running out of excuses

[billoliver40]

I like Coach Mark Stoops. His energy. His passion. His enthusiasm. Time to quit accepting excuses though.
His DC came with him from FSU. They know each other. He has recruited at a higher level than I've ever seen at Kentucky. This will be year four. Time to show improvement. Time to act like we have a football team.

Many thing a new OC is yet another excuse for a losing season or a disjointed mess of a team. If that were so, then why do so many teams seem to catch fire with new coaches....not two years later, but that season.

This upcoming season needs to be Coach Stoops coming out party. Six wins would be nice. I would be satisfied with other teams showing some respect for having played a football team at Kentucky and not just a practice game.

 

[jauk11]

I like Coach Mark Stoops. His energy. His passion. His enthusiasm. Time to quit accepting excuses though.
His DC came with him from FSU. They know each other. He has recruited at a higher level than I've ever seen at Kentucky. This will be year four. Time to show improvement. Time to act like we have a football team.

Many thing a new OC is yet another excuse for a losing season or a disjointed mess of a team. If that were so, then why do so many teams seem to catch fire with new coaches....not two years later, but that season.

This upcoming season needs to be Coach Stoops coming out party. Six wins would be nice. I would be satisfied with other teams showing some respect for having played a football team at Kentucky and not just a practice game.

"Many thing a new OC is yet another excuse for a losing season or a disjointed mess of a team. If that were so, then why do so many teams seem to catch fire with new coaches....not two years later, but that season."

Well, if you are talking about teams like Florida, maybe it is because UK was 12, 9, 25, and 60 spots behind them in the team recruiting standings the past four years. And the class that was only 9 spots behind them was our best class ever, and are still pretty inexperienced freshmen and sophomores. Then the class 5 years ago was 50 places ahead of us, and there should still be a few recruits from that class still playing at Florida, not so many at UK where very few good freshmen redshirted back then. And the UK classes that were 60 and 50 places behind Florida are the ones that should be furnishing our valuable fourth and fifth year leaders------not too many of those left at UK, we had TWO players on the two deep on offense this year that graduated.

Oh, but wait, Florida's offense didn't catch fire this season, did it? LOL

TALENT. not coaching, has been UK's main problem for decades, and Stoops and Troops are doing a lot to improve that talent.

 

[billoliver40]

Not bad points. How about DEVELOPED talent?
I will cut a pass for the offensive line this year in that it was thin. However, the same coaching staff that recruited mass numbers of wide receivers and secondary players didn't do the same on the line until this upcoming season.
Of those wide receivers, how many have developed that ability to match that talent the scouting programs said they had? Johnson maybe.
Of that secondary, does it not seem a little odd that it was a true freshman that seemed to stand out over the others?
We don't need to discuss the TE position.
Our quarterback actually seemed to regress as time went on.....and either was not taught or perhaps could not learn not to stare down the primary receiver.

This upcoming season will show a lot. It's actually a harder schedule. How the players and coaches respond THIS year.....junior for many....will show me as a fan how this staff has
grown this talent.
Just compete. Win if at all possible, but just compete.

 

[billoliver40]

Oh, but wait, Florida's offense didn't catch fire this season, did it? LOL

nope, they didn't. The Florida coaching staff found a way to pull a team together that actually had no quarterback for half the season. They focused on playing defense and trying to ELIMINATE as many errors on offense as possible. All they did was...well, you know.

Oh and yeah....first year coaching staff that likely knew none of these kids from the first time they walked onto the field. Kids that were recruited for an entirely different scheme, terminology,
attitude.

So yeah.....Florida isn't a bad example at all.

 

[Burly]

Fact is Stoops has under performed @ UK...the Coaching this past year was really bad. He has two years to get it turned around

 

[chuckster.sixpack]

"Many thing a new OC is yet another excuse for a losing season or a disjointed mess of a team. If that were so, then why do so many teams seem to catch fire with new coaches....not two years later, but that season."

Well, if you are talking about teams like Florida, maybe it is because UK was 12, 9, 25, and 60 spots behind them in the team recruiting standings the past four years. And the class that was only 9 spots behind them was our best class ever, and are still pretty inexperienced freshmen and sophomores. Then the class 5 years ago was 50 places ahead of us, and there should still be a few recruits from that class still playing at Florida, not so many at UK where very few good freshmen redshirted back then. And the UK classes that were 60 and 50 places behind Florida are the ones that should be furnishing our valuable fourth and fifth year leaders------not too many of those left at UK, we had TWO players on the two deep on offense this year that graduated.

