I am of the belief the ONLY chance UK football has to be competitive (under the new “rules”) for conference titles and playoff appearances is to install a competent coaching staff and significantly outbid all of the big dogs to acquire elite talent in all positions. Otherwise this program is probably viewed as a dead end for good talent, and you can’t overcome that without offering deals players can’t refuse.
But I don’t think those type of resources are available.
They aren't and this shift was allowed to put the biggest buyers back on top in college athletics, as they once were. UK has never been a destination program for football talent except recently, and we still weren't able to sign the depth of talent to win an SEC title.
We had/have to make a choice to either hire players with talent but less desirable character, or go back to development. We won't get the NFL bound players without massive, massive money being spent, because we don't have the depth of talent needed to lure the playmakers. Like it or not, Bama, OSU, Texas, A&M, Georgia, and many others have a HUGE leg up on UK football, before you ever consider money. That gap is going to get wider.
When the fans have publicly called for the firing of 2 of the last 3 coaches from the day they were hired, and even through 10 win seasons the program has never seen, and that gap is unbridgable.
Even if we hired Sumrall or Will Stein, there will be the same negs criticizing every decision, running down players, and declaring the sky is falling at every loss. It's perpetual. This program is a product of its environment, and it's not a healthy one.
Now that prime playoff opportunities are purchased, Kentucky isn't going to be able to outbid, land, and manage a typical playoff roster. The athletic dept and boosters have no desire to make football competitive within our conference much less nationally, and the fans begrudge every dollar they have to spend on the program. It's a losing scenario, and no one will put pressure on the program to spend $ on football that aligns with being competitive in the SEC.
WE'VE BTCHD about paying the coach more to come to a perennially weaker program, and whined about increases in ticket prices. We're not serious about football in any way. UK fans want champagne and caviar on a grain alcohol and sardine budget. The program is merely a placeholder when it comes to football, at least it will be for a little while longer anyway.