Where does the real problem lie

[mtn cat1]

The inability to perform as an organized fb team was evident this past season!!! Was the problem(S); the head coach, the OC, a combination of the two, players-talent/lack thereof, or team discord?
In review of the season, going back to the LLU game, there seems to have been a divide between Dawson's desire to employ a vertical attack and Stoops desire to control the game by running the ball thus controlling the clock!!!
Simply observing the sideline dis-array by Stoops mainly, during on going game activity, and the subsequent play on the field, left the observer with a sense of unprepardness by the staff!!!
The utilization of time-outs and clock management gave rise to lack of game planning and game scheming!!!!
Defensive alignment vs off. alignment??????
Substitution patterns, 8 men on the field vs punt situation!!!!!
Improper route running!!!!
Dropped passes!!!
Failure to block!!!
Reported locker-room discord!!!!!
Rookie coaching staff!!!!

The cumulative affect of all these things appears to be the root causes of the teams failures!!!!!

 

[GridCats]

You're right and all these issues have been beaten and discussed many times already.

 

[JimmyJimmy]

The inability to perform as an organized fb team was evident this past season!!! Was the problem(S); the head coach, the OC, a combination of the two, players-talent/lack thereof, or team discord?
In review of the season, going back to the LLU game, there seems to have been a divide between Dawson's desire to employ a vertical attack and Stoops desire to control the game by running the ball thus controlling the clock!!!
Simply observing the sideline dis-array by Stoops mainly, during on going game activity, and the subsequent play on the field, left the observer with a sense of unprepardness by the staff!!!
The utilization of time-outs and clock management gave rise to lack of game planning and game scheming!!!!
Defensive alignment vs off. alignment??????
Substitution patterns, 8 men on the field vs punt situation!!!!!
Improper route running!!!!
Dropped passes!!!
Failure to block!!!
Reported locker-room discord!!!!!
Rookie coaching staff!!!!

The cumulative affect of all these things appears to be the root causes of the teams failures!!!!!

This season is history. There is no way you or any other hater and instigator can change it. And there is no way you or any other hater or instigator can say that the same thing will occur next year so give it a rest. Good grief

 

[docholiday51]

I think the lack of attention to detail and discipline.The ability(or lack thereof) to line up properly,get a play off and avoid the procedural penalties spoke volumes about the coaching staff.A talent desparity doesn't prevent a team from doing things correctly before the ball is snapped.If as a player you are taught and held accountable for doing that then it carries over into what happens after the ball is snapped.

I think this is the biggest failure of Stoops and his staff,it is a fixable issue and they just never fixed it.

 

[ukalumni00]

Everything starts at the LOS. Always has and always will. When there are constant breakdown at the LOS then everything else can go haywire quickly. QB's play worse which leads to WR's getting frustrated, and the list goes on.

Biggest issue is that there are too many younger guys on the roster who are the most talented and they frankly are very immature. Leaders have got to rise out of this group and these players have to decide if they want to win or not. If they all came to UK to change this program then they must re-focus and dedicate themselves to this program, themselves, and their teammates if they have any shot of turning this around.

 

[kybkh]

THE REAL PROBLEM...

IN STATE TALENT!!!!

It's as obvious as the nose on your face.

KY simply does not produce enough D-1 talent.

No magical formula will change the number of 6'3 300 lb lineman this state produces and that is the key to any teams success in the SEC.

That is why it is beyond critical to succeed when we do land highly ranked local guys. Last couple highly ranked KY lineman I can recall UK bringing in have all under performed.

 

[evilbluballs666]

stoops that is where the problem lies and he took towles a good kid and threw him to the wayside to try and save face I have no respect for that peyton manning would look average with that o line we had and that is all on stoops

 

[willievic]

All Coach Stoops has to do is talk to his brother at Oklahoma. He went to a more open offense, and look where it got him. Hopefully Stoops will let Dawson call the plays, which I don't think he did this year. Dawson needs to study some of the plays other teams are running, who are successful, and incorporate them into our offense.
It never hurts to copy success. Anytime you get a new OC, he tries to call what he thinks the Head Coach wants, not necessarily what he wants. This is true in most jobs. I saw it in the airlines when I was the Captain and I got a CoPilot who had never flown with me. I always told them, "Just fly the airplane as if I'm not here." Don't try and please me, just please yourself.

OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!

 

[sluggercatfan]

The inability to perform as an organized fb team was evident this past season!!! Was the problem(S); the head coach, the OC, a combination of the two, players-talent/lack thereof, or team discord?
In review of the season, going back to the LLU game, there seems to have been a divide between Dawson's desire to employ a vertical attack and Stoops desire to control the game by running the ball thus controlling the clock!!!
Simply observing the sideline dis-array by Stoops mainly, during on going game activity, and the subsequent play on the field, left the observer with a sense of unprepardness by the staff!!!
The utilization of time-outs and clock management gave rise to lack of game planning and game scheming!!!!
Defensive alignment vs off. alignment??????
Substitution patterns, 8 men on the field vs punt situation!!!!!
Improper route running!!!!
Dropped passes!!!
Failure to block!!!
Reported locker-room discord!!!!!
Rookie coaching staff!!!!

The cumulative affect of all these things appears to be the root causes of the teams failures!!!!!

Honestly I think if you go back and read your own post that you answered your own question... The head coach

 

[docholiday51]

All Coach Stoops has to do is talk to his brother at Oklahoma. He went to a more open offense, and look where it got him. Hopefully Stoops will let Dawson call the plays, which I don't think he did this year. Dawson needs to study some of the plays other teams are running, who are successful, and incorporate them into our offense.
It never hurts to copy success. Anytime you get a new OC, he tries to call what he thinks the Head Coach wants, not necessarily what he wants. This is true in most jobs. I saw it in the airlines when I was the Captain and I got a CoPilot who had never flown with me. I always told them, "Just fly the airplane as if I'm not here." Don't try and please me, just please yourself.

OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!

Probably worked ok unless you happened to catch an ex crop duster as a co-pilot:flushed:

 

[sluggercatfan]

This season is history. There is no way you or any other hater and instigator can change it. And there is no way you or any other hater or instigator can say that the same thing will occur next year so give it a rest. Good grief

So Mr smart guy... You don't think the coaching staff is not beating their heads against the wall trying to figure out where they need to go why is it any different for the fans who want to see the program do well... My biggest fear is they look in the mirror and be honest they really don't know what to do

 

[Birdseat]

uk cannot beat the sec teams playing sec football. In fact uk cannot beat decent teams playing sec football.

To be successful in the sec, uk needs to develop a unique offensive attack that makes the opposing teams have to prepare for the game.

Coach Stoops was not and still is not ready to be a head coach. He is a crowd pleaser who maintains little discipline from his 'troops'.

 

[SanAntonioCat_rivals376502]

uk cannot beat the sec teams playing sec football. In fact uk cannot beat decent teams playing sec football.

To be successful in the sec, uk needs to develop a unique offensive attack that makes the opposing teams have to prepare for the game.

Coach Stoops was not and still is not ready to be a head coach. He is a crowd pleaser who maintains little discipline from his 'troops'.

Huh?

 

[Crushgroove]

stoops that is where the problem lies and he took towles a good kid and threw him to the wayside to try and save face I have no respect for that peyton manning would look average with that o line we had and that is all on stoops

You, and every other Stoops basher here, make me root harder and harder for the guy to succeed at UK. I want so much to see your ignorance, impatience and intolerance proven wrong and ultimately silenced. I long to see you have to eat mounds of crow and accept this staff as winners as they go forward, especially considering all the horrible things you and others of your ilk have spewed against them as they fight an uphill battle. What makes you even harder to take is that I am fairly certain you were one of the many here calling for Barker to start over PT, and now you turn and stab Stoops in the back after he made that decision? You'll never be happy with this program, as I'm pretty sure you just like to ***** and moan. Here's to some duct tape in the form of Stoops' success.

