Justin Rowland on 2017 recruiting class, Matt House's impact on recruiting
- Thread starter wildcatman26
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I don't think the Hoskins signing even comes close to making up for losses of Hudson, Warren. You get a player with Hudson's physical talent into your program for 4 years, that's a big deal and a big turnaround for the defense. It would tell other top defensive linemen that Kentucky is a reasonable choice. Losing Hudson hurts. Like all juco transfers, Hoskins will most likely have 1 learning year and 1 impact season. All other things being equal, getting Hoskins is better than not getting him. But defensive line remains the last stubborn piece of the recruiting puzzle for Stoops. Let's hope Quinton Bohanna is a helluva player. Addition of Bryant Koback is important. Koback is a track star with strength. Faster than Sihiem King and 20 pounds bigger. Kind of like getting the very best of Boom Williams all over again. Best news is, getting Mac Jones and JaVonte Richardson is a big breakthrough.
I don't think Hoskins should be viewed as a replacement for Hudson as I think the staff would have taken both. I'm sure the staff will continue to recruit Hudson and he still might end up at UK. Even if he doesn't, I expect another HS kid to fill that position with good ability to be signed in this class.
A little early to be down on the dline. Let's see how guys like Meant Elam Middleton Dubose play. We have no idea how good Looney and Cross will be. Dline was a spot that had very little talent when Stoops took over and it takes those guys 3 years to develop.
Really? Are we going to add other defensive linemen before September? I am not "down" on the players. Not at all. Many of them have nice futures. Facts are facts. There isn't enough playing experience at the present time. Elam became a starter halfway through the 2015 season when Melvin Lewis got hurt. Reggie Meant didn't start a single game in 2015. The other defensive linemen have almost no SEC playing experience. You mentioned Looney and Cross, who will probably redshirt this year. By 2017, Miggins will be gone but the rest of our defensive linemen will be seasoned veterans. I expect good things in 2017. But it's asking a whole lot to expect them to play like a seasoned SEC defensive line in 2016 when none of them has ever been a full time starter before. Optimism is great, but it ought to be based on facts. That goes for our linebackers too.
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I agree with most everything you said. Meant actually started over Johnson until he got hurt in the Florida game. Meant was playing very well in that game as well. The starters are pretty seasoned imo you got a Jr Jr sr. The backups have to prove themselves a ton.
Actually, I think it's more nuanced than that.
Right now, in 2016, success for Kentucky football looks like success for Mark Stoops.
I would argue that based on all I know, Hudson probably has a higher potential ceiling than Hoskins. However, I am just about equally confident that Hoskins is more likely to be a real contributor on a defensive line in the SEC in years 2017 or 2018, and that includes at least one contract/make or break year for Stoops.
If UK were starting from scratch with a new coach in his first year, yeah, no question I'd take Hudson. But if you want Stoops to succeed, believe his overall method is the best chance for winning big, etc., then Stoops needs to win in 2016 and 2017. Hoskins can't help in 2016 and I'd temper expectations for 2017, but JUCO transfer Hoskins is more likely to play, for sure, than true freshman Hudson in '17 and very probably in '18.
Truth is, if it doesn't work out for Stoops then you can pretty much scratch a lot of all we're talking about, i.e. roster building, depth charts, etc. Attrition increases with coaching changes, player development and schematic implementation is disrupted, etc. That's not to say changes can't produce immediate results. I just think that UK isn't hurt so much by trading a long-term ceiling guy for a guy moderately more likely to play early.
J-Ro.... I think MS is here as long as Barnhart is here. They be like peas and carrots
J-Ro.... I think MS is here as long as Barnhart is here. They be like peas and carrots
With women's basketball in a death spiral and the collapse of baseball, Barnhart has a lot to sort through. He better hope football doesn't flop too or he'll be off to another mountain top mission.
Hoskins may not be Hudsons long term equal and like others I never saw him as a replacement but rather a much needed and a quick addition that sure took the sting out of the decomittements. If Stoops and Co. go a month after those without a sniff the momentum looks bad, but to come back so quickly with a solid pickup like that shows they just never stop working and IMO was an important piece of this class both in getting a good player and plugging a hole in the mood drain which is an important as anything to the rest of recruiting. If the original commitments back when had been Hoskins and Koback in place of Hudson and Warren we'd all stil be feeling pretty good about things and you know it.
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Compared to almost any other SEC football team, our starting defensive linemen are not experienced or seasoned. The opposite is true. Meant and Elam are the only returning defensive linemen who have ever started an SEC game, and even they are fairly inexperienced and still developing. The others are extremely green. But in 2017, Stoops will return 9 or 10 defensive starters including all his linebackers, plus all defensive linemen except Miggins.
I disagree that we are way behind the norm in returning snaps for the starters. Yes the depth is green but Meant Elam and Miggins have played plenty of ball.
Yup.... for my two cents people got their focus on the wrong guy.... Mr. Mitch has his fans but the thought of him being the point guy on another football hire in two years??? That's crazy!... CMS recruits well; has talent on the field... His record after three seasons isn't shameful compared to the starts many other UK coaches... Perhaps it is fans with a myopic view that put CMS on the clock? I think the talk of Stoops being on the hotseat are premature... He is everything a UK fan would want except the wins haven't satisfied the impatient... Give the guy the same opportunity (years) to make it happen others in his place have had.
I mean seriously.... with the fiesta surrounding the baseball and woman basketball programs, Stoops looks to be a beacon of success.
The only thing that costs an athletic director his job is botching two or more important (i.e. the more highly anticipated ones) football and men's basketball coaching positions, aside from scandals, violations, financial debacle, etc. I think Barnhart has done a very good job of playing a role in UK's all sports programs improving, in general but not always. But your all sports can go from awful to great most places, but if football and basketball struggle then you are in trouble.
Fortunately for Barnhart, UK fans are thrilled with basketball. Unfortunately for Barnhart (less important), he has never gotten much credit for the Calipari hire. FWIW, I don't think he's in any trouble and is still a popular, respected figure. This is not the highest point in his prestige or reputation at UK, but he's nowhere near being pushed out.
Fortunately for Barnhart, UK fans are thrilled with basketball. Unfortunately for Barnhart (less important), he has never gotten much credit for the Calipari hire. FWIW, I don't think he's in any trouble and is still a popular, respected figure. This is not the highest point in his prestige or reputation at UK, but he's nowhere near being pushed out.