What should determine Coach Stoops

[willievic]

What should determine Coach Stoops fate at UK? Is it at least 6 wins, or will 5 be enough? Is it just being competitive as some fans are saying, or must we win? Let's see, this is Coach Stoops 4th year, and he has won 5 games each of the last two years, and most of the recruits are his, so if their not getting the job done, whose fault is it?
Is Eliot the problem as far as the defense? If so, why has it taken Coach Stoops 4 years to recognize the problem. A lot of fans on here have been talking about it for at least two years.
The next three games are very winnable if we have improved as much as some posters on here seem to think. Vandy, Miss. State and Missouri combined records are 6-8 with only one win against a Power 5 team. That was Miss. State against South Carolina, who we beat. If Coach Stoops can beat those three, he should get to a bowl, since we will beat Austin Peay. If he gets to a bowl, I definitely think he deserves another year, if not, he should be let go, since there is no improvement from year 2 and 3. I'm not interested in the excuses, which we've heard a lot of. Winners get the job done, and losers make excuses.

OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!

 

[kb22stang]

I think you give him one more year regardless, and I'm ignoring the buyout issue. The guy is one season, at worst, behind Brooks' rebuild. Recruiting is better, the talent is better, and this season we're one win away from where we hoped we'd be right now.

I just think, barring a true disaster you give a football coach 5 years if he has to rebuild a program.

 

[gamalielkid]

What should determine Coach Stoops fate at UK? Is it at least 6 wins, or will 5 be enough? Is it just being competitive as some fans are saying, or must we win? Let's see, this is Coach Stoops 4th year, and he has won 5 games each of the last two years, and most of the recruits are his, so if their not getting the job done, whose fault is it?
Is Eliot the problem as far as the defense? If so, why has it taken Coach Stoops 4 years to recognize the problem. A lot of fans on here have been talking about it for at least two years.
The next three games are very winnable if we have improved as much as some posters on here seem to think. Vandy, Miss. State and Missouri combined records are 6-8 with only one win against a Power 5 team. That was Miss. State against South Carolina, who we beat. If Coach Stoops can beat those three, he should get to a bowl, since we will beat Austin Peay. If he gets to a bowl, I definitely think he deserves another year, if not, he should be let go, since there is no improvement from year 2 and 3. I'm not interested in the excuses, which we've heard a lot of. Winners get the job done, and losers make excuses.

OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!

Pretty much sums it up for me.

Go Big Blue!

 

[Mojocat_rivals48469]

attendance.

 

[Chuckinden]

I think you give him one more year regardless, and I'm ignoring the buyout issue. The guy is one season, at worst, behind Brooks' rebuild. Recruiting is better, the talent is better, and this season we're one win away from where we hoped we'd be right now.

I just think, barring a true disaster you give a football coach 5 years if he has to rebuild a program.

I have to agree with this.

 

[Deeeefense]

No magic number, just keep playing like they played the last two weeks and keep recruiting like they have and the wins will come.

But yes the DC position must be addressed in the off season.

 

[NavyCat88]

On paper, Coach Stoops has a real chance at 6 wins this year. There are "winnable" games ahead (VU, Mizzou, A/Peay, MSU).....but he has to win them. If he does, he simultaneously gets to UK to a rare bowl and breaks his own late season curse. He will be seen as the HC that, for the time being, "turned it around at UK."

If he doesn't get to six wins this season (#4), I think there is enough body of work to say a change is necessary.

 

[Big John Stud]

I have to agree with this.

Wait, you LODers are 1 more year guys? Life has come full circle.

To answer the question, he needs to go to a bowl game. He hasn't given us any reason to have hope for the future. There are like 7 garbage teams on our schedule, if you can't pull 6 wins out of that you need to go.

 

[WildCard]

(1) What should determine Coach Stoops fate at UK? Is it at least 6 wins, or will 5 be enough? Is it just being competitive as some fans are saying, or must we win?