 

[Anon1639625937]

So Mr smart guy... You don't think the coaching staff is not beating their heads against the wall trying to figure out where they need to go why is it any different for the fans who want to see the program do well... My biggest fear is they look in the mirror and be honest they really don't know what to do

sluggercatfan Oh I think the coaching staff is beating their heads against the wall looking for answers. My concern has been that the coaching staff does not have enough experience and or intelligence to recognize the issues, ask the right questions, execute those changes, and then follow through with player to player - game to game positive development. We continually see the exact same issues, by many of the same players, three years into the Stoops era. Where is the visible player growth on the field? Where is the mature, game by game - Offensive and Defensive Game Plans? Where is the expected situational awareness of within game management? Again, I think the Coaching Staff is beating their heads against the wall in an effort for those answers. It’s not for the lack of trying. It may however be for the lack of knowing….

 

[evilbluballs666]

You, and every other Stoops basher here, make me root harder and harder for the guy to succeed at UK. I want so much to see your ignorance, impatience and intolerance proven wrong and ultimately silenced. I long to see you have to eat mounds of crow and accept this staff as winners as they go forward, especially considering all the horrible things you and others of your ilk have spewed against them as they fight an uphill battle. What makes you even harder to take is that I am fairly certain you were one of the many here calling for Barker to start over PT, and now you turn and stab Stoops in the back after he made that decision? You'll never be happy with this program, as I'm pretty sure you just like to ***** and moan. Here's to some duct tape in the form of Stoops' success.

hey your screen name is all I need to know very reminiscence of the last two season the word out was the titanic could not be sunk you are delusional no doubt

 

[KopiKat]

THE REAL PROBLEM...

IN STATE TALENT!!!!

It's as obvious as the nose on your face.

KY simply does not produce enough D-1 talent.

This is . . . A . . . real . . . challenge for UK competing in the SEC, yes. It in NOT the "real problem. It is not the "real problem" for why the UK football program is not clearly a better product that the Eastern Kentucky and Western Kentucky football programs. Nor is it going to satisfy an explanation for our comparison to Louisville. Nor does it allow for why the coaching staff took less than pedestrian looks at a player like Elijah Sindelar (disgusting that the kid went out of state when his natural talent exceeds Towel's, Barker's or anybody else that may or may not be coming in at the QB position next year).

Our coaching staff did a poor job. Stanley Williams creating a me first situation after the Missouri win. Stoops polished it. Poor defense. Poor offensive line preparation. Repeated efforts at offensive schemes that did not work and very few repeats of those that did (e.g. maybe two times I can recall a receiver being used out of the backfield for middle routes during SEC play, both times with decent success, but why not more often as everybody knows it is an essential component for the mix?). I'll stop but could rant for pages as any of us could.

next season is going to be anguishing.

 

[VFO]

You, and every other Stoops basher here, make me root harder and harder for the guy to succeed at UK. I want so much to see your ignorance, impatience and intolerance proven wrong and ultimately silenced. I long to see you have to eat mounds of crow and accept this staff as winners as they go forward, especially considering all the horrible things you and others of your ilk have spewed against them as they fight an uphill battle. What makes you even harder to take is that I am fairly certain you were one of the many here calling for Barker to start over PT, and now you turn and stab Stoops in the back after he made that decision? You'll never be happy with this program, as I'm pretty sure you just like to ***** and moan. Here's to some duct tape in the form of Stoops' success.

I agree. Sure fans are frustrated. Not as much as coaches. It may take 5 years to right the train wreck thst was UK football. I've said things I regret on here out of frustration, but on reflection I stll think CMS will get the job done. Look at the players he has brought in. My gosh just that is a tremendous accomplishment.

