if he should have hit JC harder ?

I love Stoops. I think he is working his @$$ off. I'm all for Stoops. I also think the coaching changes this year are exciting and should help us get over the 5 wins. GBB

 

[CatEye2010]

Please, please let us pressure the QB's this year! My takeaway so far from the Stoops era is making 3rd string walk-on qb's from Directional Polytech look like Heisman trophy winners. If you give me 10 seconds to find someone open, I'll find 'em! And I'm old and slow.

 

[JPFisher]

Top 3 IMO

1. The Dawson Hire, worst move he has made.
2. Blowing the games against VANDY and UL last season that could have got UK a bowl. (some of this is on Dawson but Stoops owns it)
3. The defense, yes stoops is a defensive guy but he has had some bad luck however to be this thin at DL and this young at LB is concerning going into year 4. I'm wondering if he should have hit JC harder ?

I love Stoops. I think he is working his @$$ off. I'm all for Stoops. I also think the coaching changes this year are exciting and should help us get over the 5 wins. GBB

Stoops is a first time HC and switched us from a 4-3 to a 3-4. LB depth is bound to be an issue in this scenario, and the losses of DL depth have just made things look worse for the front 7.

Provitt, Meant, Hatcher, Tubman... In a defensive scheme where you only have 3 linemen at any one time, you just lost more than a 2-deep.

Doesn't matter how hard you hit JUCO if they won't make it to campus.

 

[Blue Decade]

Please, please let us pressure the QB's this year! My takeaway so far from the Stoops era is making 3rd string walk-on qb's from Directional Polytech look like Heisman trophy winners. If you give me 10 seconds to find someone open, I'll find 'em! And I'm old and slow.

Getting pressure against the other team's quarterback is 1 of the most important differences between good football teams and struggling teams. When you play another team of equal or slightly greater strength, nothing will turn a game in your team's favor as quickly as sacking the other team's quarterback 4-5 times.

 

[Bluetick2100]

Kentucky, will never (in our lifetimes anyway) ever be a team that is going to win big games consistently because of defense. We don't have a talent and we don't have the depth. And we likely never will.

Your post is flawed, you can not know all future defenses will never be good.
A recent example Vandy.

There have been past coaches at UK who have proven that UK can and has had good defensive units.

I too have been greatly disappointed in Stoops defense's results.
Some bad luck and some coaching.

I'm not ready yet to call for a coaching change.
But Stoops must prove to the fans this season there is reason to believe.
Otherwise empty seats will determine his future.

 

[JPFisher]

Please, please let us pressure the QB's this year! My takeaway so far from the Stoops era is making 3rd string walk-on qb's from Directional Polytech look like Heisman trophy winners. If you give me 10 seconds to find someone open, I'll find 'em! And I'm old and slow.

I'm not a fan of Eliot. The defense is really hit or miss, but you have to wonder how much of that can be attributed to offense sputtering. Eliot has shown promise with being unpredictable at times and dialing up solid blitzes. Needs consistency.

 

[KentuckyStout]

Defensive line.

That issue alone has cost us two bowl trips in the Stoops era and it is consistently the softest part of our team.

 

[seccats04]

Your post is flawed, you can not know all future defenses will never be good.
A recent example Vandy.

There have been past coaches at UK who have proven that UK can and has had good defensive units.

I too have been greatly disappointed in Stoops defense's results.
Some bad luck and some coaching.

I'm not ready yet to call for a coaching change.
But Stoops must prove to the fans this season there is reason to believe.
Otherwise empty seats will determine his future.

You stole my thunder as I was going to say look at Vandy to disprove his theory. They almost always have good defenses and yet we consistently out recruit them (minus a couple of the Franklin years).

 

[maverick1rw]

Stoops is a first time HC and switched us from a 4-3 to a 3-4. LB depth is bound to be an issue in this scenario, and the losses of DL depth have just made things look worse for the front 7.

Provitt, Meant, Hatcher, Tubman... In a defensive scheme where you only have 3 linemen at any one time, you just lost more than a 2-deep.

Doesn't matter how hard you hit JUCO if they won't make it to campus.

Your saying being thin at DL and LB is not concerning because Stoops is a first time HC, switched up defense and things happen.
He has made the decisions to get him to this point and excuses don't fix the problem.
And for any recruit that does not make it to campus, once again that's part of coaching and recruiting.
Joker was a first time head coach at when he took over here and the excuses only last so long. Stoops own this, it's his players, his staff.

 

[WildcatDJ]

Total Defense rankings Stoops' first three years:

2013 = 92
2014 = 77
2015 = 59

It's not as fast as we want, and not yet as dominant as we want, but there has been steady and consistent improvement in the defense each year so far.

http://www.cfbstats.com/2015/leader/national/team/defense/split01/category10/sort01.html

 

[shutzhund]

You can be the best coaching mind in the SEC but if you don't have the players it's like having teats on a boar hog.

Those who believe we have SEC or even high quality Sun Belt players in all position, two deep are on crack.

The qb who changes the play sent in, on the goal line, isn't helping much when it fails and the coach gets the blame. The special team player who doesn't know he's supposed to be on the field is an idiot yet the coach is blamed. The coaches know these guys are risky but, at UK, the two behind them are worse so you put them in the game and hold your breath.

All coaches make mistakes but good players can sometimes bail them out but poor players can't.

 

[JPFisher]

Your saying being thin at DL and LB is not concerning because Stoops is a first time HC, switched up defense and things happen.
He has made the decisions to get him to this point and excuses don't fix the problem.
And for any recruit that does not make it to campus, once again that's part of coaching and recruiting.
Joker was a first time head coach at when he took over here and the excuses only last so long. Stoops own this, it's his players, his staff.

