Breaking my 3 year silence on the coaching staff

[Father Torque_rivals16706]

As some of you might remember, I was very adamant during the last coaching search that UK should hire Petrino. I thought and still do, that he was the best coach that UK could have hired, and because of his situation UK could lock him into a contract that was weighed heavily in UK's favor.The last thing I wanted to see was UK hiring another first time head coach. After the Joker fiasco I thought they surely wouldn't go down that road again, but they did.

I told myself I wouldn't post on Stoops or the coaching staff for 3 years to give him time to see what he was all about. Well time's up and here's the result, probably not what you are expecting.

Stoops is going to be the head coach next year and the year after that. That's a given because of the contract extension that Barnhart gave him. (I'll get to Barnhart in a minute) I think Stoops should get those two years and his recruiting is why. He's recruited better than anyone who has ever coached at UK has. Anybody who's complaining because we are still 12th or 13th in the SEC in recruiting is not seeing the whole picture, IMO. If you can't see the difference between 50th ranked classes and 13th in the SEC and 29th ranked classes and 13th in the SEC ------. NOBODY is going to come to UK and recruit in the top 5 of the SEC right away, it's not realistic and it's not going to happen.

Yes, the on the field coaching has been suspect at best, and asinine at worst. Here's the thing though, you can learn to be a better head coach, I don't think you can learn to be a better recruiter. I think Stoops need to sit down with his brothers and watch all of UK's games from this year and let them point and laugh at the dumb things he did and then tell him what he should have done. Then he really needs to get some older experienced coaching on this staff, somebody he can lean on for help and learn from. I want the guy to succeed here, I really do. I don't know if I have it in me to suffer through another coaching change and start this process all over again, especially if Barnhart is the one doing the hiring.

Which brings us to Mitch. I've defended him many times on this board. I've said he's the best AD UK has had in forever. The sad part is that's true, he is. However saying he's the best AD UK has had is like saying he's the cutest fat girl in the bar. UK had decades of incompetent, ignorant, and corrupt AD's. Of course Barnhart looks good in comparison. I daresay I could pick 5 people off this board that could have done a better job than UK's prior AD's.

Barnhart made arguably the worst hire in the history of UK sports in Gillispie. Arguably the worst football hire in Joker, and then jumped the gun and gave Stoops a premature contract extension. Look if I had a badminton game going on in the backyard with my 80 year old aunt and uncle, I'm sure Barnhart would be a great partner. If I get in a knife fight in a back alley though, I don't want Mitch backing me up. And that right there is the problem, the SEC isn't octogenarian badminton, it's a knife fight. It's bloody and brutal and nice guys finish last. I cringe at the thought of Barnhart making another football hire. I'd much rather keep Stoops than risk that again.

Glad to be back posting, I was still reading all the time.

 

[ulismyman]

Excellent

 

[Levibooty]

When people say they want Petrino at UK i lose all interest in their opinions.

 

[gobigblue812_rivals29381]

Glad you didn't wait any longer, I couldn't stand it while you were away.

 

[ulismyman]

Im not a Petrino guy either but he had good points

 

[Tskware]

You make a lot of good points, welcome back. He is scum, but Petrino is >>>>> coach than Stoops, cannot even debate the point any longer. Hell, if had coached Eastern this year, he would have beaten Stoops with all three in state teams.

I too would like to keep Stoops and think 4 or even 5 years is reasonable. We all want him to succeed.

That being said, the $3M contract raise/extension halfway through year 2 is about the dumbest move I have ever seen a UK AD make, and there have been some doozies (like not getting a written contract signed by Gillespie??). How he keeps his job without any real heat with this potential financial catastrophe staring him in the face is beyond me. You wait and see, I have already heard from K Fund connections that they expect ticket and suite sales next year to take a terrific hit. How could they not?

 

[UKJon_in_tn]

What was Petrino's record in a Basketball conference with a lot of players that wouldn't be allowed at UK?
Every time I watch Louisville, I wonder what each player was charged with, especially the transfers, before coming to UL.