 

[JimmyJimmy]

sluggercatfan Oh I think the coaching staff is beating their heads against the wall looking for answers. My concern has been that the coaching staff does not have enough experience and or intelligence to recognize the issues, ask the right questions, execute those changes, and then follow through with player to player - game to game positive development. We continually see the exact same issues, by many of the same players, three years into the Stoops era. Where is the visible player growth on the field? Where is the mature, game by game - Offensive and Defensive Game Plans? Where is the expected situational awareness of within game management? Again, I think the Coaching Staff is beating their heads against the wall in an effort for those answers. It’s not for the lack of trying. It may however be for the lack of knowing….

Evidently you have not noticed that a lot of sophomores, redshirt freshman beat out upperclassmen for starting positions during the season.

Tells you the lack of talent and leadership our upperclassmen had. So all these young kids who you and everyone else praised Stoops for bringing them in have had to learn on the job without the benefit of talented upperclassmen to mentor them and lead the way which occurs on winning teams

Now your bashing them for youthful, inexperienced mistakes.

You can't have it both ways. You either deal with the fact it is gona take time to right the shipwreck Stoops inherited and accept the growing pains or you be a critic, cynic, hater or whatever and continue to run the program into the ground.

 

[Katwatcher]

All Coach Stoops has to do is talk to his brother at Oklahoma. He went to a more open offense, and look where it got him. Hopefully Stoops will let Dawson call the plays, which I don't think he did this year. Dawson needs to study some of the plays other teams are running, who are successful, and incorporate them into our offense.
It never hurts to copy success. Anytime you get a new OC, he tries to call what he thinks the Head Coach wants, not necessarily what he wants. This is true in most jobs. I saw it in the airlines when I was the Captain and I got a CoPilot who had never flown with me. I always told them, "Just fly the airplane as if I'm not here." Don't try and please me, just please yourself.

OLD STOLL FIELD GUY!

There are some good points brought out by this group of posters. I think most of the problems as the fans see it has been covered.
However, the play calling had the least effect on the scores of the games.

20 - 20 hindsight would be good to have but that is just wishful thinking. Every play that is called is based on what the defense is giving us, the score, how much time is remaining, which players is available, even the weather, and many more factors.

If its 3rd down and long some fans seem to think you throw the ball. The problem with that is the OC has to outwit the opposing DC not the fans. Most of the time when a plays fails to work its because it was not executed right, not because it was a bad call. I think most of UK's was lack of execution and that is where the real problem lies. jmho

 

[JimmyJimmy]

So Mr smart guy... You don't think the coaching staff is not beating their heads against the wall trying to figure out where they need to go why is it any different for the fans who want to see the program do well... My biggest fear is they look in the mirror and be honest they really don't know what to do

This staff knows what they need to do. Their bringing in the players (which you have praised) and upgrading the facilities to attract even better recruits. I don't think they are living in the past but are working on the future.

Seems all the negative nellies can do is bash the past. That was my point. There is not one thing you, me, haters, lovers, coaches and players can do or say to change what is over and done with.

 

[sluggercatfan]

sluggercatfan Oh I think the coaching staff is beating their heads against the wall looking for answers. My concern has been that the coaching staff does not have enough experience and or intelligence to recognize the issues, ask the right questions, execute those changes, and then follow through with player to player - game to game positive development. We continually see the exact same issues, by many of the same players, three years into the Stoops era. Where is the visible player growth on the field? Where is the mature, game by game - Offensive and Defensive Game Plans? Where is the expected situational awareness of within game management? Again, I think the Coaching Staff is beating their heads against the wall in an effort for those answers. It’s not for the lack of trying. It may however be for the lack of knowing….

Looks like we agree 100%

 

[docholiday51]

This staff knows what they need to do. Their bringing in the players (which you have praised) and upgrading the facilities to attract even better recruits. I don't think they are living in the past but are working on the future.

Seems all the negative nellies can do is bash the past. That was my point. There is not one thing you, me, haters, lovers, coaches and players can do or say to change what is over and done with.

