Thoughts on another stellar UK season opener

[LadyCaytIL]

several good lower school head coaches who have won and proven to know how to run and build a team. But we just keep going after OC's and DC's who dont and cant possibly know what it takes to take over a whole team which means its a wild crap shoot on if they can handle it or not. so far Mitch is 0-2

 

[BigBlueTuckian]

*Watching Drew Barker last night was like watching a replay of Patrick Towles Kentucky career. We saw some GREAT stuff. We saw some stunningly awful stuff. Big picture, Kentucky's young QB did enough to leave me encouraged. Not so much in terms of wins and losses, but in terms of his ability to play QB. Overall though, he has a LONG way to go. Kind of disappointing considering he's in his 3rd year as a collegian. Then again, he's also on his 3rd offensive coordinator.

I can't agree with this. Barker threw for over 300 yards had 4 TD's to one INT when UK was pressed for a score. His QB rating for the game was very high. His rhythm was totally disrupted the second half and he did give our defense a 25 point cushion that they couldn't protect. To me Barker was the best thing all night in his firts game as the unquestioned starter and leader of the offense.

Pay 2 head coach salaries and set up a locker room mutiny just to avoid paying Stoops his buyout?

Well I guess crazier things have been said on this board.

 

[LadyCaytIL]

our defense only looked good for like 12 minutes of game time. and looked like a bottom 5 team the rest of the game.

 

[ScrewDuke1]

UKErik; do you know whether or not we could retain Stoops on staff in some other capacity until 1 Dec 2017; and go ahead and bring in another head coach? I just don't believe that Stoops and Eliot are going to get it done. I have never had faith in Eliot. I had assumed that Stoops would be the man behind the defense, and he may be. But together they are doing a poor job with the defense.

I'd rather UKErik coach the team at this point.

 

[cardkilla_rivals379685]

*Watching Drew Barker last night was like watching a replay of Patrick Towles Kentucky career. We saw some GREAT stuff. We saw some stunningly awful stuff. Big picture, Kentucky's young QB did enough to leave me encouraged. Not so much in terms of wins and losses, but in terms of his ability to play QB. Overall though, he has a LONG way to go. Kind of disappointing considering he's in his 3rd year as a collegian. Then again, he's also on his 3rd offensive coordinator.

I can't agree with this. Barker threw for over 300 yards had 4 TD's to one INT when UK was pressed for a score. His QB rating for the game was very high. His rhythm was totally disrupted the second half and he did give our defense a 25 point cushion that they couldn't protect. To me Barker was the best thing all night in his firts game as the unquestioned starter and leader of the offense.

Agreed...barker and receivers did their job for the most part. Barker had some unbelievable throws last night.

I guess this is the good offense, terrible defense year. Can never seem to have both in any given year. First half was highly entertaining. Barker will just continue to get better. He needs to because we may need to score 50 to win any games this year

 

[Levibooty]

Pay 2 head coach salaries and set up a locker room mutiny just to avoid paying Stoops his buyout?

Well I guess crazier things have been said on this board.

I think you're responding to the wrong post here.

 

[ScrewDuke1]

Was it a poor job in the first half? Their play in the first half got the job done for 29 minutes.

Unfortunately for Stoops and staff, the game isn't over at halftime.

 

[gojvc]

12 million... Hey, if 120,000 of us donate $100, we can buy him out. I'd be first in line to donate to the cause.

If I really thought you could get 120,000 people I'd be in.

 

[catfanjd]

our defense only looked good for like 12 minutes of game time. and looked like a bottom 5 team the rest of the game.

I disagree. You act like we were playing the sisters of the poor. Were you really expecting a shutout on Mullens? The defense looked fine given its youth in the first half. I am not happy about the substitution patterns and the lack of offense in 2nd half especially the 3rd quarter. Westry needed an IV at the half. Edwards was cramping up. Just think these guys have no body fat and failed to hydrate because they got caught in their early success on both sides of the ball. That is youth and there is a lot of it on our team.

 

[UKErik]

Barker looked great...for a half. He was a ghost after halftime, as was the rest of the offense.

UKCatnNC, yes, UK could keep Stoops on staff and hire another head coach. It would never happen though. First, they'd still owe him every penny of his contract. Second, having him around wouldn't be preferable reference the new head coach.

It's utterly amazing and ridiculous that Mitch Barnhart guaranteed a head coach with no prior experience and with no real success at Kentucky nearly $20 million. UK is now stuck with the guy through at least next year. They could buy him out for a little over $6 million after the '17 season.

