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Most exciting UK Era?

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Kysquire

Redshirt
Sep 18, 2016
14
13
0
I have seen every team/coach at UK Since Blanton Collier. The coach that excited the students, fans, and players was Hal Mumme. The wide open offense created more positive energy for the BBN than anything. We all know that Tim Couch helped ramp up that unbelievable success. Recruiting violations ended it all, and my opinion it ended the best football era since the Bear.

What was your favorite football era?
 
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docholiday51

Heisman
Oct 19, 2001
22,011
26,718
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I'd go with Curci because of 76 and 77,had he not got caught(which I knew he would)UK history would have been different
 
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Beast Johnson

Sophomore
Oct 21, 2012
281
169
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Kysquire said:
I have seen every team/coach at UK Since Blanton Collier. The coach that excited the students, fans, and players was Hal Mumme. The wide open offense created more positive energy for the BBN than anything. We all know that Tim Couch helped ramp up that unbelievable success. Recruiting violations ended it all, and my opinion it ended the best football era since the Bear.

What was your favorite football era?
Click to expand...
The Bill Curry era. His Stack-I offensive attack was ultra-exciting & the charisma he & his staff & players really had Commonwealth rocking on Saturdays.
 
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UKfan2151

All-American
Oct 1, 2003
14,064
8,372
113
I'm too young to remember the Curci years (was born right around the time he was winning big here), so I'd have to say my favorite era was the latter half of the Brooks years. It is the closest thing to a period of sustained success that I've been able to experience in my lifetime. I loved the old school, gritty, hard-nosed style football we played then. I also loved the pro-style offense. I've never been overly fond of the air raid.
 
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cat888

Senior
Jul 23, 2006
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docholiday51 said:
I'd go with Curci because of 76 and 77,had he not got caught(which I knew he would)UK history would have been different
Click to expand...
I would go with 1976/1977 teams . However i think the off Season has routinely been there best Season since then
 
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cat888

Senior
Jul 23, 2006
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docholiday51 said:
Curry was a good and decent man(met him on several occasions) if he had Mumme as an OC UK would have had a different and better football history
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I thought that it would have been better if Newton had hired Mumme or someone else as OC and held Curry and not let Curry name the OC.
 
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KyCatFan1

Heisman
May 6, 2002
30,808
31,521
113
I definitely loved the Mumme era. So much excitement and a bunch of SEC and NCAA records were broken. If he would have just left most of his cronies (Major and Bassett) behind and hired a decent defensive coordinator as well as monitored his recruiting coordinator, things could have been very special. We did drop off with the loss of Couch and more importantly Mike Leach, so it might have ended badly anyways.

I think Leach ran the offense better than Mumme did. Just look at their records post Kentucky. Leach has been successful everywhere and I don't think Mumme had a winning record anywhere. I'm still hoping we go after Leach if we fire Stoops. I'd rather win shootouts with an elite offense and average defense than to look inept on offense and defense and when you do play good, it is only for a half.
 
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WildCard

All-American
May 29, 2001
65,040
7,390
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If you are going to talk "era" I think you have to look at the entire tenure, not just a good year or 2. Blanton Collier was there 8 years with 53% wins overall and 38% in the SEC. Since then...

Charlie Bradshaw Era: 7 years...38% wins overall...28% SEC
John Ray Era: 4 years...23% wins overall...14% SEC
Fran Curci Era: 9 years....48% wins overall...45% SEC
Jerry Claiborne Era: 8 years...47% wins overall...26% SEC
Bill Curry Era: 7 years...33% wins overall...26% SEC
Hal Mumme Era: 4 years...43% wins overall...31% SEC
Guy Morriss Era: 2 years...39% wins overall...25% SEC
Rich Brooks Era: 7 years...42% wins overall...28% SEC
Joker Phillips Era: 3 years...35% wins overall...17% SEC

Mark Stoops Era: 3+ years...33% wins overall...16% SEC

Peace
 
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NavyCat88

All-Conference
Nov 22, 2011
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In my lifetime (born mid 60's), it is Curci. We could play with anyone and did. We were a threat to win every game. Option game (QB Ramsey) was very well run, OL brutal, RBs were tough guys . Defense hit like a freight train.
 
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willievic

All-American
Aug 28, 2005
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1950 and 1951 when Coach Bryant was here. We took a back seat to no one.

OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!
 
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mrhotdice

All-American
Nov 1, 2002
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Curci and it's not even close. He was a coach who understood that in the SEC speed on defense wins games. That speed was more important than talent or heart. In fact, he once told me that no matter how big or strong you are, no matter how bad you want it, if you are not quick enough to make a block or make a tackle you will fail.

He used to go to high schools and line up all the defensive lineman and they would sprint so he could see how they moved. He also held open tryouts in Kentucky for players who were overlooked.

But the best thing he did was recruit Florida before everyone else did. He was from Miami, knew everyone down their and In my opinion, him being fired was the biggest mistake ever for the UK program.

Just go look at the way his players played on defense. They would knock your socks off.
 
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D

docholiday51

Heisman
Oct 19, 2001
22,011
26,718
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WildCard said:
If you are going to talk "era" I think you have to look at the entire tenure, not just a good year or 2. Blanton Collier was there 8 years with 53% wins overall and 38% in the SEC. Since then...