 

[docholiday51]

Much of what the OP says is correct,except the part about hiring Petrino.If we go back 3 years in time and consider the Petrino situation it doesn't make any difference if he was Bear Bryant,Vince Lombardi and Alonzo Stagg rolled into one,he wasn't the right person for UK to hire then now or ever

Some issues are bigger than wining football games and Pitrino falls short in multiple areas.

 

[kyjohn]

As some of you might remember, I was very adamant during the last coaching search that UK should hire Petrino. I thought and still do, that he was the best coach that UK could have hired, and because of his situation UK could lock him into a contract that was weighed heavily in UK's favor.The last thing I wanted to see was UK hiring another first time head coach. After the Joker fiasco I thought they surely wouldn't go down that road again, but they did.

I told myself I wouldn't post on Stoops or the coaching staff for 3 years to give him time to see what he was all about. Well time's up and here's the result, probably not what you are expecting.

Stoops is going to be the head coach next year and the year after that. That's a given because of the contract extension that Barnhart gave him. (I'll get to Barnhart in a minute) I think Stoops should get those two years and his recruiting is why. He's recruited better than anyone who has ever coached at UK has. Anybody who's complaining because we are still 12th or 13th in the SEC in recruiting is an idiot. If you can't see the difference between 50th ranked classes and 13th in the SEC and 29th ranked classes and 13th in the SEC the you're too stupid to waste time talking to. NOBODY is going to come to UK and recruit in the top 5 of the SEC right away, it's not realistic and it's not going to happen.

Yes, the on the field coaching has been suspect at best, and asinine at worst. Here's the thing though, you can learn to be a better head coach, I don't think you can learn to be a better recruiter. I think Stoops need to sit down with his brothers and watch all of UK's games from this year and let them point and laugh at the dumb things he did and then tell him what he should have done. Then he really needs to get some older experienced coaching on this staff, somebody he can lean on for help and learn from. I want the guy to succeed here, I really do. I don't know if I have it in me to suffer through another coaching change and start this process all over again, especially if Barnhart is the one doing the hiring.

Which brings us to Mitch. I've defended him many times on this board. I've said he's the best AD UK has had in forever. The sad part is that's true, he is. However saying he's the best AD UK has had is like saying he's the cutest fat girl in the bar. UK had decades of incompetent, ignorant, and corrupt AD's. Of course Barnhart looks good in comparison. I daresay I could pick 5 people off this board that could have done a better job than UK's prior AD's.

Barnhart made arguably the worst hire in the history of UK sports in Gillispie. Arguably the worst football hire in Joker, and then jumped the gun and gave Stoops a premature contract extension. Look if I had a badminton game going on in the backyard with my 80 year old aunt and uncle, I'm sure Barnhart would be a great partner. If I get in a knife fight in a back alley though, I don't want Mitch backing me up. And that right there is the problem, the SEC isn't octogenarian badminton, it's a knife fight. It's bloody and brutal and nice guys finish last. I cringe at the thought of Barnhart making another football hire. I'd much rather keep Stoops than risk that again.

Glad to be back posting, I was still reading all the time.

Welcome back and thanks for your intelligent ,thoughtful comments.Have to agree with you wholeheartedly on Petrino.The guy has proven himself over and over again that he is a good football coach and would have been a far better hire than what UK has now.

 

[theoledog]

When people say they want Petrino at UK i lose all interest in their opinions.

I got Torque's back on Pitrino... My opinion at the time was...."if Pitrino is new and improved someone is getting a steal, if not then.... whoops"...
He was never considered never talked to... Down the road their AD spent hours with the man to determine what they were getting...

Never a player of any mention of the game but I've been around the block a few times... I can't say it any better that Father Torque... I hope Stoops get's hit right.... The program was in a very fragile state post CJP and come spring when renewals are due we will see where we are?
If we hired Pitrino and it didn't suit you then I'd imagine most all of us would back your decision to sit his tenure out... But I got every reason to believe had he been successful (even moderately) you'd be "all in" just like the Cal haters prior to his being considered. You want to play in the Church League Levi you got just the man in Barnhart to roll with... He's a Director of Atheletic Finances.... Not an Athletic Director. He's a good man/manager but out of his league hiring coaches....

 

[LeTude]

I agree with everything here except the Petrino stance.