GBB!!!

 

[Yahtzee43]

The recruiting has been pretty good by Stoops. That is not the problem. The kids are not being coached up, developed or prepared to win on Saturday.

All that culture comes from the head coach.

 

[Claynole]

I say be patient. No one, including Nick Saban could walk into Lexington and turn a program around within three to four years. It takes time because unfortunately Kentucky is not a fertile recruiting ground for football. We’re lucky in Florida to have the abundance of football talent, it’s not that way everywhere. Stoops is recruiting Ohio and Florida and that’s where he needs to be. On a positive note, the offense looked much better last night and the defensive secondary was impressive. The problem appears to be with the defensive front. They have problems stopping the run. Based on what I saw yesterday, Kentucky might have one of the top offenses in the SEC. And Southern Miss was a formidable opponent. Based on what I saw over the weekend, Southern Miss would have beaten Florida, Mississippi State, Missouri, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Arkansas, and possibly Tennessee. Southern’s QB and RB are really good.

 

[UKCatNnc]

Barker looked great...for a half. He was a ghost after halftime, as was the rest of the offense.

UKCatnNC, yes, UK could keep Stoops on staff and hire another head coach. It would never happen though. First, they'd still owe him every penny of his contract. Second, having him around wouldn't be preferable reference the new head coach.

It's utterly amazing and ridiculous that Mitch Barnhart guaranteed a head coach with no prior experience and with no real success at Kentucky nearly $20 million. UK is now stuck with the guy through at least next year. They could buy him out for a little over $6 million after the '17 season.

GBB!!!

Thanks UKErik. I knew the answer before I asked it. I am just frustrated with this game.

 

[Chimaera717]

I say be patient. No one, including Nick Saban could walk into Lexington and turn a program around within three to four years. It takes time because unfortunately Kentucky is not a fertile recruiting ground for football. We’re lucky in Florida to have the abundance of football talent, it’s not that way everywhere. Stoops is recruiting Ohio and Florida and that’s where he needs to be. On a positive note, the offense looked much better last night and the defensive secondary was impressive. The problem appears to be with the defensive front. They have problems stopping the run. Based on what I saw yesterday, Kentucky might have one of the top offenses in the SEC. And Southern Miss was a formidable opponent. Based on what I saw over the weekend, Southern Miss would have beaten Florida, Mississippi State, Missouri, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, Arkansas, and possibly Tennessee. Southern’s QB and RB are really good.

Nick Saban would have Kentucky winning in year two, because the man won't accept anything else. He's a machine driven to do nothing but win football games. It's not even remotely comparable to what we have today.

 

[K_TIME]

I know its a bad day for UK fans, but something I think many are overestimating is the recruiting. Its certainly better than it was a few years ago, but look where UK's best offensive and defensive players are from, Westery is from FL and Boom is from Ga. UK is recruiting Ohio hard, tOSU isn't recruiting Ohio hard. .

I do think some of our kids have been overrated a bit and made the recruiting appear better than it truly was (Nick Richardson, Hytchye, Snodgrass all 4* that never played squat, etc..)

But many of our DL are not from Ohio and it still looks like a mess.

- Alvonte Bell Fl, Kenegra Daniel NC, Miggins Ga, Elam and Middleton Ky, Denzel Ware Fl, and Josh Allen from Pa.

I guess my #1 concern is we went to the 3-4 scheme and when watching the DL they appear to try to just stalemate the center and both offensive tackles. I don't see them trying to attack the outside nor inside shoulders to get off the blocks and attack the backfield. To me, no matter how talented you are...to run thru college OL isn't going to happen often but attacking their shoulders and quickness to get past them, beat down their arms to get them off of you....but I truly don't think we teach out DL to do these things and thusly they never make any tackles in backfield for loss. I'm just lost on the 3-4 scheme and what Brumbaugh/Elliott/Stoops teach them is my bigger concern.

 

[domino79]

Mitch "old rough and ready" Barnhart will put a stop to this calamity soon enough. The man rules with an iron fist. I have to think the days of stoops just taking it easy and being a bad coach are over, for steely barnhart will put a stop to that right now.
Mitch Barnhart. The man oozes power and is made of finer metal than other natural born leaders.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

Nick Saban would have Kentucky winning in year two, because the man won't accept anything else. He's a machine driven to do nothing but win football games. It's not even remotely comparable to what we have today.

