Just what I heard. That is very much a buzz-kill for the upcoming season. If he' right, we're toast unless Barker and co. put about 35 on the board every game (highly doubtful, imo). PS isn't always correct, of course, but a sobering prediction, nevertheless.
Phil Steele rated our DL & LBers dead last in SEC?
- Thread starter gamecockcat
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I can understand the rating, almost everybody is new or didn't play much last year. The rating does not bother me at all, but does show what a big surprise this team is going to be.
It's probably correct. We've recruited well on DL and LB but so far have had almost no success in guys developing in to stars. Several have become decent role players but that's not what you want from a 4 star player. And if we will 6 or more it will be because of our offense. This team will need to out score people.
I'm disappointed that in year four, with a defense minded coach UK is expected to be so poor again this season.
If Steele's prognostication holds true 6 wins is unlikely.
We all would like for Stoops to put a competitive team on the field, maybe this is the season that we catch a breaks and surprise some.
Still I look to find a reason to believe, is my own season slogan.
If Steele's prognostication holds true 6 wins is unlikely.
We all would like for Stoops to put a competitive team on the field, maybe this is the season that we catch a breaks and surprise some.
Still I look to find a reason to believe, is my own season slogan.
that's the correct answer. Steele relies on past performance and numbers to a great extent. There really isn't a lot to go on this year in making those evaluations so they wind up towards the bottom. I personally think there is some potential there with these groups but they are largely an unknown at this stage.
We will be better than that. We are young but we have talent like never before. I think we are mid pack. I think he's just putting a safe bet with that evaluation and not looking at the kids we have recruited.
Not too long ago I was being blasted for bringing this up in a post about our DL. Now Phil Steele gives some credibility to my concern. I laugh.
Been preaching the 35++ thing for a LONG time for the very reason in your post
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As op stated, he's just going by stats from last year. Not surprised. Both units are inexperienced but there is talent there.
To be fair he was hard on us last year too with our experience. We are young with athleticism. I'll take that over experienced slow guys or fast guys playing out of position.
Losing Hatcher and to a lesser extent Tubman, scuttled the master plan for succeeding Zdarius & Bud.
We don't have pros on that side of the line, unfortunately.
We don't have pros on that side of the line, unfortunately.
Well, it's not quite that bad. For the record he "ranks" 46 DLs and all SEC teams are in there except UK, Vandy and SC. He ranks 48 LBer units and SC and UK are the only SEC teams not making the cut. Perhaps more troubling is the fact that 6 of UK's SEC opponents are in both ranking. And 5 of those 6 team complete the hat trick by having their secondary in the top 50.
As Deeefense noted Steel "unit ranking" are pretty dependent on returning experience and performance. Quite frankly, it is not always a bad thing to have "new talent" coming into a "bad" defense. However, it was not encouraging to see the #2 offense move the ball as well as they did against the #1 defense. Just have to see how it all plays out.
However, the good news is that Steel projects the Cats in a bowl. If we play with his Plus/Minus numbers a bit we see they should be favored against 5 teams (USM, NM State, SC, Vandy and AP) and only a 2 point 'dawg to MSU and a 5 point 'dawg to GA.
Cats averaged 24.7 last year. FWIW, last year only 14 FBS teams improved by 10+ PPG over 2014.
Peace
Phil Steele's SEC defense knowledge is superficial at best. His goal is to sell magazines and what better way to sell them is to lavish praises on programs in non-internet using states like Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi
Have to agree...the plan had to be Hatcher (Jack/OLB), Meant/Middleton/Dubose (DT), Elam (NG) and Tubman at DE was what staff had hoped for. Now that Hatcher was a total bust and we've just missed on a ton of DL for various reasons...we look very ugly up front for 2016.
You just have to hope Kenegra, Elam and Meant can stay healthy and overacheive a bit to be an average DL IMO. UK has really done nothing up front on DL outside of a few quality JUCO kids (Z, Lewis and Cory Johnson was decent). But as a whole, DL has been a sore spot for UK for years.
Yes that ^, or we just aren't that good and won't be able to stop the run.
This guy.Yes that ^, or we just aren't that good and won't be able to stop the run.
I swear, this has to be one of the UL troll accounts or maybe you need to go back to Rafters.
I've too many screenshots of some of your post's on here too.Yes that ^, or we just aren't that good and won't be able to stop the run.
So when we're doing good this year and you want to be the bandwagon a$$ that you are.
I'll be able to call you out for it.