 

[fredmanthecatfan]

Count me in as one wanting to give Stoops more time. Changing coaches too frequently is a recipe for not building anything. I also think that he can learn to make better adjustments.

Right now however, I do have some concerns. Some of the on the field performance and the more recent reports, if true, of division in the locker room may have a negative impact in the area where Stoops has been doing better than past UK coaches--recruiting. If recruiting ends up suffering, it will obviously effect the on the field results. This could spiral us down to Joker levels. If that happens, he will HAVE to go.

Therefore, he will HAVE to prevent that from happening. He has to put a full court press on current commits as well as recruiting targets.

In addition, he needs a receivers coach. The number of dropped passes killed us in a few games. How much of that is receiver inexperience, and how much of it is lack of coaching them up? While I don't know the answer, I know it can't be allowed to continue.

A special teams coach is a must. No explanation required.

We need more quality depth in the trenches, and we may need better coaching/teaching of technique as well.

I get that a lot of people are fed up. For decades it seems like Lucy pulling the football away from Charlie Brown. UK football has a lot of work to do, but I still think it's doable.

 

[DACats86]

As some of you might remember, I was very adamant during the last coaching search that UK should hire Petrino. I thought and still do, that he was the best coach that UK could have hired, and because of his situation UK could lock him into a contract that was weighed heavily in UK's favor.The last thing I wanted to see was UK hiring another first time head coach. After the Joker fiasco I thought they surely wouldn't go down that road again, but they did.

I told myself I wouldn't post on Stoops or the coaching staff for 3 years to give him time to see what he was all about. Well time's up and here's the result, probably not what you are expecting.

Stoops is going to be the head coach next year and the year after that. That's a given because of the contract extension that Barnhart gave him. (I'll get to Barnhart in a minute) I think Stoops should get those two years and his recruiting is why. He's recruited better than anyone who has ever coached at UK has. Anybody who's complaining because we are still 12th or 13th in the SEC in recruiting is not seeing the whole picture, IMO. If you can't see the difference between 50th ranked classes and 13th in the SEC and 29th ranked classes and 13th in the SEC ------. NOBODY is going to come to UK and recruit in the top 5 of the SEC right away, it's not realistic and it's not going to happen.

Yes, the on the field coaching has been suspect at best, and asinine at worst. Here's the thing though, you can learn to be a better head coach, I don't think you can learn to be a better recruiter. I think Stoops need to sit down with his brothers and watch all of UK's games from this year and let them point and laugh at the dumb things he did and then tell him what he should have done. Then he really needs to get some older experienced coaching on this staff, somebody he can lean on for help and learn from. I want the guy to succeed here, I really do. I don't know if I have it in me to suffer through another coaching change and start this process all over again, especially if Barnhart is the one doing the hiring.

Which brings us to Mitch. I've defended him many times on this board. I've said he's the best AD UK has had in forever. The sad part is that's true, he is. However saying he's the best AD UK has had is like saying he's the cutest fat girl in the bar. UK had decades of incompetent, ignorant, and corrupt AD's. Of course Barnhart looks good in comparison. I daresay I could pick 5 people off this board that could have done a better job than UK's prior AD's.

Barnhart made arguably the worst hire in the history of UK sports in Gillispie. Arguably the worst football hire in Joker, and then jumped the gun and gave Stoops a premature contract extension. Look if I had a badminton game going on in the backyard with my 80 year old aunt and uncle, I'm sure Barnhart would be a great partner. If I get in a knife fight in a back alley though, I don't want Mitch backing me up. And that right there is the problem, the SEC isn't octogenarian badminton, it's a knife fight. It's bloody and brutal and nice guys finish last. I cringe at the thought of Barnhart making another football hire. I'd much rather keep Stoops than risk that again.

Glad to be back posting, I was still reading all the time.

Standing ovation...

Despite the unbelievable incompetence displayed by Stoops and his band of merry idiots, the thought of Barnhart hiring another football coach terrifies me more than bringing the whole clueless gang back...

 

[CHAMPCAT11]

Excellent post and well thought out. However; I can't agree with the Petrino comments. He didn't mess up just a little, he went way over the line with regard to character. He was a total scum bag yesterday, he's a total scum bag today, and he'll be a total scum bag tomorrow. I know some fans are okay with him and they're entitled to it but I'd politely turn in my fan card before I'd support that guy.

