Correct me if I'm wrong, but Stoops doesn't sound too excited about where we are at after the 2nd Scrimmage?
Does anyone here know how we looked today?
Does anyone here know how we looked today?
Stoops Not Pleased Today?
- Thread starter UKWinsAgainYep
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He said they got a lot of good things done today. It went smoothly until they put in the 2nd and third string guys, then it got a bit sloppy, but that should be expected in the depth building phase.
Although I would suggest otherwise. Doesn't give much in the way of actual details, other than UMM just complaining, as always.
Concerning depth, DJ Eliot looked downright depressed at his media talk today.
So now, he and Stoops are both making comments about Defensive depth.
This is no surprise to me though...I knew this season was going to ride on our Offense scoring a lot of points.
We are simply not deep enough on D to play in the SEC. Hatcher and Meant would have helped a lot.
We have some depth in our Defensive Secondary, but that's really the only part of our defense that has depth.
Our D-Line and LBs will get pounded this season.
Our offense is really going to have to improve a lot for us to reach 6 wins and a bowl game. I do think it's possible. I think we have the talent on Offense to score points on anyone.
I believe his actual words were "I have mixed feelings" about the scrimmage today. I mean honestly if the offense played well today, the defense probably did not and vice versa. I like what Gran said, we went 3 and out and gave up a sack in the first series but we came back on the next series and had a 60 yd touchdown pass. He was referring to having a short memory and putting the bad series behind them. Stoops is the HC so he has to be the worrier.
Move the chains,keep the D off the field as much as possible,we will probably have to roll the dice on defense more than we would like(blitz,stunts,etc) some of the time it will work some of the time we will get burned.Maybe we can bring along some of the new guys a little more quickly than we would like but we got to do what we got to do to get to 6
We better surprise some teams w some early wins cause lack of depth will show more as the season goes on.
True, but Stoops said some of the depth is young. He sees Kash as someone who is ready physically, but not ready from an experience perspective. But, he suggested a RS would not be used because he sees young guys that could be ready by game six.
Also, some reports about Bonner have been good. A few games in, he may be competing.
Stoops is using the media to challenge his back ups. We have a ton of talent on defense but its very green. Plus the coaches know who there top 15 or 20 guys are right now on each side. There trying to see who can help. Its going to be a bit sloppy when you take out the top 20 guys and put the rest in. This is normal for most teams. I think part of the coaches dilema is the most talented guys that are ready physically to help are freshman and sophomores. The positions needing the help are dtackle and inside backer. Well it sounds like the most talented guys at those spots are looney cross carter kash bonner on defense and Ross snell rose stenberg wolfe young richardson greenwood rigg on offense. We do not have the luxury to redshirt all these kids. Bonner Cross looney and carter are the guys I believe stoops was referring to as the players we have to get reps to in order to be 3 deep
I think this is huge. We have to get to 6 wins as fast as possible and play well early in the season because our D will probably be very beat up by the end. Just not enough experienced depth yet.
IMHO, biggest worry, among several, is the following quote (according to KSR) from Coach Eliot:
“It’s (Tackling's) not where it needs to be. We’re going to have to get that accomplished in practice,” Eliot said.
Maybe it's just coach speak.
But, tackling is a fundamental football skill. And, tackling has been a HUGE problem for every one of Coach Stoops' teams. A lot of these guys have been in the program for 2-3 years and yet tackling is still "not where it needs to be."
Worrisome!!!
“It’s (Tackling's) not where it needs to be. We’re going to have to get that accomplished in practice,” Eliot said.
Maybe it's just coach speak.
But, tackling is a fundamental football skill. And, tackling has been a HUGE problem for every one of Coach Stoops' teams. A lot of these guys have been in the program for 2-3 years and yet tackling is still "not where it needs to be."
Worrisome!!!
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It seems to me the defensive side of the ball is going to be ugly this year. That doesn't bode well for a winning record. Troubling to say the least.
I don't know why some of our fans act surprised about not having the talent to go 3 deep. We're not talented just yet. It would be nice. Most of us knew from the start our offense was going have to be better than usual for us to beat some of the teams we face this coming year. We have a lot of talent on offense so i don't want to give up hope just yet on a bowl game. The great news is, while most of our talent on defense is young, the more games they play the more experience they get. It would be awesome to RS every talented player we bring in, but at this point, we're not there and some of these young kids will have to play and get beat up to get where we and the coaching staff think they could get to some point in the future. I would rather have young talent on defense than to not have any at all. In year's past, we have lacked talent period on the defensive side of the field. At least we are starting to bring in real talent to help in the future on defense. We have to get to a bowl game this year and our starting QB will have to score some points to get us to a bowl game. I hope the kid is up to the challenge he is facing!
Agree but we also see every transfer shrugged off on here as a sign of our depth. Gotta develop better and have to keep those not in the 2 deep engaged and sold on eventual playing time instead and thinking how to use their scholarship
You are doing your best to sound positive. But come on, that's such a stretch you should be blushing.
Up to this point the thread has been more realistic than the 7-8 win hot wind ones. You know better than this.
