I defended Stoops a lot his first few seasons but we ended last year on a sour note and the start of this year hasn't been much better. That being said, I wanted to share some observations this far in the season:
Now, tonight has added some further insight. I will say the following for both types of fans (positive and negative fans).
Up-and-coming programs do not succeed with terrible QB play. QB play can be improved with development and providing adequate line protection. I do believe that UK hasn't seen much of either of those attributes. Plain and simple, I think this game could have been a bit more competitive with an offense that is run with a decent QB OR with a greatly improved offensive line (no s*** Sherlock). With this in mind I believe Stoops has to answer for one major problem: the offensive line. Stoops has shown he can recruit players very well but I don't necessarily think the line play has shown great improvement since he has taken over. I'm not asking to have the best line in the SEC but I sure as hell want a backup QB to come in and not have to make ill advised decisions due to lack of pass protection. As far as the QB goes, I do believe that there were factors that caused the current position we are in. This includes losing two offensive coordinators, whiffing on some recruits, and lack of proper development. Losing Neal Brown was a real blow to getting great QB play and I do think we may have seen some better QB play without losing him. Stoops could not control any OC that wants to get a HC gig at a school they used to work at. I cannot fault Neal Brown for taking such a job either. However, replacing Neal Brown with Shannon Dawson seems to have been a major hit on the QB play. The lack of a dedicated QB coach with an OC that really had never called plays in FBS was the problem. I do think replacing Dawson with Gran is a great improvement and with some QB development we will see great improvement. Very few QBs can step up and make magic out of nothing and Gran and Hinshaw deserve some time to try and sort out the QB mess we are in.
So this leaves where I think Stoops is at. This season has to end in a bowl game. I am a firm believer that MB will not let Stoops go if we fall short of that but in the interest of this football program I pray that Stoops can pull it out. I have seen improvements on defense and the offense looked somewhat serviceable against USCjr and did not get shut out against Alabama. This means with proper preparation and execution 6 wins is doable. I can forgive a lot for a first time head coach and I do believe patience is a virtue but if a bowl game can not be attained then I think Stoops was not the right fit here. At the end of the day, I'm glad that the team looked better prepared than they did against Florida. I will put that in my book of steps in the right direction for this program though it is sad that we are in such a position in year 4.
- The loss to Southern Miss was a flat out embarrassment. Stoops deserves criticism for his job on this loss and MB deserves criticism for making a bone-headed decision to give Stoops an extension. I think the most frustrating aspect to this game was looking very strong early and then having a complete collapse to an OC that he just let go.
- Shannon Dawson proved two things: Towles wasn't that great of a QB (Nick Mullens rightfully deserves some praise on being a great QB at a small school), and the defense was a hot mess.
- The Florida game is really where I started to see Stoops on the hot seat. We. Looked. Pitiful. We looked like an ill prepared team that had zero preparation, game plan, or ability to adjust. It was worse than an embarrassment. I completely sympathize with people that had given up on Stoops. I'm not sure there was a redeeming quality to this game other than to say that Stoops was in over his head.
- New Mexico State is kind of a "meh" game to me. In reality, the defense showed just how poorly it had been run with Eliot calling the shots. The offense also looked great. The only thing I can say from this is that it almost seemed like a scrimmage this team would consider to be solid work for both sides of the team. I do think these kinds of games are important for growth and do not measure anything of importance to the common observer (so long as the win is pulled out)
- USCjr was a step in the right direction. In the SEC, a win is a win is a win. Under Brooks and Phillips we had no prayer of beating USCjr until Randall Cobb came in. To be competitive in the SEC we have to win games against SEC competition to attract players and build the program up. This game showed that the year wasn't a complete waste but showed that there was still much to do to show that Stoops deserves to be in his seat.
Now, tonight has added some further insight. I will say the following for both types of fans (positive and negative fans).
- No, this was not a moral victory and should not be treated as such and I do believe that in your 4th year we should make a better showing.
- This game was a great measuring stick for the program and shows that some progress has been made
Up-and-coming programs do not succeed with terrible QB play. QB play can be improved with development and providing adequate line protection. I do believe that UK hasn't seen much of either of those attributes. Plain and simple, I think this game could have been a bit more competitive with an offense that is run with a decent QB OR with a greatly improved offensive line (no s*** Sherlock). With this in mind I believe Stoops has to answer for one major problem: the offensive line. Stoops has shown he can recruit players very well but I don't necessarily think the line play has shown great improvement since he has taken over. I'm not asking to have the best line in the SEC but I sure as hell want a backup QB to come in and not have to make ill advised decisions due to lack of pass protection. As far as the QB goes, I do believe that there were factors that caused the current position we are in. This includes losing two offensive coordinators, whiffing on some recruits, and lack of proper development. Losing Neal Brown was a real blow to getting great QB play and I do think we may have seen some better QB play without losing him. Stoops could not control any OC that wants to get a HC gig at a school they used to work at. I cannot fault Neal Brown for taking such a job either. However, replacing Neal Brown with Shannon Dawson seems to have been a major hit on the QB play. The lack of a dedicated QB coach with an OC that really had never called plays in FBS was the problem. I do think replacing Dawson with Gran is a great improvement and with some QB development we will see great improvement. Very few QBs can step up and make magic out of nothing and Gran and Hinshaw deserve some time to try and sort out the QB mess we are in.
So this leaves where I think Stoops is at. This season has to end in a bowl game. I am a firm believer that MB will not let Stoops go if we fall short of that but in the interest of this football program I pray that Stoops can pull it out. I have seen improvements on defense and the offense looked somewhat serviceable against USCjr and did not get shut out against Alabama. This means with proper preparation and execution 6 wins is doable. I can forgive a lot for a first time head coach and I do believe patience is a virtue but if a bowl game can not be attained then I think Stoops was not the right fit here. At the end of the day, I'm glad that the team looked better prepared than they did against Florida. I will put that in my book of steps in the right direction for this program though it is sad that we are in such a position in year 4.