Tonight it was obvious!

[willievic]

Tonight it was very obvious to me that Coach Stoops and his staff are in over their heads. The first half, USM didn't know what we were going to do, but after watching us for almost all the first half, they made adjustments. The second half was a complete different game. They changed their game plan on both offense and defense. What did UK do, the same thing we did the first half, but with a different result because of USM changing their game plan.
Coach Stoops isn't going to be fired after this year, but if he doesn't improve a lot next year, he will be gone. He will have around 19 or 20 of his starters back next year, but having good players doesn't always make a good team if you have bad coaching, as was proven tonight.
When a guy is a OC or DC at a school like Florida State, and he's in his 40's, there is usually a reason he isn't a Head Coach. I think that showed tonight.
With the talent we have at the present, USM should not have been within 20 points of us. I think some of the posters are right. After next year, if there is not a LOT of improvement, like 8-5, or 9-4, then Coach Stoops should be replaced and maybe a young, proven coach brought in. Yes, if we pay the bucks, we can get a good coach. Stoops has proven we can recruit good players.

 

[Cawood86_rivals]

It was the first game for the guy at Southern Miss. Yet he went in at at halftime and made adjustments. Meanwhile Stoops went in at halftime and apparently took a nap.

 

[KopiKat]

Stoops is a disaster. Gran's offense was working. But something happened to eff it all up. My bet is micro-manager Stoops starting telling Gran what he wanted to see on offense (putting restrictions on what he could do in down to down situations to minimize risks), thinking that HE needed to get involved in order to "protect" the win. But Stoops, being a proud idiot, refused to accept that what he instructed wasn't working never went back to Gran to say something like you know what, just go back to doing what you were doing . . . end result was our wretched defense getting wore *** tired, getting more wretched, and making a fool our of our coach and shaming our football program on our home turf. That's my take on what happened. Stoops does suck in a big way. Mitch too.

 

[reflaine]

Everyone said last year stoops was making dawson run the ball. What did Dawson call tonight? What was our strength last year? But if we didn't throw it 8-10 plays fans moaned and groaned that stoops wants power football and won't let Dawson do anything.

We need to keep defense off field as much as possible this year. We don't need 1 minute scoring drives. We need long sustained drives. Because with a thin defense we can't have them play 40 minutes a game. They was on field do 26 minutes second half alone. How can we fairly ask them to withstand that.

 

[ManitouDan]

Good am Mr Laine .. they were on the field that long because they gave up 296 of rushing. Sorry but Offenses don't get to pick how long it takes for them to score . We were up 35-10 and a fresh D gave up the most boneheaded , dumb , non hinking play you could ever dream of . With less than a minute left in the half you give up the middle of the field for wide open untouched bomb ? How ? I know you don't know but that cant happen in upper level college ball. From their own half of the field . To me the O was sorry ( in the 2nd half ) but the D didn't help a damn bit , they dug their own grave by not stopping USM any in the third Q . . I had tix for the 24th but I'm out , gonna go watch Brothers Osborne in Athens Oh and actually enjoy the evening.

 

[jc2010]

Everyone said last year stoops was making dawson run the ball. What did Dawson call tonight? What was our strength last year? But if we didn't throw it 8-10 plays fans moaned and groaned that stoops wants power football and won't let Dawson do anything.

We need to keep defense off field as much as possible this year. We don't need 1 minute scoring drives. We need long sustained drives. Because with a thin defense we can't have them play 40 minutes a game. They was on field do 26 minutes second half alone. How can we fairly ask them to withstand that.

If you had spent the previous year at UK, you'd be a damned fool not to run the ball. Dawson had to notice that UK was totally inept at tackling. UK can't stop the run.

 

[CB3UK]

We did make adjustments in the second half. Like Kopikat pointed out above, we were airing it out all over the field the first half and using the run to keep the defense honest and open up passing lanes. The second half we go conservative with three yards and a cloud of dust to protect Stoops' precious defense and it all falls apart just like weve seen under him time and again trying to protect a lead instead of continually riding the horse that got him that lead in the first place.

We let USM run 95 plays last night. The last time a Kentucky opponent ran that many was Arkansas in 7OT, with 99. Wake the hell up people.

 

[Cats_2010]

Everyone said last year stoops was making dawson run the ball. What did Dawson call tonight? What was our strength last year? But if we didn't throw it 8-10 plays fans moaned and groaned that stoops wants power football and won't let Dawson do anything.

We need to keep defense off field as much as possible this year. We don't need 1 minute scoring drives. We need long sustained drives. Because with a thin defense we can't have them play 40 minutes a game. They was on field do 26 minutes second half alone. How can we fairly ask them to withstand that.

Part of the reason they were on the field so long was the inability to stop the run. Only one time did the back get hit in the backfield for a loss, once. The rest were easy 3-7 yard gains and that was the case in the first half too. We got lucky they threw the ball
As much as they did resulting in the picks. The defensive philosophy sucks and that is on the head man in charge.