 

[sluggercatfan]

As some of you might remember, I was very adamant during the last coaching search that UK should hire Petrino. I thought and still do, that he was the best coach that UK could have hired, and because of his situation UK could lock him into a contract that was weighed heavily in UK's favor.The last thing I wanted to see was UK hiring another first time head coach. After the Joker fiasco I thought they surely wouldn't go down that road again, but they did.

I told myself I wouldn't post on Stoops or the coaching staff for 3 years to give him time to see what he was all about. Well time's up and here's the result, probably not what you are expecting.

Stoops is going to be the head coach next year and the year after that. That's a given because of the contract extension that Barnhart gave him. (I'll get to Barnhart in a minute) I think Stoops should get those two years and his recruiting is why. He's recruited better than anyone who has ever coached at UK has. Anybody who's complaining because we are still 12th or 13th in the SEC in recruiting is not seeing the whole picture, IMO. If you can't see the difference between 50th ranked classes and 13th in the SEC and 29th ranked classes and 13th in the SEC ------. NOBODY is going to come to UK and recruit in the top 5 of the SEC right away, it's not realistic and it's not going to happen.

Yes, the on the field coaching has been suspect at best, and asinine at worst. Here's the thing though, you can learn to be a better head coach, I don't think you can learn to be a better recruiter. I think Stoops need to sit down with his brothers and watch all of UK's games from this year and let them point and laugh at the dumb things he did and then tell him what he should have done. Then he really needs to get some older experienced coaching on this staff, somebody he can lean on for help and learn from. I want the guy to succeed here, I really do. I don't know if I have it in me to suffer through another coaching change and start this process all over again, especially if Barnhart is the one doing the hiring.

Which brings us to Mitch. I've defended him many times on this board. I've said he's the best AD UK has had in forever. The sad part is that's true, he is. However saying he's the best AD UK has had is like saying he's the cutest fat girl in the bar. UK had decades of incompetent, ignorant, and corrupt AD's. Of course Barnhart looks good in comparison. I daresay I could pick 5 people off this board that could have done a better job than UK's prior AD's.

Barnhart made arguably the worst hire in the history of UK sports in Gillispie. Arguably the worst football hire in Joker, and then jumped the gun and gave Stoops a premature contract extension. Look if I had a badminton game going on in the backyard with my 80 year old aunt and uncle, I'm sure Barnhart would be a great partner. If I get in a knife fight in a back alley though, I don't want Mitch backing me up. And that right there is the problem, the SEC isn't octogenarian badminton, it's a knife fight. It's bloody and brutal and nice guys finish last. I cringe at the thought of Barnhart making another football hire. I'd much rather keep Stoops than risk that again.

Glad to be back posting, I was still reading all the time.

All things being equal I would agree with you except for one thing and that is NO SEC school will/can hire BP...He is black balled from this conference...why he is at the ONLY place in the country that would take him because there don't care

 

[Levibooty]

You don't have to go to church in order to value morality and ethics more than winning games. In fact some of the best coaches to have ever blown a whistle have strong moral values.

 

[Saguaro Cat]

(While stacking boxes) Oh, of course I remember. Only one of two hundred threads that wanted Petrino. It was on Thursday. 8:30 at night. Three years ago. I remember because the Generals hit a free throw to win the big game that night. Not for nuthin, then there was a lady who posted after that. I remember because it had a picture of her wearing a bikini and holding a basketball. Why did something happen to her?

I'm amazed at the delusion of people who think anyone remembers what they posted three years ago.

 

[Strongtino]

Someone finally brought up Stoops biggest issue...his staff. Stoops is a first time head coach with a bunch of first time or very young coordinators. Thats not a good recipe as evidence by the staffs lack of preparation, in game coaching, play calling and game management. You can have young coaches coaching your secondary, or coaching your linebackers...but if you're a first time coach then you need an experienced OC and DC to help you navigate everything that goes into running a college program.

You've got Shannon Dawson...a man who came from WVU who made his name by having Clint Trickett and Kevin White to call plays for all while playing under a pretty good coach and offensive mind in Dana Holgerson.