(2) Let's see, this is Coach Stoops 4th year, and he has won 5 games each of the last two years, and most of the recruits are his, so if their not getting the job done, whose fault is it?

(3) Is Eliot the problem as far as the defense? If so, why has it taken Coach Stoops 4 years to recognize the problem. A lot of fans on here have been talking about it for at least two years.

(4) The next three games are very winnable if we have improved as much as some posters on here seem to think. Vandy, Miss. State and Missouri combined records are 6-8 with only one win against a Power 5 team. That was Miss. State against South Carolina, who we beat. If Coach Stoops can beat those three, he should get to a bowl, since we will beat Austin Peay. If he gets to a bowl, I definitely think he deserves another year, if not, he should be let go, since there is no improvement from year 2 and 3. I'm not interested in the excuses, which we've heard a lot of. Winners get the job done, and losers make excuses.

OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!

(1) As discussed many, many times, Stoops is virtually guaranteed a 5th year by the terms of his contract. In the long run, a coach's fate is determined only by 2 things, winning and attendance. And the latter is tied directly to the former.

(2) It is always the coach's "fault". He either cannot coach recruited players to their potential or he recruited the "wrong guys" to begin with (i.e., physical talent or self motivation shortcomings

(3) This is difficult to address without knowing the "dynamics" of the coaching relationship between Stoops and Eliott. FWIW, despite his recent "takeover" of the defense I find it hard to believed he was not "engaged" with the defensive philosophy and scheme from the get go.

(4) Yes, they are. After clearing the SC hurdle this is the most important stretch of games on the schedule. I agree that a 6 win season "justifies" a 5th year and a 5 win season strongly indicates "this ain't gonna work". However, as discussed many times before, his contract provisions all but guarantee a 5th year. JMO

Peace

 

[buckkiller]

Year 4 SHOULD be no less then 7 W's I am sorry but I am done with this Suckreocrity buttcrap! Its time to FIND someone who can makes us a real player in the EAST!

 

[oboroCATfan]

He will be back with 5 wins but that is a travesty to be honest. The minimum this year should have been 6 wins but since we crapped the bed week 1 people act like that winning 5 is acceptable because it will show he turned around the early season mess. The problem is that the mess was created by him and his multitude of issues.

 

[docholiday51]

Year 4 SHOULD be no less then 7 W's I am sorry but I am done with this Suckreocrity buttcrap! Its time to FIND someone who can makes us a real player in the EAST!

Most of the long time fans understand where you are coming from,but in real life we have been trying to find that guy for 60 years.Stoops has made blunders to be sure but he has gone form 2-10 the first year to 5-7 in the last two,he will be hard pressed to get to 5-7 this season but he might.

Many have been critical of Stoops in several areas and to an extent deservedly so but he has done no worse than several who came before him and in some areas he is better.

All of us who have been fans for a long time are tired of losing but some of us are willing to admit that we have to get back to where we were in the last few Brooks' years before we can build anything more.

Depending on how the rest of this season plays out I would prefer to see what Stoops does next year rather than start over again.If he goes 3-9 then that is a whole other matter.

We are who we are and we started from where we were after the Joker years,there is no quick fix for that situation.

 

[LeonThe Camel]

What should determine Coach Stoops fate at UK? Is it at least 6 wins, or will 5 be enough? Is it just being competitive as some fans are saying, or must we win? Let's see, this is Coach Stoops 4th year, and he has won 5 games each of the last two years, and most of the recruits are his, so if their not getting the job done, whose fault is it?
Is Eliot the problem as far as the defense? If so, why has it taken Coach Stoops 4 years to recognize the problem. A lot of fans on here have been talking about it for at least two years.
The next three games are very winnable if we have improved as much as some posters on here seem to think. Vandy, Miss. State and Missouri combined records are 6-8 with only one win against a Power 5 team. That was Miss. State against South Carolina, who we beat. If Coach Stoops can beat those three, he should get to a bowl, since we will beat Austin Peay. If he gets to a bowl, I definitely think he deserves another year, if not, he should be let go, since there is no improvement from year 2 and 3. I'm not interested in the excuses, which we've heard a lot of. Winners get the job done, and losers make excuses.

OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!

Have the players improved during his tenure. Not just gotten better because of maturity, but has their skill level improved.
I still point to Elam. He is doing the exact same play as he did his very first game. Is that really what Stoops want from his nose tackle. Just to stand up and talk with the center.

 

[buckkiller]

Most of the long time fans understand where you are coming from,but in real life we have been trying to find that guy for 60 years.Stoops has made blunders to be sure but he has gone form 2-10 the first year to 5-7 in the last two,he will be hard pressed to get to 5-7 this season but he might.

Many have been critical of Stoops in several areas and to an extent deservedly so but he has done no worse than several who came before him and in some areas he is better.

All of us who have been fans for a long time are tired of losing but some of us are willing to admit that we have to get back to where we were in the last few Brooks' years before we can build anything more.

Depending on how the rest of this season plays out I would prefer to see what Stoops does next year rather than start over again.If he goes 3-9 then that is a whole other matter.

We are who we are and we started from where we were after the Joker years,there is no quick fix for that situation.

I agree and somewhat disagree. My question to you is where do you think we would be year 4 under Petrino with Lamar Jackson. We would be competing for SEC east title and our only lose this year woukd of been BAMA maybe. Hell we might ge undefeated if Lamar was running our O.

 

[DelkBowl]

I don't see enough progress this year to expect we will be contenders next year. The old adage that you have to give him one more year is a little crazy. I can see what he's doing and it's not up to my satisfaction. They could get better next year and it still won't be enough for me to think he has it where he wants it. Maybe he's just a coordinator? head coach is much different and that's not a bad thing. It's just what it is.

 

[docholiday51]

I agree and somewhat disagree. My question to you is where do you think we would be year 4 under Petrino with Lamar Jackson. We woukd be comoeteing for SRC east title and our only lose this year woukd of been BAMA maybe. Hell we might ge undefeated in Lamar was running our O.

If Jackson were here no doubt we would be better,is he at UL because of Petrino or because it is Louisville and Petrino happens to be there?

 

[Mike-D]

I agree and somewhat disagree. My question to you is where do you think we would be year 4 under Petrino with Lamar Jackson. We would be competing for SEC east title and our only lose this year woukd of been BAMA maybe. Hell we might ge undefeated if Lamar was running our O.

That's what ticks me off. I know some of the older fans have endured losing football a lot longer than I have, and Petrino would have given them a chance to see winning football for a change. I understand some fans don't want Petrino, but I'm not here to argue that. We had our chance to win, and we passed on it for a coordinator. Maybe Stoops will turn things around, and get us back on track. I was pleased with the hire 4 years ago, but it just hasn't worked out like we all thought it would.

 

[buckkiller]

If Jackson were here no doubt we would be better,is he at UL because of Petrino or because it is Louisville and Petrino happens to be there?

Exactly and say we made that hire and he were to leave for LSU or Trxas etc... Yeah that woukd be fine cause we woukd be in a postion now showing other coachs 1 you can win at Kentucky and 2 tgey just dumped millions and millions into their football program. I say it woukd if been win,win. I think we coukd of had a,serious shot at Someone like Herman etc.. He coukd of been lined up to come here intil OSU job opened uo when Mye5was ready to hang it up at OSU. Plus we woukdnt drop a beat in re ruiting ohio hell it woukd probably get better and competei g for even better players against OSU. The point I am making is Petrino shoukd of been the hire even if he was to leave after this year we woukd of been set.