It seems we can never be solid on both sides of the ball. We have fielded some decent defenses recently but were terrible on offense. Now we are good on offense and are terrible on defense. I look forward to the day if we ever field a good offense with a good defense.
Reading between the lines there seem to be major warning signals coming from the coaches. Stoops needs to produce this year. 4 years and 5 recruiting classes. It's time to deliver. I think 6 wins is a must or UK should count their losses and move on.
As for this season, I'm thinking 4-8 with a possibility of 5-7. The defensive line doesn't seem to be better or even improved. Which is extremely disappointing given that stoops has had time to build what is the most important unit on defense. Bad defensive line = losses. I see these 5 games as losses (Georgia,Tennessee,Florida,Alabama,Louisville). I see these 2 games as wins (New Mexico State, Austin Peay). I see these 5 games as winnable (South Carolina, miss state, Vandy, southern miss, Missouri).
I see UK winning 2 of those 5 games. Possibly 3 of the 5 I'd they beat Southern Miss.
Hard to see UK beating Miss State and Missouri on the road. Vandy has won a couple in a row. South Carolina is down but they're defense will be better than ours. Hope I'm wrong! But it's time for the Cats to prove me wrong. I don't think stoops is the right guy and the sooner we move on the better.
As for this season, I'm thinking 4-8 with a possibility of 5-7. The defensive line doesn't seem to be better or even improved. Which is extremely disappointing given that stoops has had time to build what is the most important unit on defense. Bad defensive line = losses. I see these 5 games as losses (Georgia,Tennessee,Florida,Alabama,Louisville). I see these 2 games as wins (New Mexico State, Austin Peay). I see these 5 games as winnable (South Carolina, miss state, Vandy, southern miss, Missouri).
I see UK winning 2 of those 5 games. Possibly 3 of the 5 I'd they beat Southern Miss.
Hard to see UK beating Miss State and Missouri on the road. Vandy has won a couple in a row. South Carolina is down but they're defense will be better than ours. Hope I'm wrong! But it's time for the Cats to prove me wrong. I don't think stoops is the right guy and the sooner we move on the better.
Really could have used some roster luck on the D Line this season (no transfers, suspensions, injuries, etc.) Besides the line, we arguably could have gotten by with those things at almost any other unit, save maybe QB and Boom. Of course the one unit we need things to go right on goes wrong.
I feel like if Stoops' second year defense performed lights-out for the first five or six games with less talent and depth, a very inconsistent offense and a very inconsistent special teams, then this defense will be fine.
If our offense can sustain drives, defense isn't on the field as much. This means lower chances of injury and more time our starters can stay on the field. We can spare depth on offense much more than defense.
If our special teams improve AT ALL, then the defense won't be expected to keep teams off the score board with such an incredibly short field.
Defense will not be the strength this year, but if offense and special teams have improved half as much as advertised then they could offset some of our defensive deficiencies.
I realize there are a lot of ifs, however, this isn't the same as saying defense will be great IF we have someone step up. There's reason to believe these units will improve based on talent, depth, and reports.
If our offense can sustain drives, defense isn't on the field as much. This means lower chances of injury and more time our starters can stay on the field. We can spare depth on offense much more than defense.
If our special teams improve AT ALL, then the defense won't be expected to keep teams off the score board with such an incredibly short field.
Defense will not be the strength this year, but if offense and special teams have improved half as much as advertised then they could offset some of our defensive deficiencies.
I realize there are a lot of ifs, however, this isn't the same as saying defense will be great IF we have someone step up. There's reason to believe these units will improve based on talent, depth, and reports.
IMHO, biggest worry, among several, is the following quote (according to KSR) from Coach Eliot:
“It’s (Tackling's) not where it needs to be. We’re going to have to get that accomplished in practice,” Eliot said.
Maybe it's just coach speak.
But, tackling is a fundamental football skill. And, tackling has been a HUGE problem for every one of Coach Stoops' teams. A lot of these guys have been in the program for 2-3 years and yet tackling is still "not where it needs to be."
Get the Australian Women's Rugby Team over here and have them teach the boys how to tackle. May be a little rough on the boys so we should encourage the girls to take it easy.
Improved Special Teams and much better offensive efficiency will make or break this season. With all the problems UK had last season, they still should have won several more games last season. This season's schedule appears to be manageable to get 6-7 wins much like last year's schedule did.
The defense will be more of the same. Bend but do not break and hope the offense can create several long drives and ST can create much better field position. They are not going to stop the run well, but can they create turnovers and get something of a resemblance of a pass rush...
The defense will be more of the same. Bend but do not break and hope the offense can create several long drives and ST can create much better field position. They are not going to stop the run well, but can they create turnovers and get something of a resemblance of a pass rush...
I haven't been pleased for awhile. Cats should have gone Bowling the last 2 seasons, and the Coaching came up short.
Agreed, Eddie Gran and the Offense will determine Coach Stoops' fate this season.
Why on D ? Elliot and Stoops are defensive guys that have been here the whole time. The offense is on it's 3 OC since Stoops arrived and is going to be shouldering the load. Just saying....
We didn't have transfers or suspensions on the DL, at least by the football team.