And this is the exact reason I keep telling people they're unrealistic as sheeit for thinking we'll win 8 games and guaranteeing bowl games and such. In the SEC games are won at the LOS, in the trenches, which makes the DL and LB positions pretty much almost as important as the QB position in this league. Not saying it's as important but you catch my drift. I predict another 5-7 year with 4-8 being equally as likely due to the schedule. Based on my observations stoops is terrible at preparing his team and even worse at in game coaching (if you watched last season there's nothing that can dispute this thus far). Combine that with the bad DL (it is bad let's be honest) and an unproven LB unit. It doesn't exactly equal gauranteed success. I know I know stoops is a good recruiter and games are won in high school players parents living rooms if you're to listen to most fb fans here (stoops apologists) and because of so we're going to win big yadda yadda yadda.
Sometimes I feel like I'm the only realistic one on this board for my 5-7 prediction and considering my prediction is pretty much exactly the same as the Vegas odds it makes me a troll and a UK football hater because anyone with half a brain knows stoops is the man for the job, all you have to do is look at the average player point recruiting rating rankings system that average out in the bottom 1/3rd of the SEC. Evident by our 5-14 record over the last 19 games with zero wins over winning teams and zero quality wins with our best win (by record) being FCS eku where we needed a miracle 4th qrtr comeback to force OT and win. And out of all the SEC coaches to coach a game as an HC stoops is the worst at this moment (see vandy game last season and his decision to re-enter towles after barker exponentially outplayed him? The broadcasters ripped him a new one for the decision the same way the UK players on the sidelines did). Yet many here expect 6-8 wins.
I used to be the same way always expecting/hoping break thru seasons every single year. But I mean over time as a UK football fan you learn to keep things in perspective and it teaches you to be humble. Especially with no DL, unproven LB's. And I think barker will be an all time great at UK when it's all said and done but I'm not sure how great he does as a sophomore, though I do expect him to be a million times better than towles ever was even as a sophomore (I think barker was a million times better than towles ever was last season, have a friend who played at UK who went to many practices and was told barker outplayed towles on a near everyday basis). I think he's gonna have a good season. But the point is he's unproven at this point. We could be very bad this season. Next season I see more possible for 6 wins. If we crap the bad again this season though and have another 2nd half of season collapse then stoops needs to go (even though his buyout won't allow it, terrible decision by MB on that one).
Sometimes I feel like I'm the only realistic one on this board for my 5-7 prediction and considering my prediction is pretty much exactly the same as the Vegas odds it makes me a troll and a UK football hater because anyone with half a brain knows stoops is the man for the job, all you have to do is look at the average player point recruiting rating rankings system that average out in the bottom 1/3rd of the SEC. Evident by our 5-14 record over the last 19 games with zero wins over winning teams and zero quality wins with our best win (by record) being FCS eku where we needed a miracle 4th qrtr comeback to force OT and win. And out of all the SEC coaches to coach a game as an HC stoops is the worst at this moment (see vandy game last season and his decision to re-enter towles after barker exponentially outplayed him? The broadcasters ripped him a new one for the decision the same way the UK players on the sidelines did). Yet many here expect 6-8 wins.
I used to be the same way always expecting/hoping break thru seasons every single year. But I mean over time as a UK football fan you learn to keep things in perspective and it teaches you to be humble. Especially with no DL, unproven LB's. And I think barker will be an all time great at UK when it's all said and done but I'm not sure how great he does as a sophomore, though I do expect him to be a million times better than towles ever was even as a sophomore (I think barker was a million times better than towles ever was last season, have a friend who played at UK who went to many practices and was told barker outplayed towles on a near everyday basis). I think he's gonna have a good season. But the point is he's unproven at this point. We could be very bad this season. Next season I see more possible for 6 wins. If we crap the bad again this season though and have another 2nd half of season collapse then stoops needs to go (even though his buyout won't allow it, terrible decision by MB on that one).
Go right ahead n0ob.I've too many screenshots of some of your post's on here too.
So when we're doing good this year and you want to be the bandwagon a$$ that you are.
I'll be able to call you out for it.
I'm not completely on board the the defensive line is where it needs to be, but honestly, the media is going to mail in any evaluation of Kentucky as "bad" until proven otherwise. I hope this is the year the guys do it
Agree, it's easy to dump on UK's DL. But, in reality, shouldn't he? We have consistently been way below average up front for years. And, especially against good SEC teams, it's killed us. Either we give up 6 yards a carry or we sell out with all of the LBers to stop the run and either a QB scoots around the end untouched or the DBs are on islands and have to cover their guy for 4+ seconds every play.
