This is more than just a loss

[ukdoc11]

To be fair if your guy doesn't hold, you still don't get 3 points. Because without the hold the kick gets blocked. I understand your point, and I guess you could say if he hadn't gotten beat off the ball so badly he wouldn't have been forced to hold.
But again I understand you point. It was a great game. And y'all have a very good team. Good luck the rest of the way.

That's exactly what I'm saying. Conrad froze or lost concentration for a split second and was beaten. His only option was to hold. If he makes that block like he does 99% of the time, it's 3 points, but he is human, he is still a kid, and we all make mistakes.

Sometimes you just tip your hat to the other team for making more plays, and not try to place misguided blame.

 

[UKWinsAgainYep]

I'm sure I'll get blasted for this, but this loss last night was yet another failure to fully win back the fan base. There is a large segment of our fanbase that is just sick and tired of getting their hopes up only to get devastated again. UK can seemingly NEVER win a game against a marquee program even when that program is down. Beating South Carolina and Vandy is one thing, but it would be nice to beat an Auburn or Georgia or UT.

Stoops has, without exception, failed to close the deal on these kinds of games despite multiple close calls (Florida in Gainesville 2 years ago, last night, Auburn last year, Florida last year, etc).

I think a win last night would have fully unified the fanbase and gotten everyone truly pumped up for the rest of the year and a great 2017. Instead, we are once again mired in mediocrity with no big wins to which to point.

I agree with you that it's another instance of fans being let down at the point we have a chance to turn the corner.

Maybe we can beat UT and redeem ourselves. Even better, beat UL.

A 7 win season would be good.

 

[STUCKNBIG10]

Another "Knee Meets Forehead" post.

Yes, "without exception"...... that's why we are bowling this season after a five year lull.

Perhaps you failed to read my entire post. Without exception, we have failed to beat a marquee program during Stoops tenure. If i'm wrong, please name the marquee program. I'm waiting (and will still be waiting for days because the clear answer is "none").

 

[STUCKNBIG10]

It does suck that we had a near sellout, looked like an SEC school crowd and then UK crapped the bed. For the 10-15,000 that showed last night because of the Miss st and Mizzou wins, they are probably gone till next season unless UK can find a way to beat UT. 6-6 should be celebrated bc of how the season started. Winning last night would of been a huge momentum booster going into next season for season ticket sales and just a feel good moment for the program.

A bowl is what we wanted and after the past few years, just give me a bowl but I understand last night's frustrations. That was a golden opportunity.

Pretty perfect summary. Not sure why many on here are so black and white in their analysis. It's quite possible to want Stoops to be retained (he should, barring a loss to Austin Peay) while still being extremely disappointed in some of the happenings during his tenure (including last night).

 

[JumperJack]

Yeah, you're right! Stoops failed to hold onto a 60 yard bomb that hit right in his hands. Stoops fumbled the ball on our 38 yard line trying to take on 3 players when he should have just dropped down. Stoops lost his concentration and had to hold on a field goal attempt that took 3 points off the board.

The coaches dialed up the right plays, the players didn't produce.

Plain and simple.

Have to agree with this although the players' performance is ultimately on him.

 

[STUCKNBIG10]

Agree with this. I just can't understand why this game was some people's breaking point.

I think the breaking point probably came last year (Fla, Auburn) for many people and then more this year with Southern Miss. Last night was an opportunity to win back a skeptical fanbase. Fail.

 

[STUCKNBIG10]

Do you really believe even if we won last night there was going to be a big crowd for Austin peay in November. Would of been the season ticket holders and whatever comp tickets they gave out. No one would spend 45 bucks a pop to watch those. Georgia had name appeal (and brought a lot of people themselves). You replace vandy team and a Georgia team just in name alone with same thing on line and crowd is no where near that large or rowdy.

Maybe not a sellout, but i think you would have had a sea of blue in Knoxville and the fanbase in an absolute frenzy with three games remaining. Even at 7-5, you'd have a large following to a mid-tier bowl game and great enthusiasm for 2017. Now, you'll have a bad end to the season, a mediocre following to a bad bowl game, and some people on the fence for 2017. Huge difference.

 

[STUCKNBIG10]

Context is everything. It looks like you don't get that. You say "Stoops has WITHOUT EXCEPTION failed to close the deal on THESE KIND OF GAMES." But that statement is demonstrably false, which shows you haven't been paying attention. Besides, this team was never going to go 12-0 or even 8-4. Ever. In September, this team got beat at home by Southern Miss, then pasted in The Swamp by Florida. Since the 2-game blown start to the season, Kentucky has gone 5-2 (4-2), including a win at Missouri that was Stoops' 2nd SEC road win. Ever. Football teams are built year by year, recruiting class by recruiting class. Throughout Stoops' time at Kentucky, Georgia has had higher-ranked recruiting classes than Kentucky every year. That means Georgia still has the more talented roster. It would have been great if Kentucky had played an error-free game yesterday. But turnovers are not 1 of this team's strengths, and that was the difference in the game. But a team with a less talented roster and a 2nd string quarterback almost pulled out yesterday's game through hard work and determination. A month ago, most posters here were desperate to fire Stoops. Now Stoops is taking this team to a bowl. That's overachievement. And that's improvement. Next year, Stoops will bring back 19 starters, both kickers, and a long list of impressive redshirts. Our program is on the upswing. What really matters now is the next recruiting class and the 15 extra practices in December. That's what I meant by understanding the context. Support our players. Support our coaches. Hope for the best. But please cut the crap.

Read my post. I clearly defined "these kinds of games" as "marquee programs" and Stoops is batting 0.00. You can't have your cake and eat it to with star ratings. If star ratings were the end-all, then we would be on a 2-3 game winning streak against UL.