Oh, but wait, Florida's offense didn't catch fire this season, did it? LOL

TALENT. not coaching, has been UK's main problem for decades, and Stoops and Troops are doing a lot to improve that talent.

If you ever run out if excuses, this guy can help.

 

[billoliver40]

I'm a whipper snapper compared to a lot of the fan base. I've been following since 1974. This is one of the most patient fan bases in the universe....up there getting close with Cubs fans.
Let's be real.....
Boisie State is a winner. Ask Oklahoma, Georgia and a few more.
Northwestern turned it around. Big 10 aint a cake walk.
Vanderbilt under Franklin was a winner. Same conference as us.
Indiana is now competitive...they throw scares into big boys.
Clock management is not a player's job.
Defensive set adjustments are a coach's call
Letting your kick return team catch balls on the ten continually...
Not knowing how many players are on the field more than once
Stating repeatedly we have to look at the Xs and Os and running the same
plays, sets and personnel week after week are not the player's call.
Going OT against Eastern and winning in the last second against ULL and
saying we're getting better....

I agree the players have to get better.
So do the coaches.

 

[Mountain air]

"Many thing a new OC is yet another excuse for a losing season or a disjointed mess of a team. If that were so, then why do so many teams seem to catch fire with new coaches....not two years later, but that season."

Well, if you are talking about teams like Florida, maybe it is because UK was 12, 9, 25, and 60 spots behind them in the team recruiting standings the past four years. And the class that was only 9 spots behind them was our best class ever, and are still pretty inexperienced freshmen and sophomores. Then the class 5 years ago was 50 places ahead of us, and there should still be a few recruits from that class still playing at Florida, not so many at UK where very few good freshmen redshirted back then. And the UK classes that were 60 and 50 places behind Florida are the ones that should be furnishing our valuable fourth and fifth year leaders------not too many of those left at UK, we had TWO players on the two deep on offense this year that graduated.

Oh, but wait, Florida's offense didn't catch fire this season, did it? LOL

TALENT. not coaching, has been UK's main problem for decades, and Stoops and Troops are doing a lot to improve that talent.

Couldn't disagree more, but it's every coaches excuse. There are plenty of top 25 teams that don't have the talent based on recruiting rankings, yet they are there.

Coaching is key, you have to be able to get the most out of every player. You have to put them in the right spot on the field and then you have to run the right schemes to maximize their game.

And if it's a talent gap why get rid of the OC and receivers coach. They had been successful at other schools under other head coaches.

This is a head coaching issue and the AD did a terrible job on his contract and extension and we areally stuck wit him.

Dawson is gone because he didn't agree with Stoops on the offense, same reason Brown got out as fast as he could. Stoops dictated what they would run and we see the results for both were the same. Funny how that works two different OC's same results common thread is both had to deal with the same head coach.

Right now our only choice is to stay on the Stoops bandwagon and pray he let's and OC lead the offense. Because love him or hate him we are stuck with him for at least 2 more years.

 

[sluggercatfan]

"Many thing a new OC is yet another excuse for a losing season or a disjointed mess of a team. If that were so, then why do so many teams seem to catch fire with new coaches....not two years later, but that season."

Well, if you are talking about teams like Florida, maybe it is because UK was 12, 9, 25, and 60 spots behind them in the team recruiting standings the past four years. And the class that was only 9 spots behind them was our best class ever, and are still pretty inexperienced freshmen and sophomores. Then the class 5 years ago was 50 places ahead of us, and there should still be a few recruits from that class still playing at Florida, not so many at UK where very few good freshmen redshirted back then. And the UK classes that were 60 and 50 places behind Florida are the ones that should be furnishing our valuable fourth and fifth year leaders------not too many of those left at UK, we had TWO players on the two deep on offense this year that graduated.

Oh, but wait, Florida's offense didn't catch fire this season, did it? LOL

TALENT. not coaching, has been UK's main problem for decades, and Stoops and Troops are doing a lot to improve that talent.

Look we should've , could've beaten Otis, Fla., Missouri two years in a row...There has been a collapse two straight year after the middle of the schedule...I am one of those that think MS is in over his head, but am willing to give him some rope, especially if he brings in a good OC and lets him do his thing and not follow him up and down the side line...The team at a LOT of times at looked in chaos on the sideline and that is on him. A think a lot better sideline management and leadership on the sideline by him next year will go a long way...I think players can sense when the coach(es) don't have control of the sidelines.

 

[willievic]

Look we should've , could've beaten Otis, Fla., Missouri two years in a row...There has been a collapse two straight year after the middle of the schedule...I am one of those that think MS is in over his head, but am willing to give him some rope, especially if he brings in a good OC and lets him do his thing and not follow him up and down the side line...The team at a LOT of times at looked in chaos on the sideline and that is on him. A think a lot better sideline management and leadership on the sideline by him next year will go a long way...I think players can sense when the coach(es) don't have control of the sidelines.

