Looking Ahead

[hmt5000]

i dont think anyone thought we'd be a top oline in the sec. most thought we'd be at least a little better than '14 and we were not. DL still looks to be a slight upgrade overall to me. could it be worse? of course.

but elam got a lot of snaps down the stretch so he at least got thrown on the fire. miggins, dubose, meant, middleton and possibly another juco and kobe smith backing up elam could be a deeper more talented group even though we probably have no 1 guy like cj turned out to be last year. lb'ers should be better against the run next year but probably not as good in coverage which i am perfectly fine with because our db's should be the strong part of the D next year. ware and hatcher could be a real tandem next year and showed flashes this year. if we get some help on pass rush from the juco or one of the young guys then im fine with where the D looks to be.

the big question is still on O side of the ball. the D played good enough to win 8 games this year. the O just could not sustain drives and score td's and our usually good kickers went to hell. if our kickers get back to above avg and gran (?) can get the O to get some first downs and score around 34 ppg then we could shock some people. if we avg around 28 ppg again this year then we once again will be on the losing end of some close games. qb production has to improve. must have 2 to 1 td/int ratio at worst. wr's cant drop catchable balls. rb's have to hold onto the ball and pick up blocks. most of this stuff is correctable but im not gonna take it for granted that it will get corrected. i'll be at the spring game and be watching really close for a lot of stuff.

 

[SanAntonioCat_rivals376502]

SC at home seems more of a toss up to me than at Missouri. Just IMO.

And at UL will still have Petrino vs. Stoops so gotta give Petrino the big edge with home field next year.

Thanks, I can go ahead and cancel my season tickets. Doom and gloom from the far side. As always, your opinion is appreciated.

 

[Monroe Claxton]

Very likely losses @Alabama, @UT, @Florida and to UGA.

Can Stoops go 6-2 in the remaining games to get to a bowl?

 

[TJS4UK]

I'm not as pessimistic about playing FL as most everybody else. They won't be a pushover, but we played them close 2 years in a row & they are losing a lot of NFL talent and Grier.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

Thanks, I can go ahead and cancel my season tickets. Doom and gloom from the far side. As always, your opinion is appreciated.

Wasn't doom and gloom at all, just common sense to give the edge to the home team with the better coach in a game. You are reaching, but thanks for your reply.

 

[WildCard]

...Last is Louisville. You all, I don't know about you, but we lost that game when we couldn't score coming out of the half. Poor execution and play-calling lost us momentum. I'll predict a W. Should've won this year. Simple as that...

JP, much too early for me to think much about next year but I'm just curious how you came to those conclusions about this year?

Now if your statements are just fan rhetoric or frustration from losing a TO enabled 21 point lead, I understand. But if there is a "football reason" that UK "should have won" a game in which they were out gained by 200 yards and scored 14 of their 24 points off Cardinal TOs (OK, one was not a score but set up a 13 yard drive) I'de like to hear it. I know all fans here were disappointed in UK's play but I think most acknowledged (perhaps grudgingly and reluctantly) that UofL was the better team that day.

Peace

 

[TBCat]

JP, much too early for me to think much about next year but I'm just curious how you came to those conclusions about this year?

Now if your statements are just fan rhetoric or frustration from losing a TO enabled 21 point lead, I understand. But if there is a "football reason" that UK "should have won" a game in which they were out gained by 200 yards and scored 14 of their 24 points off Cardinal TOs (OK, one was not a score but set up a 13 yard drive) I'de like to hear it. I know all fans here were disappointed in UK's play but I think most acknowledged (perhaps grudgingly and reluctantly) that UofL was the better team that day.

Peace

UK had a lead in most statistical categories at the half including total yards and rushing yards. The final stats you are referencing is due to the total collapse in the 2nd half. A better prepared UK team would have won that game. Once again you seem to be trying to write off turn overs as if they are an excuse and not a legitimate part of the game. That's 2 years in a row now you've tried to advance the narrative that UL dominated except for TOs. UK is arguably not in a bowl for the 2nd straight year because they could not control TOs. TOs a part of the game and part of who you are as a team just likeUK not being coached to defend the option is a part of who UK is.

 

[Michigan Fan]

UK had a lead in most statistical categories at the half including total yards and rushing yards. The final stats you are referencing is due to the total collapse in the 2nd half. A better prepared UK team would have won that game. Once again you seem to be trying to write off turn overs as if they are an excuse and not a legitimate part of the game. That's 2 years in a row now you've tried to advance the narrative that UL dominated except for TOs. UK is arguably not in a bowl for the 2nd straight year because they could not control TOs. TOs a part of the game and part of who you are as a team just likeUK not being coached to defend the option is a part of who UK is.