Agreed. I cringe at posts like the other guy. People don't think Saban would have got UK to 6 wins the last two years? No way we lose to freaking Vandy or blow that big lead against UL or lose at home to a bad AU team. Saban wins 8 last year for sure in year 3 and would have much better players and a much better staff than Stoops has. He also knows how to coach, unlike Stoops. People can point back to Saban way back in the day some at MSU, but that is irrelevant now as he is a coaching God and players would follow him to UK despite our history.

 

[LadyCaytIL]

I disagree. You act like we were playing the sisters of the poor. Were you really expecting a shutout on Mullens? The defense looked fine given its youth in the first half. I am not happy about the substitution patterns and the lack of offense in 2nd half especially the 3rd quarter. Westry needed an IV at the half. Edwards was cramping up. Just think these guys have no body fat and failed to hydrate because they got caught in their early success on both sides of the ball. That is youth and there is a lot of it on our team.

How is cramping youth? thats the dumbest thing I've heard in a while.....

by the way...go to youtube and look up Adam ruins everything Hydration. its eye opening what real science says about hydration and not what water / sports drink companies want you to think.

 

[ok-cats-computer]

catmanC15, it will take a complete and total meltdown for Barnhart to replace Stoops after this season. Fans will have to completely stop showing up (like at the end of the Joker era). The team will probably have to go 3-9 or worse.

Maybe a bigger factor, money. If Kentucky fires him before 1 December 2017 (without cause), they'd owe him $12 million. That's too big a hit to take IMO. Thus, I don't see him getting **** canned after 2016. Maybe after '17 though.

GBB!!!

That is the exact reason many fans were opposed to the big raise and contract extension that Barnhart gave Stoops. The most frustrating thing is that the market didn't require that raise and contract extension. There wasn't another team that was going to come and take Stoops away or pay him more than what we were paying him. It was almost like a casino gamble by Barnhart hoping that Stoops would win big to make the raise worthwhile.

 

[willievic]

UKErik, your spot on! I think Stoops is letting his friendship with Coach Eliot interfere with what's best for UK football. Coach Eliot might have been a good coach at Florida State, but he is not a good DC at UK. He did not make any adjustments to our defense against USM when they made adjustment to their offense.
As far as recruiting OL and DL, that falls on the coaches. I don't want to hear the excuses about Meant, Tubman, and Hatcher. Other programs lose players, but they don't make a bunch of excuses. Play with what you've got and move on. If you don't like what you've got, then recruit better and work harder and smarter.
Stoops need to take over the DC job and let Gran handle the OC job without any interference from him. It's obvious Coach Eliot is in over his head at this time in his career.
Our DL outweighed their OL 30 to 40 pounds, yet we were pushed all over the field. Holes big enough to gain 5 to 7 yards almost every play. That is because of lack of technique in plugging the holes, which can be taught.

OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!

 

[LadyCaytIL]

I knew when both Stoops got the extension and Mitch....... that it was cringe worthy. I felt like I was watching rape happen right in front of me but unable to warn anyone.

 

[Cat_Man_Blue]

12 million... Hey, if 120,000 of us donate $100, we can buy him out. I'd be first in line to donate to the cause.

I would also contribute $100 to make that happen. I like stoops and thought he might be the one to get it done. I was wrong.

 

[LadyCaytIL]

I'll donate money to buying him out. Having a son with autism and myself being disabled.... I cant give as much as I really want to but ............... hey what do you know. I'm already more fiscally responisible than Mitch "dish out the extensions" Barnhart.

 

[SanAntonioCat_rivals376502]

You weren't on my side til the 2nd half of last season. And now you're fully on my side. Welcome to the crew Erik!!!! Glad to have ya.

I do disagree about what you said with Barker. I think he mostly played a great game. I said before the game he was gonna have a mistake where he fumbles in the pocket and an INT. But i also said he was going to show long stretches of brilliance. He mad many great plays with his legs where towles would've been sacked or made some crazy mistake, he avoided some sacks with some nice throw aways and showed the ability to extend the play and make plays.. All around showed to be a million times more mentally tougher player than towles as a sophomore which I haven't ever seen with Towles against decent competition besides the game in the swamp a couple years back.

Remember what Woodson looked like as a sophomore? I think Barker looked great and showed a ton of promise. You can only do so much with an offensive line that bad. With that said he played a helluva game IMO and showed mental toughness. Completed a bunch of long passes with pinpoint accuracy and remember one that was under thrown to an open receiver but he was open and he just made sure the play was made which I like seeing, make sure the play made, some down the middle which I never saw from towles. He really did look good. I blame the second half on how we didn't gameplan for how USM would adjust. They switched up schemes and we weren't prepared for it. Our coaches have no clue on how to adjust. I do think Barker will be an All Time great at UK when it's all said and done.