Slugger, you are "spot-on", I am a Stoops backer, but he has to do better at game management. He cannot lay that on Dawson or some other Assistant coach. No more failing to call TO when the clock is running down and were going to kick a field goal, only 8 men on the field, etc.
Quit arguing with the refs, your never going to win, and manage the game. Let the OC do his job without micro-managing.

OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!

 

[jauk11]

If you ever run out if excuses, this guy can help.

Yep.

I don't see how in the world Joker could use lack of talent for the blowout to Florida his first year, why half of his starters (well, almost) were three stars. and he had TWO four stars playing------although that was a bit offset by the two walkons starting. Why, Florida's TWO DEEP on offense AND defense only averaged a little over a 5.9, not just a four star but elite four star average. No excuse in the world for him not running over Florida that year. No reasons for the big defeat, just excuses. Like the 265# walkon DT starting against the 6'5" fifth year FIVE STAR high draft pick not knocking him on his butt, no excuse at all.

Same with Stoops, while he has done a great job in upgrading our talent, the class standings (much more important for a class than a few individuals) that, as I pointed out, AVERAGED over 26 spots behind Florida's class in the standings for the past four years------and it would have been a lot worse if not for our ONE really good class that he brought in, that is still very young, and learning. But that class will have some more quality pieces added from last years class (most underrated) and some great help coming in at the critical OL position the next year or so.

There is no denying that there have been major malfunctions by the coaching staff this year, but there is also no denying that the difference in talent level in a lot of cases, especially experienced talent, is not just an excuse but also a reason for our mistakes. I think we have to keep Stoops as long as he is bringing in the talent that he is (a lot of it underrated) and let that talent grow with experience AND with improvement from the coaching staff. A couple of big changes already, hopefully they will lead to big improvement.

But the discrepancy in talent is not an excuse in most of our games, it is a reason for losing. And it is consistently getting narrower, and the coaches are also learning and must get better also. I hope you don't want to argue about our talent getting better also.

I still think the loss to Vandy was due to a grade school play that should be and IS outlawed by the spirit of the rules, a bigger screwup by the coaches upstairs than anyone else.

 

[chuckster.sixpack]

Yep.

I don't see how in the world Joker could use lack of talent for the blowout to Florida his first year, why half of his starters (well, almost) were three stars. and he had TWO four stars playing------although that was a bit offset by the two walkons starting. Why, Florida's TWO DEEP on offense AND defense only averaged a little over a 5.9, not just a four star but elite four star average. No excuse in the world for him not running over Florida that year. No reasons for the big defeat, just excuses. Like the 265# walkon DT starting against the 6'5" fifth year FIVE STAR high draft pick not knocking him on his butt, no excuse at all.

Same with Stoops, while he has done a great job in upgrading our talent, the class standings (much more important for a class than a few individuals) that, as I pointed out, AVERAGED over 26 spots behind Florida's class in the standings for the past four years------and it would have been a lot worse if not for our ONE really good class that he brought in, that is still very young, and learning. But that class will have some more quality pieces added from last years class (most underrated) and some great help coming in at the critical OL position the next year or so.

There is no denying that there have been major malfunctions by the coaching staff this year, but there is also no denying that the difference in talent level in a lot of cases, especially experienced talent, is not just an excuse but also a reason for our mistakes. I think we have to keep Stoops as long as he is bringing in the talent that he is (a lot of it underrated) and let that talent grow with experience AND with improvement from the coaching staff. A couple of big changes already, hopefully they will lead to big improvement.

But the discrepancy in talent is not an excuse in most of our games, it is a reason for losing. And it is consistently getting narrower, and the coaches are also learning and must get better also. I hope you don't want to argue about our talent getting better also.

I still think the loss to Vandy was due to a grade school play that should be and IS outlawed by the spirit of the rules, a bigger screwup by the coaches upstairs than anyone else.

I'll have to admit I only read the first sentence. Do you cut and paste or do you type it all out every time?

Do you ever wonder why they bother to play the games? Why they don't just award the W to the team with the most recruiting stars?

 

[jauk11]

In the past when UK played Bama they usually did, what kind of odds will you give me on the game coming up?.

Then there were the nearly thirty game losing streak to Thug U and the nearly thirty to Florida, to be continued. And no, I don't copy and paste, the horrible stats are really hard to forget sometimes, definitely changing a lot though since mitch cost UK millions in football. Still is actually, still a lot of skepticism among a lot of fans.