Then you have DJ Elliott...a first time coordinator who worked under Stoops at FSU..during FSUs rise back to prominence and with a roster where probably 90% of his starters were drafted.

Stoops needs to find an experienced OC and DC. Preferably someone with head coaching experience even if its a former HC who will only be at UK for a year or two until he gets another job. He needs to be coached on how to coach.

 

[Anon1712931820]

Petrino would not be as successful at UK because he could not bring in the type of players he does at UL. UK would not accept many of the third chancers he brings in and plus he wouldn't be competing against the middle schools he does in the conferences UL has belonged to.

 

[Poetax]

As some of you might remember, I was very adamant during the last coaching search that UK should hire Petrino. I thought and still do, that he was the best coach that UK could have hired, and because of his situation UK could lock him into a contract that was weighed heavily in UK's favor.The last thing I wanted to see was UK hiring another first time head coach. After the Joker fiasco I thought they surely wouldn't go down that road again, but they did.

I told myself I wouldn't post on Stoops or the coaching staff for 3 years to give him time to see what he was all about. Well time's up and here's the result, probably not what you are expecting.

Stoops is going to be the head coach next year and the year after that. That's a given because of the contract extension that Barnhart gave him. (I'll get to Barnhart in a minute) I think Stoops should get those two years and his recruiting is why. He's recruited better than anyone who has ever coached at UK has. Anybody who's complaining because we are still 12th or 13th in the SEC in recruiting is not seeing the whole picture, IMO. If you can't see the difference between 50th ranked classes and 13th in the SEC and 29th ranked classes and 13th in the SEC ------. NOBODY is going to come to UK and recruit in the top 5 of the SEC right away, it's not realistic and it's not going to happen.

Yes, the on the field coaching has been suspect at best, and asinine at worst. Here's the thing though, you can learn to be a better head coach, I don't think you can learn to be a better recruiter. I think Stoops need to sit down with his brothers and watch all of UK's games from this year and let them point and laugh at the dumb things he did and then tell him what he should have done. Then he really needs to get some older experienced coaching on this staff, somebody he can lean on for help and learn from. I want the guy to succeed here, I really do. I don't know if I have it in me to suffer through another coaching change and start this process all over again, especially if Barnhart is the one doing the hiring.

Which brings us to Mitch. I've defended him many times on this board. I've said he's the best AD UK has had in forever. The sad part is that's true, he is. However saying he's the best AD UK has had is like saying he's the cutest fat girl in the bar. UK had decades of incompetent, ignorant, and corrupt AD's. Of course Barnhart looks good in comparison. I daresay I could pick 5 people off this board that could have done a better job than UK's prior AD's.

Barnhart made arguably the worst hire in the history of UK sports in Gillispie. Arguably the worst football hire in Joker, and then jumped the gun and gave Stoops a premature contract extension. Look if I had a badminton game going on in the backyard with my 80 year old aunt and uncle, I'm sure Barnhart would be a great partner. If I get in a knife fight in a back alley though, I don't want Mitch backing me up. And that right there is the problem, the SEC isn't octogenarian badminton, it's a knife fight. It's bloody and brutal and nice guys finish last. I cringe at the thought of Barnhart making another football hire. I'd much rather keep Stoops than risk that again.

Glad to be back posting, I was still reading all the time.

Torque, the ul coach is a good coach but it would be only a matter of time before he would screw it up. Never want to see him here.

 

[NCukcat62]

When people say they want Petrino at UK i lose all interest in their opinions.

Not appropriate.

 

[Krisys]

It just blows my mind that people on this board would rather be the sec's prison ***** then win football games....

 

[Father Torque_rivals16706]

The Petrino ship has sailed and now we have to make do with what we have. I hope Stoops makes it, I want Stoops to make it. I'm not sure my blood pressure can stand starting over again with another new staff.