 

[ZZBlueComet]

I don't know where some of you think the money is going to come from to get rid of him? After, this season, the buyout is around $12M, even before you pay another coach.

 

[jnewc2_rivals30628]

The icing on the cake was when Blake McClain was lying on the ground completely motionless and Dawson was sitting there laughing himself silly high fiving his players. Even more interesting was during the telecast when the commentators mentioned that Dawson told them he knew as soon as halfway through last season that he and Stoops weren't a good fit. Mark my word, by season's end Gran and Drew Barker will be the scapegoats, and Stoops and DJ Eliot will get a complete pass. I'll give Stoops credit for one thing, he's one of the best I've ever seen at the art of coachspeak. He's an expert at deflecting blame and distracting the fans. He changes assistants, he points to the future, he talks about needing more time. All the while we eat it up with a spoon and ask for seconds.

 

[Chuckinden]

The icing on the cake was when Blake McClain was lying on the ground completely motionless and Dawson was sitting there laughing himself silly high fiving his players. Even more interesting was during the telecast when the commentators mentioned that Dawson told them he knew as soon as halfway through last season that he and Stoops weren't a good fit. Mark my word, by season's end Gran and Drew Barker will be the scapegoats, and Stoops and DJ Eliot will get a complete pass. I'll give Stoops credit for one thing, he's one of the best I've ever seen at the art of coachspeak. He's an expert at deflecting blame and distracting the fans. He changes assistants, he points to the future, he talks about needing more time. All the while we eat it up with a spoon and ask for seconds.

Dawson's reaction had nothing to do with Blake's injury.

 

[PhattyJ4UK_rivals309166]

Everyone said last year stoops was making dawson run the ball. What did Dawson call tonight? What was our strength last year? But if we didn't throw it 8-10 plays fans moaned and groaned that stoops wants power football and won't let Dawson do anything.

We need to keep defense off field as much as possible this year. We don't need 1 minute scoring drives. We need long sustained drives. Because with a thin defense we can't have them play 40 minutes a game. They was on field do 26 minutes second half alone. How can we fairly ask them to withstand that.

Lol. This could be the dumbest post of all time.

We need touchdowns, period. Whether it takes 1 mi ute, 10 seconds or 7 minutes off the clock. You do realize with media timeouts and the like, any touchdown will give the guys a decent rest.

Man oh man, we dont need quick touchdowns. Wow. [roll]

Mark, is that you?

 

[51stFan]

The commentators made a comment about Dawson knowing halfway through last season that it wouldn't work out due to philosophical difference. That tells me that Stoops puts the handcuffs on his offensive coordinators trying to make his defense look better. Playing not to lose in a league loaded with more talent is hard to do.

 

[shutzhund]

Everyone said last year stoops was making dawson run the ball. What did Dawson call tonight? What was our strength last year? But if we didn't throw it 8-10 plays fans moaned and groaned that stoops wants power football and won't let Dawson do anything.

We need to keep defense off field as much as possible this year. We don't need 1 minute scoring drives. We need long sustained drives. Because with a thin defense we can't have them play 40 minutes a game. They was on field do 26 minutes second half alone. How can we fairly ask them to withstand that.

It's hard to hide a turd, the defense, in a punch bowl for the entire party. I exclude the secondary from that remark and emphasize the down linemen.

 

[Boozer11]

Just an observation from an outsider: Gran seems to be a very capable OC. THe first half was impressive. Something happened at half, that makes me believe Stoops didn't want to see any chances taken on the offensive side of the ball. UK has talent issues on defense. The defensive line is suspect, at best. I have no idea if Stoops is interfering with the defensive coaches or not. I don't see a lot of talent on the D. In short, if UK is gonna win, they are gonna have to put a lot of points on the board and there can't be too many points. Last, Stoops will have to let Gran do his thing and stay out of his way. JMHO>

 

[maverick1rw]

Just an observation from an outsider: Gran seems to be a very capable OC. THe first half was impressive. Something happened at half, that makes me believe Stoops didn't want to see any chances taken on the offensive side of the ball. UK has talent issues on defense. The defensive line is suspect, at best. I have no idea if Stoops is interfering with the defensive coaches or not. I don't see a lot of talent on the D. In short, if UK is gonna win, they are gonna have to put a lot of points on the board and there can't be too many points. Last, Stoops will have to let Gran do his thing and stay out of his way. JMHO>

Stoops has had his hand in everything including the new facilities, im beginning to wonder about being a micro manager.

 

[LadyCaytIL]

1. It was so nice of Stoops to have a hand in the new facilities so the next coach has new toys to play with.

2. Boosters ponied up 200+ million $$ ... im sure they can find 12 million more.

 

[UKWildcats#8]

Stoops is just getting started baby. The Brothers Stoops can be a radio show in January that no one listens to as both look to get fired if they keep this up.