And yes, there are some awesome upsets in football at times, UK over LSU in 07, Joker over TOBC in 2010, but as the losing streaks we have against programs that out recruit us two to one shows, talent does matter a great deal. And while maybe you are a great talent evaluator and can travel the country looking at all the talent, I usually have to just take the word of the people with the time and money to do it. I suspect that both Brooks and Joker had to rely on them a great deal with the recruiting budget they had also, LOL.

But I do add in a plus for staffs that excel at their own evaluations, definitely Brooks and Stoops both so far.

So, do we have a bet on the Bama game or not?

 

[andreIGUODOLLAsigns4UK]

"Many thing a new OC is yet another excuse for a losing season or a disjointed mess of a team. If that were so, then why do so many teams seem to catch fire with new coaches....not two years later, but that season."

Well, if you are talking about teams like Florida, maybe it is because UK was 12, 9, 25, and 60 spots behind them in the team recruiting standings the past four years. And the class that was only 9 spots behind them was our best class ever, and are still pretty inexperienced freshmen and sophomores. Then the class 5 years ago was 50 places ahead of us, and there should still be a few recruits from that class still playing at Florida, not so many at UK where very few good freshmen redshirted back then. And the UK classes that were 60 and 50 places behind Florida are the ones that should be furnishing our valuable fourth and fifth year leaders------not too many of those left at UK, we had TWO players on the two deep on offense this year that graduated.

Oh, but wait, Florida's offense didn't catch fire this season, did it? LOL

TALENT. not coaching, has been UK's main problem for decades, and Stoops and Troops are doing a lot to improve that talent.

Florida's offense was respectable with will Grier before suspension. One thing I wonder with you. If muschamp couldn't get it done at Florida with Florida talent. Then why do you feel so confident now that stoops has assembled talent that he'll do so great? Like what do you see out of his coaching ability that is so much better than muschamps? Not trying to come off as a jerk in any way it's a serious question.

 

[Levibooty]

nope, they didn't. The Florida coaching staff found a way to pull a team together that actually had no quarterback for half the season. They focused on playing defense and trying to ELIMINATE as many errors on offense as possible. All they did was...well, you know.

Oh and yeah....first year coaching staff that likely knew none of these kids from the first time they walked onto the field. Kids that were recruited for an entirely different scheme, terminology,
attitude.

So yeah.....Florida isn't a bad example at all.

While all of this is true, it totally ignores the point he is making, (A very valid point) about the difference in talent.

 

[Levibooty]

I'll have to admit I only read the first sentence. Do you cut and paste or do you type it all out every time?

Do you ever wonder why they bother to play the games? Why they don't just award the W to the team with the most recruiting stars?

Well turnabout is fair play. Do you ever wonder why the best teams in the SEC are loaded with high three stars, four stars and some five stars?

 

[Levibooty]

People can make very valid points that Stoops needs to address his own bad performance during games
but
there is not a valid position supporting the notion winning in the SEC can be accomplished without a very talented roster. That is jauk11's position and it is darn near unassailable. I can remember Jeremy Jarmon saying something to the effect of, "People don't realize we were one or two talented players away from winning the SEC that year."

Trying to argue against or around that fact is just foolish.

 

[andreIGUODOLLAsigns4UK]

Well turnabout is fair play. Do you ever wonder why the best teams in the SEC are loaded with high three stars, four stars and some five stars?

Example. Look at muschamp at Florida, had elite talent that UK will never see. And still sucked. So I guess when stoops has all his talent assembled it's a shoe in that Kentucky starts playing great football. I don't really see any reason to believe stoops is a better coach than muschamp yet. I don't get why people think with these recruits that rank 12th and 13th in the SEC that it's almost guaranteed our coach coaches them up. Did you see any adjustments this season? Yea me neither. As far as coaching goes, I'm pretty sure stoops is the worst in the SEC it's a battle between him and muschamp. Jury still out on smart and mizzous new HC gotta see what they can do.

So with arguably the worst head coach in the SEC, and recruiting classes ranking 12th and 13th in the SEC. We can pretty much bet that stoops coaches these players above their SEC ranking and turns it around? Put me in with the 'gotta see it to believe it' group. I really don't see why people are so confident stoops turns it around. Yes he can recruit no ones denying that, but he has done absolutely nothing on the field to prove that hes even a halfway competent head coach. From what I've seen, his in game coaching ability has been very inept and that's putting it nicely.