 

[Kybluedude]

Excellent. I have been a fan since 1962 and season tx holder since 1976. Coaches none have excited me. Liked Joker and Mark but said this is not an on the job training league particularly at UK. Won't renew if no changes. Mark beg your old friend Bo Pelini to come take the D. Get Coley to come take your O. You don't want the Air Raid so quit pretending. Get a QB coach Tony Franklin? Get that weight room on those o and d linemen. Let your new coordinators hire if they need a dline or Oline coach. Sp teams is important devote a Coach to it. Weed out any malcontents. Find a qb that is accurate and if our oline is weak in pass blocking run a quick passing games instead of long patterns. Get the ball out to wr that catch it along with the backs and t ends. I don't think we should have to teach D1 Wr to catch the ball? Cmon they should have that basic skill.

 

[bradyjames_rivals]

At the time, Petrino wouldn't have been available to us. I would have pulled the plug on Joker after year two and hired Mike Leach.

 

[Poetax]

You make a lot of good points, welcome back. He is scum, but Petrino is >>>>> coach than Stoops, cannot even debate the point any longer. Hell, if had coached Eastern this year, he would have beaten Stoops with all three in state teams.

I too would like to keep Stoops and think 4 or even 5 years is reasonable. We all want him to succeed.

That being said, the $3M contract raise/extension halfway through year 2 is about the dumbest move I have ever seen a UK AD make, and there have been some doozies (like not getting a written contract signed by Gillespie??). How he keeps his job without any real heat with this potential financial catastrophe staring him in the face is beyond me. You wait and see, I have already heard from K Fund connections that they expect ticket and suite sales next year to take a terrific hit. How could they not?

Tsk, after all this time, I hope this doesn't shock you, lol. We

Excellent. I have been a fan since 1962 and season tx holder since 1976. Coaches none have excited me. Liked Joker and Mark but said this is not an on the job training league particularly at UK. Won't renew if no changes. Mark beg your old friend Bo Pelini to come take the D. Get Coley to come take your O. You don't want the Air Raid so quit pretending. Get a QB coach Tony Franklin? Get that weight room on those o and d linemen. Let your new coordinators hire if they need a dline or Oline coach. Sp teams is important devote a Coach to it. Weed out any malcontents. Find a qb that is accurate and if our oline is weak in pass blocking run a quick passing games instead of long patterns. Get the ball out to wr that catch it along with the backs and t ends. I don't think we should have to teach D1 Wr to catch the ball? Cmon they should have that basic skill.

I doubt that Tony or Guy ever coaches a day here at UK.

 

[JHB4UK]

Hindsight is always 20/20, but it is clear now this is NOT a job for a first time head coach, even one with an incredible amount of success at the coordinator big 5 conference level and from a storied football family.

Petrino ain't doing anything incredible during his 2nd tour of duty at UL, gimme a break wanting that scumbag or thinking things would be so much better if he were here. Took an 11-2 team with 15+ NFL draft picks and dropped down to 9-4, and now dropped even farther in year 2 to 7-5. Their recruiting is not in any way replacing the pro level talent Strong recruited who are departing. Their fanbase have been outraged all year long at his handling of his quarterback position maybe even moreso than UK fans toward our QB situation.

Guess we should have gone with another boring unexciting over the hill vet like Claiborne or Brooks, who wouldn't thrill fans with social media prowess but knows how to hire a staff & prep a team. Mac Brown & Tommy Tubberville will still be available in 2017, I guess....

 

[Beatle Bum]

Three years was far too short.

Petrino fans have a place they can go to cheer on their man. Bringing him back to the SEC after he broke the law at Arkansas would have left us looking like fools. And, you can pretend he would be tied into to UK, but if Jurich came knocking, he would have bolted.

Time for the Petrino to UK talk to return to the cone of silence. Please.

 

[rick64]

If winning at all costs is the goal, then by all means bring in Petrino. But this guy is scum. He' shown that time and time again over the years. I would NOT want someone with his baggage representing my football program and university.

 

[Kybluedude]

Ul has 20... 20 transfers on its roster. That usually does not bode well and their record has been slipping over the past two years.

 

[Crushgroove]

Very good post, Father Torque. I signed in just to give you a 'like' and add my 2cents.