 

[buckkiller]

That's what ticks me off. I know some of the older fans have endured losing football a lot longer than I have, and Petrino would have given them a chance to see winning football for a change. I understand some fans don't want Petrino, but I'm not here to argue that. We had our chance to win, and we passed on it for a coordinator. Maybe Stoops will turn things around, and get us back on track. I was pleased with the hire 4 years ago, but it just hasn't worked out like we all thought it would.

Absolutely its time to move on if he drops Vandy game period cause enough is enough.

 

[bigblueinsanity_rivals250340]

No magic number, just keep playing like they played the last two weeks and keep recruiting like they have and the wins will come.

But yes the DC position must be addressed in the off season.

Agree. I was pretty disheartened until last 2 games. Pretty clear stoops take over of the defense made a huge difference in a short period of time.

I'd be fine if stoops just keeps control of the d. Just hire a new lb coach. Short of Jordan Jones, our lbs were also clueless before stoops demoted dj. Especially true with Love.

 

[andreIGUODOLLAsigns4UK]

What should determine Coach Stoops fate at UK? Is it at least 6 wins, or will 5 be enough? Is it just being competitive as some fans are saying, or must we win? Let's see, this is Coach Stoops 4th year, and he has won 5 games each of the last two years, and most of the recruits are his, so if their not getting the job done, whose fault is it?
Is Eliot the problem as far as the defense? If so, why has it taken Coach Stoops 4 years to recognize the problem. A lot of fans on here have been talking about it for at least two years.
The next three games are very winnable if we have improved as much as some posters on here seem to think. Vandy, Miss. State and Missouri combined records are 6-8 with only one win against a Power 5 team. That was Miss. State against South Carolina, who we beat. If Coach Stoops can beat those three, he should get to a bowl, since we will beat Austin Peay. If he gets to a bowl, I definitely think he deserves another year, if not, he should be let go, since there is no improvement from year 2 and 3. I'm not interested in the excuses, which we've heard a lot of. Winners get the job done, and losers make excuses.

OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!

Lol at this post. Is it stoops fault, or is it Elliot's fault? Stoops brought in Elliot, stoops brought in the entire staff. Any staff positions that are performing weak is on stoops. He's the one in control of these things.

 

[wildcatdon]

Give Stoops one more year regardless of this one and make him get Bo Pelini as the DC next year. This would be a good step in the right direction

 

[rabidcatfan]

Again, when Stoops was hired, we were all willing to give the man FOUR YEARS to right the ship and get us to a bowl game. We'd like to have seen it by years 2 or 3, but we were willing to give him some time. It's now Stoops 4th season, the entire average career of a college student from frosh to senior, and we are looking at a REGRESSION, not a PROGRESSION in terms of success. Stoops has gone 2-10, 5-7, 5-7, and now likely 3-9 or 4-8. For what he and his staff is being paid and for how well he's recruited and all of the money the school has pumped into the football program this is unacceptable. Its not a matter of being in the SEC that's holding us back. The SEC East is at historically low levels in terms of overall strength of teams and we only play two games a season vs. the much more powerful SEC west, one of which is Mississippi State. There is no reason in the world why we can't expect to win 6 or 7 games a season, especially when our average recruiting classes are ranked in the top 30 nationally.

I'm tired of excuses. Yes there have been transfers and yes there have been players fizz out, but that doesn't excuse the hot mess that this team has become lately. I honestly have trouble distinguishing this team from Jokers teams at UK. I know some people want to write it off as "this is just Kentucky football", but I do not accept that. We can be better, we just need to find the right coach to get us there.

 

[DelkBowl]

I say we change coordinators every year and expect success.

 

[gamalielkid]

Absolutely its time to move on if he drops Vandy game period cause enough is enough.

UK's destiny is Neal Brown - sooner or later - and it will be the right choice! Only problem is if Neal has that 10 win season this year - and it IS very possible! He may not be available next year!