 

[Levibooty]

Example. Look at muschamp at Florida, had elite talent that UK will never see. And still sucked. So I guess when stoops has all his talent assembled it's a shoe in that Kentucky starts playing great football. I don't really see any reason to believe stoops is a better coach than muschamp yet. I don't get why people think with these recruits that rank 12th and 13th in the SEC that it's almost guaranteed our coach coaches them up. Did you see any adjustments this season? Yea me neither. As far as coaching goes, I'm pretty sure stoops is the worst in the SEC it's a battle between him and muschamp. Jury still out on smart and mizzous new HC gotta see what they can do.

So with arguably the worst head coach in the SEC, and recruiting classes ranking 12th and 13th in the SEC. We can pretty much bet that stoops coaches these players above their SEC ranking and turns it around? Put me in with the 'gotta see it to believe it' group. I really don't see why people are so confident stoops turns it around. Yes he can recruit no ones denying that, but he has done absolutely nothing on the field to prove that hes even a halfway competent head coach. From what I've seen, his in game coaching ability has been very inept and that's putting it nicely.

I'm not sure what you are arguing here. Muschamp had better talent at Florida than Stoops has now. Muschamp didn't have an offensive coordinator who could field a SEC level offense especially one without a good QB.

I don't think anybody is even trying to say how good Stoops is although there are numerous people who will point out his failures as the complete story on Stoops. A lot of those people are butthurt because their personal choice wasn't hired.

I don't know whether Stoops will get it done or not. It is plain to see he is new to being a head coach with different responsibilities than he has ever had before. But the one unassailable fact is he has and is assembling a much more talented roster than what we had by a very wide margin. That roster like our head coach was still green this past year.

It's funny how the same posters that want to hire Brohm away from WKU ignores him when he says it would take him at least SIX years to build a program at Kentucky.

 

[Crushgroove]

Gotta love the idea of "hold him responsible/accountable."

Let's place him in a pillory outside CWS so those that perform flawlessly at their jawbs, family and life in general can casually pass by and flog his bare back or toss a few stones at his face. That'll bagawd learn him to get his schmit together. If he don't bleed, how will he ever learn to properly appease us?

You fawking people... lol.

 

[RonEJones]

As stated above, due to his buyout, he has 2 years to get it right. Otherwise, he'll be gone. Here's to hoping he has learned from his mistakes, can at least get us lined up properly on O, D and ST, hire a good OC and let him run his O exactly how he wants and get our ST at least competent.

I hope he figures it out. I'd hate to see MB and his search firm bungle another HC search.

 

[Monroe Claxton]

Stoops had to make these moves, otherwise there would be 20,000 people for the Southern Miss game

 

[merrimanm]

People can make very valid points that Stoops needs to address his own bad performance during games
but
there is not a valid position supporting the notion winning in the SEC can be accomplished without a very talented roster. That is jauk11's position and it is darn near unassailable. I can remember Jeremy Jarmon saying something to the effect of, "People don't realize we were one or two talented players away from winning the SEC that year."

Trying to argue against or around that fact is just foolish.

Sure there is and arumen that less talet's rostern could win in the SEC. Iowa, Northwestern, Boise State UL, and others with the same roster make up as UK do it......oh wait, nevermind, wet said SEC.

Let's see...there is.....and....and there is ummmm....well, I am sure there is one SEC team that can win without a talented roster. That teams just seems to have slipped my mind.

 

[fromthe25ydline]

I've watched many coaches march teams into CWS. Some had spectacular talent, Spurrier, Fulmer, Tuberville, Galen Hall, Dooley, Jackie Sherrill, Battle, Majors, Charlie McClendon, Saban. The list above rarely made the mistakes I saw this Kentucky staff make this year. Granted, they were competing against less talented UK teams, but their teams were disciplined, executed well, played assignment football to wins against inferior UK squads. These coaches were all at different points in their careers at one visit to another, but they PERFORMED as head coaches without the inexcusable blunders.

If you want to coach in this league, you'd better have your act together. If you aren't ready, the competition in the SEC will expose you rather quickly.

 

[Levibooty]

I've watched many coaches march teams into CWS. Some had spectacular talent, Spurrier, Fulmer, Tuberville, Galen Hall, Dooley, Jackie Sherrill, Battle, Majors, Charlie McClendon, Saban. The list above rarely made the mistakes I saw this Kentucky staff make this year. Granted, they were competing against less talented UK teams, but their teams were disciplined, executed well, played assignment football to wins against inferior UK squads. These coaches were all at different points in their careers at one visit to another, but they PERFORMED as head coaches without the inexcusable blunders.

If you want to coach in this league, you'd better have your act together. If you aren't ready, the competition in the SEC will expose you rather quickly.

I believe this to be true. Lets hope Stoops is a quick study.