Bottom line is this...Kentucky had a 21 point lead in the 1st Quarter at home and Louisville out scored them the rest of the game 38 to 3 the Final 3 Quarters...Football is a 4 Quarter/60 Minute Game and QB Lamar Jackson had more total yards than the entire Kentucky Offense in 3 Quarters of play...and remember Louisville was without it top WR Jamari Staples.

Both teams either lost starters during the game and Louisville suspended it leading Sacker before the game...UK didn't have White and Williams...Louisville pretty much didn't have Kelsey, Hearns, Young, Staples and in the 4th Quarter lost Quick...going into 2016 the game is in Louisville and Louisville will be returning between 17 to 19 out of 22 Starters on Offense and Defense...depending if JHC, Kelsey, Brown and Fields turn pro...right now it appears only Kelsey and JHC make the jump...we shall see.

 

[CatsFanGG24]

turnover enabled 21 point lead.

So stupid...horrible thing to bring into an argument/discussion. Worst UL poster on the board.

 

[CatsFanGG24]

and remember Louisville was without it top WR Jamari Staples.

Staples played.

 

[Michigan Fan]

Staples played.

He only played for a Quarter...went out with a shoulder injury...much like with Williams going out for UK

 

[CatsFanGG24]

He only played for a Quarter...went out with a shoulder injury...much like with Williams going out for UK

But he played, all I said.

probably a positive for UL that he wasn't an option...he is very good, but the less reasons to pass the ball in that game the better for UL. As silly as that sounds...

 

[Michigan Fan]

But he played, all I said.

probably a positive for UL that he wasn't an option...he is very good, but the less reasons to pass the ball in that game the better for UL. As silly as that sounds...

Actually it doesn't sound silly for obvious reasons...Forced Petrino to keep it simple and he didn't go "Spurrier" and ran a version of the same play over and over

 

[TBCat]

Bottom line is this...Kentucky had a 21 point lead in the 1st Quarter at home and Louisville out scored them the rest of the game 38 to 3 the Final 3 Quarters...Football is a 4 Quarter/60 Minute Game and QB Lamar Jackson had more total yards than the entire Kentucky Offense in 3 Quarters of play...and remember Louisville was without it top WR Jamari Staples.

Both teams either lost starters during the game and Louisville suspended it leading Sacker before the game...UK didn't have White and Williams...Louisville pretty much didn't have Kelsey, Hearns, Young, Staples and in the 4th Quarter lost Quick...going into 2016 the game is in Louisville and Louisville will be returning between 17 to 19 out of 22 Starters on Offense and Defense...depending if JHC, Kelsey, Brown and Fields turn pro...right now it appears only Kelsey and JHC make the jump...we shall see.

Again this is nothing unexpected. Every year UL likes to claim they are 100 points better than UK but end up surviving a scare. Then comes out the excuses as to why the game was more close than you were prepared to believe. Bottom line is that both teams are what they are. UL is not a dominating team. You do turn the ball over. If UK were to play UL a second time this year I would fully expect you to do so again. It would be extremely unlikely for UL to dominate the game. UK might win or UL might win but the game would be close.

Let's not forget that UK had turnovers. Again that's not unexpected either as Towles does that. That pick was no more the result of bad fortune for UK than any of UL's turnovers were. Seriously why would UK not get credit for making an athletic play? The pick 6 this year was the 2nd year in a row that you had one against us. That has to say something. It was also an athletic play by a LB that many have called the best pass cover LB in college. That was Forrest's 2nd career pick 6 by the way. I don't see that as just bad luck for UL. A UK player made a play. It's actually less likely to be just luck than it was for UL's QB to have a career rushing game against UK.

If UK and UL were to play again I would expect similar results. Bottom like is you are what you are not what you would like to think you are. UL turns the ball over that's who you are. UK comes out of the half time completely baffled by the other team's half time adjustments. That's who UK is. This is a consistent pattern and it's time to recognize it for what it is and not pretend that it's just bad luck.

 

[Michigan Fan]

Again this is nothing unexpected. Every year UL likes to claim they are 100 points better than UK but end up surviving a scare. Then comes out the excuses as to why the game was more close than you were prepared to believe. Bottom line is that both teams are what they are. UL is not a dominating team. You do turn the ball over. If UK were to play UL a second time this year I would fully expect you to do so again. It would be extremely unlikely for UL to dominate the game. UK might win or UL might win but the game would be close.