I am also in the keep-Stoops-for-5-years camp mainly b/c firing 2 consecutive coaches after only 3 years tenure each would be recipe for disaster. Not enough money in the coffers to land a decent coach with that kind of quick trigger record. UK is known for ending FB coaching careers, not the other way around. "Come to UK and do the impossible for bargain barn money. You've got 3 years and if you fail, we'll fire you and you'll likely never coach again." I feel the same way about coordinators. If we keep rotating new coordinators and position coaches in every year, there will never be chemistry between coaches or between coaches/players and the players will remain in a constant state of confusion, if not disapproval.

I do like the bit about having his brothers critique his coaching prowess, however, I feel he might be too strong-headed to partake in such an affair, and even if he did, I feel he wouldn't be very receptive to the criticism. Sadly, I think he's too hands-on in control of all facets of the game to turn loose of the wheel.

As for Bobby... I can't decide if the off chance of him winning at UK could ever overcome my hatred for him and the post-secondary institution with which he's become synonymous. B/c we all know how much he hates and looks down upon UK, even if UK had been the only school in the country outside of Jefferson Co. desperate enough to hire him. How awkward that would have been- winning with a coach the fans hate and whom hates the school he coaches. I think I'd rather kiss my sister.

 

[Father Torque_rivals16706]

Three years was far too short.

Petrino fans have a place they can go to cheer on their man. Bringing him back to the SEC after he broke the law at Arkansas would have left us looking like fools. And, you can pretend he would be tied into to UK, but if Jurich came knocking, he would have bolted.

Time for the Petrino to UK talk to return to the cone of silence. Please.

Hey I said that ship has sailed, but if you want to argue it. I guess getting beat by Petrino coached WKU and twice by Petrino coached UL isn't making us look like fools?

 

[Barry MuCockinher]

As some of you might remember, I was very adamant during the last coaching search that UK should hire Petrino. I thought and still do, that he was the best coach that UK could have hired, and because of his situation UK could lock him into a contract that was weighed heavily in UK's favor.The last thing I wanted to see was UK hiring another first time head coach. After the Joker fiasco I thought they surely wouldn't go down that road again, but they did.

I told myself I wouldn't post on Stoops or the coaching staff for 3 years to give him time to see what he was all about. Well time's up and here's the result, probably not what you are expecting.

Stoops is going to be the head coach next year and the year after that. That's a given because of the contract extension that Barnhart gave him. (I'll get to Barnhart in a minute) I think Stoops should get those two years and his recruiting is why. He's recruited better than anyone who has ever coached at UK has. Anybody who's complaining because we are still 12th or 13th in the SEC in recruiting is not seeing the whole picture, IMO. If you can't see the difference between 50th ranked classes and 13th in the SEC and 29th ranked classes and 13th in the SEC ------. NOBODY is going to come to UK and recruit in the top 5 of the SEC right away, it's not realistic and it's not going to happen.

Yes, the on the field coaching has been suspect at best, and asinine at worst. Here's the thing though, you can learn to be a better head coach, I don't think you can learn to be a better recruiter. I think Stoops need to sit down with his brothers and watch all of UK's games from this year and let them point and laugh at the dumb things he did and then tell him what he should have done. Then he really needs to get some older experienced coaching on this staff, somebody he can lean on for help and learn from. I want the guy to succeed here, I really do. I don't know if I have it in me to suffer through another coaching change and start this process all over again, especially if Barnhart is the one doing the hiring.

Which brings us to Mitch. I've defended him many times on this board. I've said he's the best AD UK has had in forever. The sad part is that's true, he is. However saying he's the best AD UK has had is like saying he's the cutest fat girl in the bar. UK had decades of incompetent, ignorant, and corrupt AD's. Of course Barnhart looks good in comparison. I daresay I could pick 5 people off this board that could have done a better job than UK's prior AD's.

Barnhart made arguably the worst hire in the history of UK sports in Gillispie. Arguably the worst football hire in Joker, and then jumped the gun and gave Stoops a premature contract extension. Look if I had a badminton game going on in the backyard with my 80 year old aunt and uncle, I'm sure Barnhart would be a great partner. If I get in a knife fight in a back alley though, I don't want Mitch backing me up. And that right there is the problem, the SEC isn't octogenarian badminton, it's a knife fight. It's bloody and brutal and nice guys finish last. I cringe at the thought of Barnhart making another football hire. I'd much rather keep Stoops than risk that again.