In the past we have determined that 5-7 is not a good record,it won't be a good record next year either but it seems to be about the best this staff can do even under very favorable scheduling conditions.

 

[Katwatcher]

This is . . . A . . . real . . . challenge for UK competing in the SEC, yes. It in NOT the "real problem. It is not the "real problem" for why the UK football program is not clearly a better product that the Eastern Kentucky and Western Kentucky football programs. Nor is it going to satisfy an explanation for our comparison to Louisville. Nor does it allow for why the coaching staff took less than pedestrian looks at a player like Elijah Sindelar (disgusting that the kid went out of state when his natural talent exceeds Towel's, Barker's or anybody else that may or may not be coming in at the QB position next year).

Our coaching staff did a poor job. Stanley Williams creating a me first situation after the Missouri win. Stoops polished it. Poor defense. Poor offensive line preparation. Repeated efforts at offensive schemes that did not work and very few repeats of those that did (e.g. maybe two times I can recall a receiver being used out of the backfield for middle routes during SEC play, both times with decent success, but why not more often as everybody knows it is an essential component for the mix?). I'll stop but could rant for pages as any of us could.

next season is going to be anguishing.

Are you insinuating that every UK recruit that does not sign is because of poor recruiting. Sindelar received a lot of attention from the coaching staff. but he had his reasons why he chose Purdue.

Saying Sindelar talents exceed both Towles and Barker is just another exaggeration in my opinion. All three are blessed with talent. jmho

 

[Shavers48]

You, and every other Stoops basher here, make me root harder and harder for the guy to succeed at UK. I want so much to see your ignorance, impatience and intolerance proven wrong and ultimately silenced. I long to see you have to eat mounds of crow and accept this staff as winners as they go forward, especially considering all the horrible things you and others of your ilk have spewed against them as they fight an uphill battle. What makes you even harder to take is that I am fairly certain you were one of the many here calling for Barker to start over PT, and now you turn and stab Stoops in the back after he made that decision? You'll never be happy with this program, as I'm pretty sure you just like to ***** and moan. Here's to some duct tape in the form of Stoops' success.

Your name is "you're wanting", and you can't play the man's game

 

[kybkh]

Look, how many coaches have to come here and fail before we accept the fact that there is not enough local talent to compete in the SEC. Even in arguably the worst year in a decade we couldn't break .500.

Look back at the most successful seasons at UK since 1990 and you'll see one blindingly obvious occurrence...Those teams were led by homegrown talent. Woodson, Burton, Couch, Yeast. Homegrown talent.

Even now our fate lies squarely in the hand of our incoming freshman class of offensive lineman and a local QB.

It's either the most unfortunate run of coaching hires (which may be the case considering the lack of success any former UK coaches have had after their stint here) or it's the Jimmy's and Joe's.

 

[sluggercatfan]

You, and every other Stoops basher here, make me root harder and harder for the guy to succeed at UK. I want so much to see your ignorance, impatience and intolerance proven wrong and ultimately silenced. I long to see you have to eat mounds of crow and accept this staff as winners as they go forward, especially considering all the horrible things you and others of your ilk have spewed against them as they fight an uphill battle. What makes you even harder to take is that I am fairly certain you were one of the many here calling for Barker to start over PT, and now you turn and stab Stoops in the back after he made that decision? You'll never be happy with this program, as I'm pretty sure you just like to ***** and moan. Here's to some duct tape in the form of Stoops' success.

I don't know of ANY UK fan that wants MS to fail because that will be disastrous for the program, so my qesstion to you is...outside of recruiting some supposedly higher quality players what do you see with the results on the field that makes you believe he can do the job and how long do you wait till he may "get it"...he is most certainly going to get another year and if we still look as lost and chaotic as we did this year will you be in favor of a 5th?

 

[BlueRaider22]

If you're looking for one or two things you'll be disappointed. Problems in a few areas tend to reveal themselves and often are resolved fairly quickly. We have a plethora of issues.....which confuses others to see where the more major problems lay.