Let's not forget that UK had turnovers. Again that's not unexpected either as Towles does that. That pick was no more the result of bad fortune for UK than any of UL's turnovers were. Seriously why would UK not get credit for making an athletic play? The pick 6 this year was the 2nd year in a row that you had one against us. That has to say something. It was also an athletic play by a LB that many have called the best pass cover LB in college. That was Forrest's 2nd career pick 6 by the way. I don't see that as just bad luck for UL. A UK player made a play. It's actually less likely to be just luck than it was for UL's QB to have a career rushing game against UK.

If UK and UL were to play again I would expect similar results. Bottom like is you are what you are not what you would like to think you are. UL turns the ball over that's who you are. UK comes out of the half time completely baffled by the other team's half time adjustments. That's who UK is. This is a consistent pattern and it's time to recognize it for what it is and not pretend that it's just bad luck.

Bottom line....Louisville won going away by 14 points...easily covered the Vegas Spread for it 5th straight win in the series and will be favored again in 2016 in Papa John's Cardinal Stadium...it is what it is

 

[WildCard]

UK had a lead in most statistical categories at the half including total yards and rushing yards. The final stats you are referencing is due to the total collapse in the 2nd half. A better prepared UK team would have won that game. Once again you seem to be trying to write off turn overs as if they are an excuse and not a legitimate part of the game. That's 2 years in a row now you've tried to advance the narrative that UL dominated except for TOs. UK is arguably not in a bowl for the 2nd straight year because they could not control TOs. TOs a part of the game and part of who you are as a team just likeUK not being coached to defend the option is a part of who UK is.

Other than score, I think the stats (i.e., yardage) were pretty even at the half. UK did have a very good 3rd down conversion rate that first half (6 for 9 I believe). The second half was totally one sided for UofL. TOs (and KORs and PRs) are indeed a part of the game. But they are not part of a team's offense. If non offensive scores could be routinely dialed up by defensive and ST units they should do so more often. The OP lamented "poor execution" by UK in the second half. If so, couldn't we say the Cards "executed poorly" on those 2 early picks? And if TOs are part of the game shouldn't we consider "preparation" as part of the game as well?

...Let's not forget that UK had turnovers. Again that's not unexpected either as Towles does that. That pick was no more the result of bad fortune for UK than any of UL's turnovers were. Seriously why would UK not get credit for making an athletic play? The pick 6 this year was the 2nd year in a row that you had one against us. That has to say something. It was also an athletic play by a LB that many have called the best pass cover LB in college. That was Forrest's 2nd career pick 6 by the way. I don't see that as just bad luck for UL. A UK player made a play. It's actually less likely to be just luck than it was for UL's QB to have a career rushing game against UK.

I won't deny the Cards have been TO prone the past 2 years. I doubt that I will convince you but my argument is not about TOs per se, it is about opponent scoring off those TOs. From the defensive perspective, creating TOs is not all about "luck" but scoring off those TOs is almost all about luck. If it were not, if it could be "planned and practiced" every team would score more off their defense.

Consider UK and UofL the last 2 years. UK has picked off 26 passes and returned 6 for TDs! Very impressive. (And the Cards have been the victim of 2 of those 6 scores.) OTOH, the Cards have picked off 42 balls but have returned only 2 for scores. 2014 was an incredible year for UK in terms of non offensive scores, 4 pick 6s and 2 fumble returns. I don't know what they did in fumble returns but poor old AL was shut out on pick 6s in 2014 but rebounded strong with 4 this past season. [winking]

Peace

 

[catfootballfan]

4 wins max brutal schedule next year

 

[Jay Reimenschneider]

Why do this to yourselves every year?

 

[Mr Schwump]

Why do this to yourselves every year?

Why do you keep coming back under different user names? Couldn't be because you just can't stop yourself from getting banned could it?

 

[CatDaddy4daWin]

Next year we need to see major improvement across the board. Unless Stoops goes 2-10 and the team just implodes he will get 5 years to prove what he can do. I could see next years team win 5 games and be improved over last year. I hope that's not the case but next year's schedule is quite a bit tougher than last year. Put it this way. If we switched schedules, we probably only win 4 games this year and maybe 8 next year. Cats can win 6 though and it starts with sweeping SC, Miss St, and Vandy at home. All 3 are winnable games. Win those 3 and get 3 of 4 OOC games and that's 6. Or win 2 of 3 and steal one somewhere else.

Fact is that next year's team should be more experienced and talented than any team we've had since 2007. But QB is a huge question mark just because we have no idea how good Barker will be. I think he can be an upgrade over Towles just due to his accuracy and lower INT percentage. I could see a 18TD/10INT type year from Barker, which I think is good enough for 6 wins.

I'm once again excited to see if the 2014 class finally arrives and puts their mark on this program.