Charlie Bradshaw Era: 7 years...38% wins overall...28% SEC
John Ray Era: 4 years...23% wins overall...14% SEC
Fran Curci Era: 9 years....48% wins overall...45% SEC
Jerry Claiborne Era: 8 years...47% wins overall...26% SEC
Bill Curry Era: 7 years...33% wins overall...26% SEC
Hal Mumme Era: 4 years...43% wins overall...31% SEC
Guy Morriss Era: 2 years...39% wins overall...25% SEC
Rich Brooks Era: 7 years...42% wins overall...28% SEC
Joker Phillips Era: 3 years...35% wins overall...17% SEC

Mark Stoops Era: 3+ years...33% wins overall...16% SEC

Peace
Click to expand...
I had a vague idea what the numbers looked like,but when you see them it is easy to know that Stoops is in a world of hurt.There may be monetary reason or need to keep him but from a W/L standpoint he is down there with Ray and Joker and there are no signs it is going to get better.
 
K

KYCAT78

All-American
May 24, 2006
7,858
6,073
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I was in school 74-78 and we were competitive with any school in the Curci years. Curci, Brooks and Claiborne at least made us respectable. I figure we have this year and next year under Stoops then we will be back to searching for another Coach to try and right the ship.
 
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Chuckinden

All-American
Jun 12, 2006
18,974
5,868
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Curci years were the most exciting because they were the most successful, but the Mumme years was fun to watch.
 
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mktmaker

All-Conference
Jun 5, 2001
3,967
2,423
0
Chuckinden said:
Curci years were the most exciting because they were the most successful, but the Mumme years was fun to watch.
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I agree with both your points.

Younger fans probably don't know how powerful our 1977 team was.

Undefeated in the SEC.

Won at #4 Penn State.

Beat #14 LSU at Baton Rouge 33-13.

The next week we won at Georgia 33-0 with Prince Charles in the stands.

We had arguably the best offensive lineman (Warren Bryant selected #6 overall in NFL draft) and defensive lineman (Art Still, #2 overall in the draft) in the nation.

We ran the veer offense. QB Derrick Ramsey was so good running the option, that opposing defenses knew what we would run, yet couldn't stop it.

Penn State's QB Chuck Fusina finished 2nd in the 1978 Heisman voting. His record as starting quarterback was 29-3 -- two of those losses to Kentucky.



 
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SanAntonioCat_rivals376502

All-Conference
Oct 1, 2001
5,199
1,898
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Kysquire said:
I have seen every team/coach at UK Since Blanton Collier. The coach that excited the students, fans, and players was Hal Mumme. The wide open offense created more positive energy for the BBN than anything. We all know that Tim Couch helped ramp up that unbelievable success. Recruiting violations ended it all, and my opinion it ended the best football era since the Bear.

What was your favorite football era?
Click to expand...
I'm still waiting to see it.
 
W

WildCard

All-American
May 29, 2001
65,040
7,390
0
WildCard said:
If you are going to talk "era" I think you have to look at the entire tenure, not just a good year or 2. Blanton Collier was there 8 years with 53% wins overall and 38% in the SEC. Since then...

Charlie Bradshaw Era: 7 years...38% wins overall...28% SEC
John Ray Era: 4 years...23% wins overall...14% SEC
Fran Curci Era: 9 years....48% wins overall...45% SEC
Jerry Claiborne Era: 8 years...47% wins overall...26% SEC
Bill Curry Era: 7 years...33% wins overall...26% SEC
Hal Mumme Era: 4 years...43% wins overall...31% SEC
Guy Morriss Era: 2 years...39% wins overall...25% SEC
Rich Brooks Era: 7 years...42% wins overall...28% SEC
Joker Phillips Era: 3 years...35% wins overall...17% SEC

Mark Stoops Era: 3+ years...33% wins overall...16% SEC

Peace
Click to expand...
Forgot to answer the question. IMO, the "most exciting times" were the first halves of the Curci and Mumme eras. Ironically the program turned downhill about the mid-point of their respective tenures and ended in scandals and probation.

Peace
 
W

wvcat54

Redshirt
Feb 1, 2006
261
40
0
The most exiting era for me was the Curci Era. Especially the 1976-1977 teams. UK went 14-1 from the last four games of the 1976 season thru the entire 1977 season. If not for the recruiting limits that were placed on the team during the 1976 - 1977 signing periods (25 player signing limits in the era of 35 player signing limits) and the lack of institutional support (basketball vs football) he may have built something special. I always thought Mumme's teams were a one dimensional joke. They should have left him in Division III where they found him.
 
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gomminit33

Junior
Dec 20, 2011
562
371
0
I'm only 34 but watching Couch pass to Yeast was the most exciting time for UK football to me. I really became a rabid fan during that time only because I watched Couch play in high school. Little did I know I would be setup for a lifetime of disappointment and heartache.
 
K

Kysquire

Redshirt
Sep 18, 2016
14
13
0
mktmaker said:
I agree with both your points.

Younger fans probably don't know how powerful our 1977 team was.

Undefeated in the SEC.

Won at #4 Penn State.

Beat #14 LSU at Baton Rouge 33-13.

The next week we won at Georgia 33-0 with Prince Charles in the stands.

We had arguably the best offensive lineman (Warren Bryant selected #6 overall in NFL draft) and defensive lineman (Art Still, #2 overall in the draft) in the nation.

We ran the veer offense. QB Derrick Ramsey was so good running the option, that opposing defenses knew what we would run, yet couldn't stop it.

Penn State's QB Chuck Fusina finished 2nd in the 1978 Heisman voting. His record as starting quarterback was 29-3 -- two of those losses to Kentucky.



Click to expand...

Wow, I had forgotten the accomplishments of that 1977 team! That was big league football playing!
 
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