I totally agree.

 

[tmuck]

Unless a miracle happens and this team turns it around, it's going to be an extremely painful next two seasons for both Mitch and Stoops that both will be begging to be let go.

I'll make a prediction, Barney will either retire or take another AD job after this season or next. He knows Stoops is a dead man walking, but he's locked him in until after the '17 season. He knows fans, boosters, and board members have absolutely zero confidence in him to hire another coach after he's F'ed up the last two football hires. He wants no part in going through this process all over again, after being the guy behind the back to back debacles of Joker and Stoops. He needs to take his Guy Smiley looking azz and get the F out. He's the most clueless AD when it comes to recognizing and hiring good Football Coaches in the history of College Football. I think the Stoops debacle will force him into retirement.

 

[Bluesnky]

I knew when both Stoops got the extension and Mitch....... that it was cringe worthy. I felt like I was watching rape happen right in front of me but unable to warn anyone.

Aaaaaaaand Ignore.

 

[CatsCats78]

Nick Saban would walk into Lexington with the program as-is and have them winning 8-10 games and competing for SEC titles within two years. If you don't believe that you're delusional. A great coach can do that. A DC turned HC who is clearly in over his head can not. Look at Harbaugh at Michigan. Jones at Tennessee. They were awful when they got there, now they're contenders. Obviously a coach like that is hard to come by, but I don't think it's too much to ask for a coach that has us bowl eligible by year 4.

 

[LadyCaytIL]

Aaaaaaaand Ignore.

ignored because i said the word rape? grow up

 

[allabouttheUK]

Nick Saban would walk into Lexington with the program as-is and have them winning 8-10 games and competing for SEC titles within two years. If you don't believe that you're delusional. A great coach can do that. A DC turned HC who is clearly in over his head can not. Look at Harbaugh at Michigan. Jones at Tennessee. They were awful when they got there, now they're contenders. Obviously a coach like that is hard to come by, but I don't think it's too much to ask for a coach that has us bowl eligible by year 4.

The sad fact is that Nick Saban, Meyer, Harbaugh, Jones, etc...would never walk into UK in the first place. I doubt you could pay them enough to kill their careers. Bama, tOSU, UM, UT, UK...which one doesn't fit? We aren't a football powerhouse, never have been. So if we are going searching for another coach, we better find a head coach from a smaller school who is proven and want the chance.

 

[LadyCaytIL]

People once said a Holtz nor a Spurrier would ever coach at USC Jr.... and it happened.
We almost had Parcels..... and then the NFL stole our dream

 

[catfanjd]

Nick Saban would have Kentucky winning in year two, because the man won't accept anything else. He's a machine driven to do nothing but win football games. It's not even remotely comparable to what we have today.

Nick Saban ain't walking through our door or anyone like so your point is?

 

[brianpoe]

So have you watched the replay? I see you players making young player mistakes. I saw a TE miss two critical blocks on a series that results in a Barker fumble. I also saw a young defense that was celebrating rather than hydrating in the first half and we paid the price in the 2nd half. I saw a no call hold on 3 and 7 with 2:40 to go in the 3rd quarter that allowed USM to pick up a 1st and later a score.

I disagree. You act like we were playing the sisters of the poor. Were you really expecting a shutout on Mullens? The defense looked fine given its youth in the first half. I am not happy about the substitution patterns and the lack of offense in 2nd half especially the 3rd quarter. Westry needed an IV at the half. Edwards was cramping up. Just think these guys have no body fat and failed to hydrate because they got caught in their early success on both sides of the ball. That is youth and there is a lot of it on our team.

So if our defenders would have drank a cup of gatorade they wouldnt have give up 34 unanswered points?

I see a poster who is a team parent or possibly a staff member...

 

[LadyCaytIL]

My 61 year old mother got a cramp while I was on the phone talking to her about an hour ago... she didnt get the joke but my wife did when I said......... at least that means you're youthful.

 

[warrior-cat]

catmanC15, it will take a complete and total meltdown for Barnhart to replace Stoops after this season. Fans will have to completely stop showing up (like at the end of the Joker era). The team will probably have to go 3-9 or worse.