I think we'll have a good shot at a bowl game and expect us to be in a bowl. I've just seen too many seasons where expectations were so-and-so is going to be better because he's a year older/more experienced/put on 20 lbs of muscle/new coordinator/scholarship offer from So Cal, OH St and Bama/JUCO AA/etc. but just never seems to be as good as expected. For all his shortcomings, Josh Forrest did get drafted by an NFL team - is there anyone on the front 7 this year that is as good as Josh? We'll have to wait and see. I, for one, have seen enough of the UGSs and UTs and FLs running straight up the gut and picking up 5+ yards every play. It sickens me.
Keeping my fingers crossed that someone up front will step up big time.
I think we'll have a good shot at a bowl game and expect us to be in a bowl. I've just seen too many seasons where expectations were so-and-so is going to be better because he's a year older/more experienced/put on 20 lbs of muscle/new coordinator/scholarship offer from So Cal, OH St and Bama/JUCO AA/etc. but just never seems to be as good as expected. For all his shortcomings, Josh Forrest did get drafted by an NFL team - is there anyone on the front 7 this year that is as good as Josh? We'll have to wait and see. I, for one, have seen enough of the UGSs and UTs and FLs running straight up the gut and picking up 5+ yards every play. It sickens me.
Keeping my fingers crossed that someone up front will step up big time.
[roll]Phil Steele thought we'd have the most improved passing offense in the country last season...we were worse than the year before [laughing]
Except for the last 3 paragraphs I'm with AndrewGorilla. No but seriously I think we've all been a little disappointed in Stoops and crew ability to manage games etc, but I also believe he is and his staff are smart enough to know that too and am willing to believe they are working hard to get better themselves (they were basically freshmen too as coaches remember).
As a far as talent, we do always struggle on the lines and will do so again this year on the interior IMO but that said we won't be terrible and I think will be good enough there to allow our LBs and secondary to show they are much better and thus make us better overall than last year. I really to like some of our smaller mobile guys on D and think that talent will start showing in making plays that matter more than before.
As a far as talent, we do always struggle on the lines and will do so again this year on the interior IMO but that said we won't be terrible and I think will be good enough there to allow our LBs and secondary to show they are much better and thus make us better overall than last year. I really to like some of our smaller mobile guys on D and think that talent will start showing in making plays that matter more than before.
A better offense will make the defense much improved! Gran/Hinshaw are the key!
I doubt we're midpack in the front 7, I would happy if they finished up around 10. Our strengths this year will be our secondary on D and hopefully an offense that puts up a lot of points and can keep getting first downs.
First: I am squarely in the "I'll believe it when I see it" mode for the current coaching staff & team. Shaky history plus lots of new faces on Staff and new starters on the field.....including the QB....not good predictors of success. 6 is possible...don't know if it is probable.
That being said, pre-season mags tend to predict continued crappiness for time-tested bottom feeders in the P5. Very seldom do you see a pre-season mag "calling the shot" for a breakout season from an historic cellar dweller. They're willing to push the "I believe" button on mid-pack teams moving up and down, but not typically with the UKs, IUs, KUs, & Vandy's of the world.
Duke has broken loose from the cellar of late...KSU became respectable many years ago due to Snyder, Northwestern, etc, but I don't expect different treatment for UK from CFB mags until we prove to the world in the W/L column that we're mid-grade SEC material.
I hope our man Barker is the surprise of the year....GBB!
That being said, pre-season mags tend to predict continued crappiness for time-tested bottom feeders in the P5. Very seldom do you see a pre-season mag "calling the shot" for a breakout season from an historic cellar dweller. They're willing to push the "I believe" button on mid-pack teams moving up and down, but not typically with the UKs, IUs, KUs, & Vandy's of the world.
Duke has broken loose from the cellar of late...KSU became respectable many years ago due to Snyder, Northwestern, etc, but I don't expect different treatment for UK from CFB mags until we prove to the world in the W/L column that we're mid-grade SEC material.
I hope our man Barker is the surprise of the year....GBB!
In fairness, had Neil Brown not left, the benchmark we'd be referencing for improvement would not be 24.7, but somewhere closer to the 29.2 the offense averaged the previous year. Everyone was back, and the offense should've shown incremental improvement, rather than major regression.
I don't think it's that much of a stretch to see this year's squad average low to mid 30's.
On that post, we agree 100%. It is hard to look at our roster and see a really decent SEC caliber DL. At LB, I have my doubts as well, but will concede that reasonable minds might differ. But at DL, I just don't see it as being anything other than SOS in 2016.