I never said it wasn't concerning. Merely that it's to be expected given the circumstances.

Also, Bonner being stabbed multiple times and missing tons of practice is Stoops's fault?

A player choosing to be a pothead over a respectable LB/DE is Stoops's fault? Who's he going to be benched for? The three other four-star DE/LB recruits from the first class? How many more chances should we have given the player?

A player being ejected from UK by a kangaroo court after being found not guilty in a real court of law is Stoops's fault?

A player moving to Florida after causing trouble and being arrested with a handgun is Stoops's fault?

Kids not making grades is on them. Not Stoops.

Joker is not Stoops. Joker was handed a program on the rise. Stoops was handed a program in the gutter.

The 3-4 is becoming a more effective defense in college because it gives you an extra man in coverage against the spread/Pro-style spread that a lot of teams are employing. It's Stoops's choice, yes, but a solid one. We won't have to recruit as many linemen who are more difficult to recruit and thus take more resources to recruit.

We're going to take lumps. Stoops will take some lumps on the field and from some fans, but not me. He's the best chance we've had since Brooks to make UK respectable. I'm willing to be reasonable about circumstances. Can other fans say the same?

 

[maverick1rw]

I never said it wasn't concerning. Merely that it's to be expected given the circumstances.

Also, Bonner being stabbed multiple times and missing tons of practice is Stoops's fault?

A player choosing to be a pothead over a respectable LB/DE is Stoops's fault? Who's he going to be benched for? The three other four-star DE/LB recruits from the first class? How many more chances should we have given the player?

A player being ejected from UK by a kangaroo court after being found not guilty in a real court of law is Stoops's fault?

A player moving to Florida after causing trouble and being arrested with a handgun is Stoops's fault?

Kids not making grades is on them. Not Stoops.

Joker is not Stoops. Joker was handed a program on the rise. Stoops was handed a program in the gutter.

The 3-4 is becoming a more effective defense in college because it gives you an extra man in coverage against the spread/Pro-style spread that a lot of teams are employing. It's Stoops's choice, yes, but a solid one. We won't have to recruit as many linemen who are more difficult to recruit and thus take more resources to recruit.

We're going to take lumps. Stoops will take some lumps on the field and from some fans, but not me. He's the best chance we've had since Brooks to make UK respectable. I'm willing to be reasonable about circumstances. Can other fans say the same?

I like Stoops, we could go back and forth all day, just saying..............Peace

 

[JPFisher]

I like Stoops, we could go back and forth all day, just saying..............Peace

I just don't like what I feel are unreasonable expectations. Hindsight is 20/20 and we're all trying to support the team, but it's tough sometimes. I get that. No harm, no foul.

 

[maverick1rw]

I just don't like what I feel are unreasonable expectations. Hindsight is 20/20 and we're all trying to support the team, but it's tough sometimes. I get that. No harm, no foul.

Im a 6-6 guy, should have been there last year.

 

[Jared1985]

:Hate to be the "I told you so guy" but...

Our defense SUCKS.

Offense is the ONLY way we win games, now and in the future.

 

[Shavers48]

Top 3 IMO

1. The Dawson Hire, worst move he has made.
2. Blowing the games against VANDY and UL last season that could have got UK a bowl. (some of this is on Dawson but Stoops owns it)
3. The defense, yes stoops is a defensive guy but he has had some bad luck however to be this thin at DL and this young at LB is concerning going into year 4. I'm wondering if he should have hit JC harder ?

I love Stoops. I think he is working his @$$ off. I'm all for Stoops. I also think the coaching changes this year are exciting and should help us get over the 5 wins. GBB

i don't care how hard he's working. I care how effectively he's working. and the effect hasn't been pleasant

 

[TBCat]

Total Defense rankings Stoops' first three years:

2013 = 92
2014 = 77
2015 = 59

It's not as fast as we want, and not yet as dominant as we want, but there has been steady and consistent improvement in the defense each year so far.

http://www.cfbstats.com/2015/leader/national/team/defense/split01/category10/sort01.html

The problem is Vandy had a top 10 defense and they aren't even close to being a bowl team. I don't care how much our defense improves if offense and special teams continues to be a hot mess. I really don't think Stoops really gets that point. He still seems to be in the old school "establish the run" and "keep the score low" mind set. We will never put together a winning season until we have an offense.

The main concern I have for the Stoops era is that our teams are extremely poorly coached. We bashed Dawson for the train wreck our offense was a year ago but Dawson was hired by Stoops and his hiring fits a trend of young inexperienced assistants. Before this game I went back and watched last years games and was shocked at how bad our QBs were at footwork. And while Hinshaw has clearly cleaned a lot of that up we are still seeing very poorly coached players on the O line, LB and I don't even want to get into special teams. It's clear that special teams will continue to be one of the worst in college football. I don't know how a defensive coach thinks he will win defensive struggles when his special teams will give up 3 or 4 TDs a game by themselves.

We may end up winning tonight but it's clear we are not well coached and were not perpared to play this game. If we win it will be a case of out talenting them. There is a reason Stoops has never pulled of the big upset. You don't beat good teams by showing up like this. God this is an awful mess.

 

[Jared1985]

100% correct TBCat.

Vandy's top defense may look good on paper, but it hasn't generated wins. If Kentucky is EVER going to be a team that breaks through it will be with offense (ala what Hugh Freeze has done at Ole Miss)

I just worry that Stoops won't be able to hang on to his OC's year in year out. I hate Louisville, but they sure are lucky knowing that thats not a problem as long as their head coach calls his own offensive plays.

That is such a HUGE advantage for smaller schools.

 

[Jared1985]

Wow.