Maybe a bigger factor, money. If Kentucky fires him before 1 December 2017 (without cause), they'd owe him $12 million. That's too big a hit to take IMO. Thus, I don't see him getting **** canned after 2016. Maybe after '17 though.

GBB!!!

I was blasted for saying 4-8 before season started and believe me, I want to be wrong so bad it is killing me. Sadly however, I have been a UK fan ever since I can remember (59 now) and barring a few years in our football history, this is the norm.

 

[anon_013cn8yrfncx2]

Count me in for a $100

 

[catfanjd]

So if our defenders would have drank a cup of gatorade they wouldnt have give up 34 unanswered points?

I see a poster who is a team parent or possibly a staff member...

You are insane. I am neither. What you see is a fan that watched Kentucky in the first half and sees the potential. USM wasn't cramping. There was minimal humidity. Coaches coached the first half and the second half. Players have to make plays. They made them in the first half. They didn't in the second half and our QB while very talented tried to do to much. There were a lot of things Gran could have done unfortunately he didn't. We could have run a 2 TE set and pounded the football with Horton to eat clock and allow the Defense some rest.

Watch the play that Barker fumbled. That was a horrible play call for the situation. Gran quoted as saying he would like that one back. Also it's fine to run 4 vertical routes but don't more than 1 tall WR in the set. If Ross is in that package if only as a decoy it puts different pressure on the defense. If your running 4 verticals have your big targets on the field.

 

[catfanjd]

My 61 year old mother got a cramp while I was on the phone talking to her about an hour ago... she didnt get the joke but my wife did when I said......... at least that means you're youthful.

Taking my post out of context. My point is instead of the being professional and focused on fluid intake and conserving energy for the field they were all celebrating on the sidelines. They were expending energy emotional and physical instead of being professional and realizing there was a lot of football left.

 

[LadyCaytIL]

Taking my post out of context. My point is instead of the being professional and focused on fluid intake and conserving energy for the field they were all celebrating on the sidelines. They were expending energy emotional and physical instead of being professional and realizing there was a lot of football left.

Ok so why the completely failure to start the 2nd half ? 15 minutes of rest too hard on the body to come back from?

 

[brianpoe]

You are insane. I am neither. What you see is a fan that watched Kentucky in the first half and sees the potential. USM wasn't cramping. There was minimal humidity. Coaches coached the first half and the second half. Players have to make plays. They made them in the first half. They didn't in the second half and our QB while very talented tried to do to much. There were a lot of things Gran could have done unfortunately he didn't. We could have run a 2 TE set and pounded the football with Horton to eat clock and allow the Defense some rest.

Watch the play that Barker fumbled. That was a horrible play call for the situation. Gran quoted as saying he would like that one back. Also it's fine to run 4 vertical routes but don't more than 1 tall WR in the set. If Ross is in that package if only as a decoy it puts different pressure on the defense. If your running 4 verticals have your big targets on the field.

Fella, you signing up a few days ago and showing up on the day after that awful loss trying convince everyone that you know more than us, more than the coaches and the rest of the world is a bit un-amusing.

Our kids "didnt hydrate"... so you watched and measure the liquid intake of every player on both sides?

Our QB had the ball for only a hand full of plays in the 2nd half, on one he tried to do too much.

Our oline stinks again.

Our dline stinks again.

Our defensive scheme and lack of adjustments stink again.

Our special teams stink again.

Our passion and will to fight through adversity stinks again.

We have lasted many years without your immaculate intelligence.

And by the way, we already have a @JohnBlue_ and you sir are no JohnBlue.

 

[catfanjd]

Ok so why the completely failure to start the 2nd half ? 15 minutes of rest too hard on the body to come back from?

You go on and be negative and a pessimist but we both saw the first half. I am optimistic.

Bottom line you and many of you on this board have an axe to grind with Stoops just like many on this board had an axe to grind with Brooks. You need to move to Florida and pick a perennial power.

I am merely saying when USM rallied we were not ready to respond and quick series will gas any defense even Alabama. I saw a lot of positives from the defense. I saw Elam pushing into their backfield especially on stunts. I saw Miggins and Bell causing havoc as well. I also saw them worn out and more rotation would have helped the cause.

I have said in other threads that a dime prevent package should have been employed with 1 minute to go. That one play totally changed the complexion of the game. That decision is on the coaches. But even Nick Saban makes mistakes. Every coach does. We just aren't experienced and good enough yet to overcome them. If we do that stuff in games 6-12 then Stoops goning to hear it. My money is this team surprises. We will see