Neal has now proven he can organize, recruit, motivate and run a program - we can wait til he has won several years in a row - but again then he will be someone else's coach! He was a very good OC here - just look at what he did here - think about it - how did we do against Florida when he was the OC? The offense did much more with much less two years ago! It was again the defense that kept the team from going bowling.

I am running out of time waiting for another 10 win season - I was able to see one almost 40 years ago!

Go Big Blue!

 

[dallasg23]

Has to make a bowl. If our recruiting is as good as they lead us to believe and the talent is there. A bowl is a must. We have lost one game to Southern Miss. Should of been a win and it is inexcusable. I think the writing on the wall is he has to win 6 make a bowl or he is gone. With the "talent" that is on paper, We should be at least 3-2 right now and should be about talking 7-8 wins. Instead we are scraping the bottom of the barrel for 6 wins and whether we will be shopping for a new coach.

 

[BlueRunner11]

Again, when Stoops was hired, we were all willing to give the man FOUR YEARS to right the ship and get us to a bowl game. We'd like to have seen it by years 2 or 3, but we were willing to give him some time. It's now Stoops 4th season, the entire average career of a college student from frosh to senior, and we are looking at a REGRESSION, not a PROGRESSION in terms of success. Stoops has gone 2-10, 5-7, 5-7, and now likely 3-9 or 4-8. For what he and his staff is being paid and for how well he's recruited and all of the money the school has pumped into the football program this is unacceptable. Its not a matter of being in the SEC that's holding us back. The SEC East is at historically low levels in terms of overall strength of teams and we only play two games a season vs. the much more powerful SEC west, one of which is Mississippi State. There is no reason in the world why we can't expect to win 6 or 7 games a season, especially when our average recruiting classes are ranked in the top 30 nationally.

I'm tired of excuses. Yes there have been transfers and yes there have been players fizz out, but that doesn't excuse the hot mess that this team has become lately. I honestly have trouble distinguishing this team from Jokers teams at UK. I know some people want to write it off as "this is just Kentucky football", but I do not accept that. We can be better, we just need to find the right coach to get us there.

Great post. I totally agree. It's fair but also shows there's a expectation to win and compete here just like any other SEC school.

 

[kb22stang]

Wait, you LODers are 1 more year guys? Life has come full circle.

To answer the question, he needs to go to a bowl game. He hasn't given us any reason to have hope for the future. There are like 7 garbage teams on our schedule, if you can't pull 6 wins out of that you need to go.

I just dont see the advantage of changing head coaches ever 3-4 years. Stoops hasn't set the world on fire, but he's been a couple wins away the last two years from being right on pace with what we'd hoped.

 

[Chuckinden]

Again, when Stoops was hired, we were all willing to give the man FOUR YEARS to right the ship and get us to a bowl game. We'd like to have seen it by years 2 or 3, but we were willing to give him some time. It's now Stoops 4th season, the entire average career of a college student from frosh to senior, and we are looking at a REGRESSION, not a PROGRESSION in terms of success. Stoops has gone 2-10, 5-7, 5-7, and now likely 3-9 or 4-8. For what he and his staff is being paid and for how well he's recruited and all of the money the school has pumped into the football program this is unacceptable. Its not a matter of being in the SEC that's holding us back. The SEC East is at historically low levels in terms of overall strength of teams and we only play two games a season vs. the much more powerful SEC west, one of which is Mississippi State. There is no reason in the world why we can't expect to win 6 or 7 games a season, especially when our average recruiting classes are ranked in the top 30 nationally.

I'm tired of excuses. Yes there have been transfers and yes there have been players fizz out, but that doesn't excuse the hot mess that this team has become lately. I honestly have trouble distinguishing this team from Jokers teams at UK. I know some people want to write it off as "this is just Kentucky football", but I do not accept that. We can be better, we just need to find the right coach to get us there.

I never said 4 years to get to a bowl game. I said the 4th year would determine if the 5th year is "do or die".