As I said above, the world is gray sometimes and not always black and white. The black and white part is that Stoops has failed, without exception, to win games against marquee teams even when said teams stink or are mediocre (Auburn 2015, Florida 2015, Georgia 2016, Florida 2016, and on and on and on). The black and white part (in a good way) is that Stoops successfully rallied the troops after a miserable start. The part which is gray (and is my opinion) is that last night was a devastating and miserable failure (yet again) to fully win back the fanbase and to take our program to the next level. You are entitled to your opinion, as I am to mine. It's possible to support the program, while also asking for more.

 

[STUCKNBIG10]

Why were hopes DEVASTATED? if a fan's hopes hinged on us beating more talented GA team. That is a fan problem.

The first sentence of last paragraph is more true about the fanbase.

But then you miss again. A loss to GA has this mired in mediocrity? That is rick pitino level hyperbole, congrats.

Let me spell it out for you, since you are the one resorting to hyperbole. Our fanbase does not get pumped about beating Vandy and Missouri. Our fanbase (along with most others) would like to beat a big-time SEC program now and then (if that statement is incorrect, then why didn't we have this kind of crowd for Miss St or Vandy?). Last night was seen as a referendum on whether or not UK was truly different.

I think last night proved that UK has made progress, but still has a lot of "same old KY" in it, and that is very frustrating.

 

[STUCKNBIG10]

been a fan since 75.
This was a hard fought football game against a team with just more of those talented bodies to put out there.
Kids made some costly errors. Coaches made some poor play calls. Same thing happened on the Georgia side.
According to the OP, we should just go ahead and shut the program down.
I disagree. I'd rather have a win any day, but if the kids lay it all out on the field and give it all they have, I can't ask anymore. That's what's been missing somehow the past six years. Good to see it starting to come back.

Where did I say that we should shut the program down? OK, I'll wait.

 

[cardkilla_rivals379685]

People seem to forget that we have won 4 sec games with a 2nd string QB who is not a great passer. If Stoops was such a bad coach, no way this team wins 6 this year.

Stoops has this program on the right track. Next year will prove that. We're a solid QB away from being the first or 2nd best team in the East

 

[Holly Springs Dawg 3]

That's exactly what I'm saying. Conrad froze or lost concentration for a split second and was beaten. His only option was to hold. If he makes that block like he does 99% of the time, it's 3 points, but he is human, he is still a kid, and we all make mistakes.

Sometimes you just tip your hat to the other team for making more plays, and not try to place misguided blame.

Yep, every fan base does it, after any loss. It's natural.

 

[SanAntonioCat_rivals376502]

He recruits the players. He is paid $3MM+ each year to get them to concentrate and catch balls and not turn the ball over. The buck stops with him.

Perhaps you would be happier selecting another college football program worthy of your insight and bountiful knowledge.

 

[SanAntonioCat_rivals376502]

Yep, every fan base does it, after any loss. It's natural.

Some are worse than others especially the further one ventures into the backwoods and bayous of the Deep South. Isn't where Paul Finebaum was dug up and became a media personality of varying renown.

 

[Blueaz]

I agree with you that it's another instance of fans being let down at the point we have a chance to turn the corner.

Maybe we can beat UT and redeem ourselves. Even better, beat UL.

A 7 win season would be good.

I thought you had basically stuck a fork in this team?

 

[STUCKNBIG10]

Perhaps you would be happier selecting another college football program worthy of your insight and bountiful knowledge.

Or Perhaps this is a message board for loyal fans like us to discuss our thoughts on UK football.

 

[BigBlueCatNation]

I'm sure I'll get blasted for this, but this loss last night was yet another failure to fully win back the fan base. There is a large segment of our fanbase that is just sick and tired of getting their hopes up only to get devastated again. UK can seemingly NEVER win a game against a marquee program even when that program is down. Beating South Carolina and Vandy is one thing, but it would be nice to beat an Auburn or Georgia or UT.

Stoops has, without exception, failed to close the deal on these kinds of games despite multiple close calls (Florida in Gainesville 2 years ago, last night, Auburn last year, Florida last year, etc).

I think a win last night would have fully unified the fanbase and gotten everyone truly pumped up for the rest of the year and a great 2017. Instead, we are once again mired in mediocrity with no big wins to which to point.

You're right and we've got 2 more chances to do it. But if we don't, that's fine too. This wasn't the year we were supposed to be really good, we were just supposed to get to a bowl game to show progress.i believe next year is the year we should expect to see a better than average football team.

 

[BoNicholas]

I agree with the guy that says it's not Stoops most are frustrated with. It's the program in general. It just seems to let us down every single time.

 

[megablue]

For those questioning playcalling on final drive ... what would u have dialed up? Myself I put Johnson under center and handoff to snell on first down. If he gets stoned it's play action on second down and I'm looking for Conrad and again on third down rolling out the qb

I like your play calls, but has Johnson been under center all year? I can't remember, but it seems like we NEVER go under center.

 

[dreadpirate_rivals241225]

We lost to a better more talented football team last night.

I like Coach Stoops, and I want to see him succeed. But here's the thing -I don't think we lost to a better team. We should have won that game.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

Again, UK has went 4-1 in SEC swing games this year. The issue is more the loss to Southern Miss than UGA. UK should have/could have went 7-5 this year. Now they are most likely 6-6 and could have a losing record with a bowl loss.

As for next year, we have a lot coming back, but the schedule is very tough IMO. All these 5 swing games that were 4/5 at home this year? 4/5 on the road next year with SC, Vandy, UGA and MSU. We get UT, FL, Ole Miss and Missouri at home...also have to play at Southern Miss. We do get UL at home. If we can get better QB play and improve in all other facet's I think we can make a bowl next year but won't be easy.