I don't think I am alone in getting tired of fans who make outlandish predictions of glorious victories before games every week, then scream for everyone to be fired after the game. Classic bipolar behavior. How long will it be before these screwballs insist on firing the Governor? LOL! When Stoops was hired, we had concerns about lack of head coaching experience. But pedigree and prior success at Florida State balanced that to some extent. Stoops hired Vince Marrow. The result was the best football recruiting in decades. Fans wanted higher-ranked classes. Stoops signed the highest-ranked Kentucky classes since class rankings started. Fans wanted players from Ohio. Stoops and Marrow have recruited the heck out of Ohio. Those things should have resulted in a steady uptrend in quality of play on the field. Stoops won 5 games in 2014 and 2015, coming within a few plays of reaching 6 wins and a bowl. Prior to this season, many posters made irrational predictions for 7-8 wins. On numerous threads, I explained why that will not happen. Many times, I have predicted 4-5 wins this season, and I took a lot of crap.
For those who think paragraphs are such a big deal, here is another 1. I predicted a breakout season in 2017, when Kentucky should return about 19 starters. I am now concerned about that prediction, so I will explain why. Stoops has not been able to put together a coaching staff that can build successful game plans and make necessary adjustments. DJ Eliot and Eddie Gran are Stoops' handpicked coordinators. I won't dwell on Eliot because everyone can see this just isn't working. Our defense blows more assignments than Maxwell Smart. But Eddie Gran has been particularly disappointing. On another thread, I took some heat because I did not care for Gran's game plan against SMU. I doubt I will take heat this week. Against an opponent with a pass rush, you have to throw some screen passes, run draws and misdirection. But Gran is proving to be a 1 dimensional strategist, in love with the vertical passing game and can't adjust. Does Gran realize that we have 2 quality tight ends on this team? Will a pass ever be thrown to Conrad? Schlarman is way over his head, and our offensive line is getting their butts kicked. I still think it is possible for Stoops to win 6 this year, but the pathway has become very narrow and I just don't see the necessary fire and fight. Can anyone besides Jordan Jones leave everything on the field? There is a growing danger for a 3 win season, and that would be enough to get Stoops fired despite the contract. Bottom line is that Stoops must find solutions fast, but I don't see detailed problem recognition from this staff. We will beat NMS, but it may get very ugly after that if Stoops can't beat a bad South Carolina team at home. Next blow will be a collapse of the recruiting class. By that time, players will quit on these coaches and the die will be cast. To prevent that, Stoops must beat South Carolina, Vandy, and Mississippi State at home.
For those who think paragraphs are such a big deal, here is another 1. I predicted a breakout season in 2017, when Kentucky should return about 19 starters. I am now concerned about that prediction, so I will explain why. Stoops has not been able to put together a coaching staff that can build successful game plans and make necessary adjustments. DJ Eliot and Eddie Gran are Stoops' handpicked coordinators. I won't dwell on Eliot because everyone can see this just isn't working. Our defense blows more assignments than Maxwell Smart. But Eddie Gran has been particularly disappointing. On another thread, I took some heat because I did not care for Gran's game plan against SMU. I doubt I will take heat this week. Against an opponent with a pass rush, you have to throw some screen passes, run draws and misdirection. But Gran is proving to be a 1 dimensional strategist, in love with the vertical passing game and can't adjust. Does Gran realize that we have 2 quality tight ends on this team? Will a pass ever be thrown to Conrad? Schlarman is way over his head, and our offensive line is getting their butts kicked. I still think it is possible for Stoops to win 6 this year, but the pathway has become very narrow and I just don't see the necessary fire and fight. Can anyone besides Jordan Jones leave everything on the field? There is a growing danger for a 3 win season, and that would be enough to get Stoops fired despite the contract. Bottom line is that Stoops must find solutions fast, but I don't see detailed problem recognition from this staff. We will beat NMS, but it may get very ugly after that if Stoops can't beat a bad South Carolina team at home. Next blow will be a collapse of the recruiting class. By that time, players will quit on these coaches and the die will be cast. To prevent that, Stoops must beat South Carolina, Vandy, and Mississippi State at home.