Glad to be back posting, I was still reading all the time.

Exactly my thoughts man, exactly!!!!!! My question is when the hell is Mitch held responsible for these terrible hires. I feel as long as he's here we will never have a big time proven coach here. He either doesn't have a clue, would rather hire based on the moral fiber of a coach, or simply doesn't want to spend the money it takes to get an elite coach. Although he's wasted 3 million a year on someone unproven.

It's time for the big money boosters as well as the regular fans to make their money talk. Tell Mitch that your financial support will be pulled if he isn't willing to hire a proven winning coach. He can't afford to lose those dollars with a stadium renovation to pay for!!!!! It is the only thing that made him for joker, people talking away their financial support, it's the only thing the idiot understands. Right now we have him by the balls and should show Mitch just how serious we are about having a winning football program! I'm tired of bad hires and an A.D. not taking football seriously. This fan base deserves better, they've been beyond loyal & these hires are how he reward that loyalty.

We honestly need an A.D.that is a football A.D. Basketball is self sustaining in this state, an 8 year old could run that aspect of the athletic dept. The football program is the money maker we need A.D.willing to do what it takes to put out a winning product by getting the right coach here! He's not the man for the job, he's been given multiple free passes, it's time for a change at the top! IMO

 

[Levibooty]

Not appropriate.

Another mental giant weighs in. LOL

 

[NCukcat62]

Another mental giant weighs in. LOL

Honestly I was telling you that because you wouldn't listen to his opinion. I agree with not wanting petrino.

 

[Levibooty]

Honestly I was telling you that because you wouldn't listen to his opinion. I agree with not wanting petrino.

If a guy wants to bring Petrino to UK I don't want to read his opinion. You may think differently but that doesn't mean I have to. I don't read every book in the book store either. I have to make choices and I do.

 

[Krisys]

If winning at all costs is the goal, then by all means bring in Petrino. But this guy is scum. He' shown that time and time again over the years. I would NOT want someone with his baggage representing my football program and university.

I would rather have the biggest scumbag coach on earth then continue to get beat to a pulp for the next 50 years.

 

[carl]

People stick their heads in the sand to validate their own opinion on this board. First say what you want about UL but their apr is much higher than ours. Their current players are more disciplined on the field and in the classroom than ours, the evidence was on display on the field and with the Apr scores. Call them all the names you will but you just look stupid when they have clearly been superior on the field.

Now about bobby I thought he would have been the best coach available to us at the time and if we wanted to win games we would have had to swallow our pride and say that winning is the most important element. I was not sure I was willing to do that myself and don't blame Barnhart for not being able to either. As it turns out he would have left us after one year as soon as UL became available so it worked out better for us.

As far as Stoops we need to acknowledge that our program has always been the bottom of the sec in my lifetime. Our job is a grave yard! Nobody leaves us to move up. When we are hiring proven coaches aren't looking to move here. The job is limited and we did what was in our best interest and hired a guy on potential. IMO potential or a coach with flaws are our options. Stoops has recruited well but he is growing up as a coach. I don't know if he will get it but 3 years ain't enough and five probably ain't either.

 

[LordEgg_rivals16573]

I said this in another thread but it belongs here:

Who in the hell drafts these contracts? Does the market so favor coaches and their agents that they can demand these one-sided, gameshow level giveaways ...and the universities and ADs can't help but have to go along?

Or is it pure negotiation incompetence by search committee and departmental types?

With a law school, innumerable alumni that practice transactional law, and resources that can handle these buyouts I'd think you could hire a lawyer for the university that would at least demand a bit more equity with regard to the ultimate parting of ways.

It's absurd.

 

[Krisys]

People keep saying "I don't want to win at all costs." When have we won at all? Is division 1 college football not about, first and foremost, WINNING? I don't know about the rest of you, but im tired of being a punchline for 90% of college football fanbases. We have top notch facilities, a fantastic fanbase that supports even the **** product we've consistently fielded, and a great college town. There is no reason that Kentucky can't be a winner in football. Nebraska, Tennessee, Oregon, among others win, and they don't have a stockpile of homegrown talent to work with either. It's time to put the excuses to bed.