Overcoming the destruction by Joker is going to take a while.

podgejeff_

All-American
Dec 4, 2005
8,044
5,223
113
I'll say this, outside of Josh Forrest and maybe Melvin Lewis, we really aren't losing much in the way of big time players to graduation/NFL that were recruited by Joker. Stoops alone matches that with Cory Johnson and AJ Stamps recruited from JUCO.

Joker's last recruiting class really didn't carry its weight this year. Stoops and the younger guys made their mistakes, sure. But the talent is about to increase on next year's team, assuming younger guys develop and we get some impact from RS players. It pretty much has to.

I guess we're also losing Landon Foster too but this year he regressed a lot.
 

DelkBowl

Heisman
Oct 4, 2015
10,378
11,264
101
While it's tough to swallow, UK fans are going to have to accept the fact it's going to take a little while longer for Stoops and company to clean up the mess that Joker left.

I believe Barnhart realized this when he gave Stoops that extension.

UK fans have waited decades on a winning football program.

Surely we can endure a couple more seasons.
Still trying to wait to recover from our very first coach. Still waiting. zzzzzzzz
 
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UKCatNnc

All-Conference
Sep 30, 2005
6,163
1,736
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While it's tough to swallow, UK fans are going to have to accept the fact it's going to take a little while longer for Stoops and company to clean up the mess that Joker left.

I believe Barnhart realized this when he gave Stoops that extension.

UK fans have waited decades on a winning football program.

Surely we can endure a couple more seasons.
I am going to regret saying this; however, why didn't Barnhart hire someone qualified to clean up the mess? The mess was created by a first time coach. Why should we expect another first time coach to clean it up?
 

MudererofCrows

All-Conference
Dec 4, 2005
14,149
3,597
0
Joker Phillips bled for the University on the field. Joker Phillips recruited and coordinated the offense that led to a decent resurgence after the MESS that Hal Mumme and (yes) C.M. Newton left. Joker Phillips is still the only coach in my lifetime to beat UT.

Joker Phillips didn't fail because he's a poor coach. He failed because Rich Brooks' staff couldn't consistently recruit enough talent and the "coach 'em up" philosophy isn't sustainable for consistent, above mediocre success in the SEC. The program bottomed out because of this and Joker Phillips couldn't compensate. If Rich Brooks has the staff with the coaching acumen he had with this staff's ability to recruit...we'd be in a very good position today.

To their credit this staff can recruit. I believe they know the game of football better than anyone on this board. They are just awfully inept and inconsistent considering the circumstances. Sometimes you need to rise to the occasion to be successful. This staff has failed to do that and failed to get their players to do the same.

I have no answers. This football program is a graveyard. Only 1 coach has survived it post Bryant...Blanton Collier. And we fired him. Every other coach has either retired or faded into obscurity.

I have watched every member of my family give up on UK football. My grandfather's taught me to love it and I remember the exact games when both of them gave up. My father as well. Today was almost my breaking point. I turned a game off for the first time in forever. I still hold a fool's hope though I guess. I just do not have any faith in this staff.
 

UKCatNnc

All-Conference
Sep 30, 2005
6,163
1,736
0
Have to remember, Stoops is a first time head coach. He is learning on the run.

Just going to have to take some lumps while he gets his feet underneath him.
Joker was a head coach in waiting so he should have been better prepared than our current first time coach. So why did we go with another first time coach?
 
Last edited:

moe#8

Sophomore
Mar 28, 2009
2,277
133
0
Have to remember, Stoops is a first time head coach. He is learning on the run.

Just going to have to take some lumps while he gets his feet underneath him.
why in the world would an SEC school hire someone who has never been a head coach?? that is just nuts.
 

UKfan2151

All-American
Oct 1, 2003
14,064
8,372
113
If we aren't careful, the mess that Stoops will leave behind for the next coach will be just as bad or worse than what Joker left. The only thing this coaching staff has going for themselves is recruiting ability. After recruits have watched this team completely collapse two years in a row, those recruits are going to stop coming. Then we are really going to be in deep ****.
 

LowCountryCat

Heisman
Apr 17, 2010
117,188
22,769
0
Joker Phillips bled for the University on the field. Joker Phillips recruited and coordinated the offense that led to a decent resurgence after the MESS that Hal Mumme and (yes) C.M. Newton left. Joker Phillips is still the only coach in my lifetime to beat UT.

Joker Phillips didn't fail because he's a poor coach. He failed because Rich Brooks' staff couldn't consistently recruit enough talent and the "coach 'em up" philosophy isn't sustainable for consistent, above mediocre success in the SEC. The program bottomed out because of this and Joker Phillips couldn't compensate. If Rich Brooks has the staff with the coaching acumen he had with this staff's ability to recruit...we'd be in a very good position today..
No, Joker was a horrible coach. Blaming Brooks for Joker's failures is pathetic.
 

MudererofCrows

All-Conference
Dec 4, 2005
14,149
3,597
0
No, Joker was a horrible coach. Blaming Brooks for Joker's failures is pathetic.

It's a self-repeating cycle. Sorry that you don't see it. The program was bottoming out before Joker. Stoops is in the same boat but his staff aren't the coaches that Brooks' staff were.

I would prefer great coaches and great recruiters. That's how you win in the SEC.
 

LowCountryCat

Heisman
Apr 17, 2010
117,188
22,769
0
It's a self-repeating cycle. Sorry that you don't see it. The program was bottoming out before Joker. Stoops is in the same boat but his staff aren't the coaches that Brooks' staff were.

I would prefer great coaches and great recruiters. That's how you win in the SEC.
Oh, I saw it. I saw Joker as a failure before he coached his first game. In fact, I was one of the only ones who publicly said anything about it. And I got raked over the coals for it.

And I was right. Joker is a horrible coach.

The problem now is we can't even cut our losses because thanks to Mitch we can't afford to.
 

bssparks

Redshirt
Jan 17, 2014
219
25
0
Joker Phillips bled for the University on the field. Joker Phillips recruited and coordinated the offense that led to a decent resurgence after the MESS that Hal Mumme and (yes) C.M. Newton left. Joker Phillips is still the only coach in my lifetime to beat UT.

Joker Phillips didn't fail because he's a poor coach. He failed because Rich Brooks' staff couldn't consistently recruit enough talent and the "coach 'em up" philosophy isn't sustainable for consistent, above mediocre success in the SEC. The program bottomed out because of this and Joker Phillips couldn't compensate. If Rich Brooks has the staff with the coaching acumen he had with this staff's ability to recruit...we'd be in a very good position today.

To their credit this staff can recruit. I believe they know the game of football better than anyone on this board. They are just awfully inept and inconsistent considering the circumstances. Sometimes you need to rise to the occasion to be successful. This staff has failed to do that and failed to get their players to do the same.

I have no answers. This football program is a graveyard. Only 1 coach has survived it post Bryant...Blanton Collier. And we fired him. Every other coach has either retired or faded into obscurity.

I have watched every member of my family give up on UK football. My grandfather's taught me to love it and I remember the exact games when both of them gave up. My father as well. Today was almost my breaking point. I turned a game off for the first time in forever. I still hold a fool's hope though I guess. I just do not have any faith in this staff.
Was Joker not on the staff recruiting when Brookswas here? Did Joker not inherit Randall Cobb from Brooks?