 

[The_Godfather_rivals]

Not finish the season losing 5 of the final 6. (he has all of 2 wins at UK during the second half of seasons)

(of course, he's a dead man walking if he loses to Vandy)

 

[Big John Stud]

I just dont see the advantage of changing head coaches ever 3-4 years. Stoops hasn't set the world on fire, but he's been a couple wins away the last two years from being right on pace with what we'd hoped.

Lol, OK. You don't see the advantage of replacing a coach who hasn't gotten it done in 4 years or shown any signs of being able to get it done in the future?

 

[SanAntonioCat_rivals376502]

Year 4 SHOULD be no less then 7 W's I am sorry but I am done with this Suckreocrity buttcrap! Its time to FIND someone who can makes us a real player in the EAST!

And, sir, who would that be?

 

[Mojocat_rivals48469]

I just dont see the advantage of changing head coaches ever 3-4 years. Stoops hasn't set the world on fire, but he's been a couple wins away the last two years from being right on pace with what we'd hoped.

Once you have enough data to determine you don't have the right guy, it's time to make a move. Anything else is rationalization, denial, ego, whatever - and is more costly in the long run. Yes, stability is important, and if you're changing coaches frequently it's a sure sign of mismanagement. But not doing something you should do because you've been doing it too much is wrong-headed.

 

[billoliver40]

At this point, I would guess there will definitely be a fifth year, barring an o-fer and finishing the season with less than four wins. That's not head in the sands blue stoops fandom, it's a huge bailout amount.

Year five will be the finale of the experiment. Bowl or go. The search committee will be quietly formed at the first of the season, then put on full alert halfway through, barring some miraculous growth.

 

[gblue5744]

I think everyone can agree that we have improved each year Stoops has been here. Maybe not in total games won, but nevertheless, we HAVE improved each year. I definately believe he can stay until we don"t improve. We can improve in a year and not get one more win from last year. As long as there is improvement let him stay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[CatsCats78]

I think everyone can agree that we have improved each year Stoops has been here. Maybe not in total games won, but nevertheless, we HAVE improved each year. I definately believe he can stay until we don"t improve. We can improve in a year and not get one more win from last year. As long as there is improvement let him stay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No, actually I don't agree with that at all. And I'm sure many others don't either. An improvement isn't losing to a CUSA team at home in year 4.

 

[Los Gatos]

Give Stoops one more year regardless of this one and make him get Bo Pelini as the DC next year. This would be a good step in the right direction

While I agree that we need a change in the DC position, I believe it will it will be very difficult to attract Pelini or any other respected DC to UK. Baring significant improvement during the rest of the season, Stoops is a dead man walking. Who would want to move to UK knowing it's likely you will be fired after a year?

Seems like you would have to offer a real big time guaranteed contract. And then if you end up firing Stoops after year, you end up eating that money. That cuts into the savings of firing Stoops at this year.

I expect the new DC to be either Stoops or one of the other coaches currently on the staff.

 

[BARRYBLUE1]

Don't get blown out by Austin Peay.

 

[BlueRunner11]

I think everyone can agree that we have improved each year Stoops has been here. Maybe not in total games won, but nevertheless, we HAVE improved each year. I definately believe he can stay until we don"t improve. We can improve in a year and not get one more win from last year. As long as there is improvement let him stay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't think everyone will agree with that. I think the majority including myself sees a team that has regressed. This team is ranked 102nd in total offense and 108th in total defense. Thats out of 128 teams by the way. This team was closer to a bowl in year two than now in year 4.

And if the Bama blowout is ignored and South Carolina is the game that our "defensive turnaround" took place, it's relevant to note that they rank 124 out of 128 in total offense. In other words, they're roughly an incomplete pass or two from being the worst offensive team in all of d1 football. Hardly a defensive challenge.

So im curious, what specific evidence of improvement are you speaking of?

 

[BARRYBLUE1]

Stoops is only in his 3rd year. He redshirted the 1st year. UK could be 2nd in East Div after Saturday.