 

[Crushgroove]

I don't know of ANY UK fan that wants MS to fail because that will be disastrous for the program, so my qesstion to you is...outside of recruiting some supposedly higher quality players what do you see with the results on the field that makes you believe he can do the job and how long do you wait till he may "get it"...he is most certainly going to get another year and if we still look as lost and chaotic as we did this year will you be in favor of a 5th?

My reply would be A) which coaches have ever succeeded at UK in the first 3 years (not even taking into consideration the status of the program under Joker), B) what coach, exactly, could UK get that wouldn't set the program back to square one and 3-5 more years of building, C) how would they pay that coach if paying Stoops' buyout, D) what recruits/current players might we lose in the process, E) what guarantee exists that would promise a better on-field result, F) who's to say the local yokels wouldn't be calling for that guy's head in 3 years and, subsequently, perennially keeping the program in finding-its-*** mode, G) how do you, or anyone else, know that things won't improve once Stoops has a full compliment of players and 5 years of experience? For your solitary, yet hollow, cry to 'just win, baby', I can give you several reasons that would be safer plays and born of sound logic given UK's history, condition and position in a FB conference.

Yes, I feel he deserves 5 full seasons. No sense in hurrying the next guy in here before Stoops has a full go. No sense yanking the rug after only 3 years b/c odds are incredibly good that the next coach, the one no-name guy that is willing to follow 2 consecutive UK HC's after 3-year tenures followed by an axe, won't be any better.

 

[WildcatofNati]

Here's where the real problem lies.

Go back and review the 2012 class. Count how many players from that class are either just now leaving UK, having just finished their senior year, or are returning for a fifth year having redshirted. Then count how many from that list that are gone. It's unbelievable; we lost nearly a whole class of players. Most of the ones that we kept were role players. We had three guys finish the year as starters from that class: Toth, Swindle and Foster, a punter. Towles certainly had his moments but he leaving now, as well. Toth will probably be our only starter next year from that entire class.

Go back to 2011 and 2010. Not much better. We did have a few really good players from those two classes (Williamson, Dupree, Miller) but not nearly enough. Lots of players left. It happens everywhere, but it happened a lot more here than it does at other places. Not that many of the guys who left did anything anywhere else.

Now, there is some hope for the future, because we are getting a fair amount of contribution from the next three classes. But when you have three classes in a row that were only ranked around 60th in the first place, and end up probably around 100th in contribution overall (due to defections and most of the 5.6 players and up never living up to potential), it's no wonder we were terrible in 2013. Last year it's a miracle that we were not that bad. This year was disappointing. But it's hard to rebuild from that foundation when Stoops arrived here.

 

[Crushgroove]

Here's where the real problem lies.

Go back and review the 2012 class. Count how many players from that class are either just now leaving UK, having just finished their senior year, or are returning for a fifth year having redshirted. Then count how many from that list that are gone. It's unbelievable; we lost nearly a whole class of players. Most of the ones that we kept were role players. We had two guys finish the year as starters from that class: Swindle and Foster, a punter. Towles certainly had his moments but he leaving now, as well. Toth will probably be our only starter next year from that entire class.

Go back to 2011 and 2010. Not much better. We did have a few really good players from those two classes (Williamson, Dupree, Miller) but not nearly enough. Lots of players left. It happens everywhere, but it happened a lot more here than it does at other places. Not that many of the guys who left did anything anywhere else.

Now, there is some hope for the future, because we are getting a fair amount of contribution from the next three classes. But when you have three classes in a row that were only ranked around 60th in the first place, and end up probably around 100th in contribution overall (due to defections and most of the 5.6 players and up never living up to potential), it's no wonder we were terrible in 2013. Last year it's a miracle that we were not that bad. This year was disappointing. But it's hard to rebuild from that foundation when Stoops arrived here.

Good post, rife with common sense.

I'd add that another contributor to the problem, outside of a glaring lack of playable depth and a clear separation between old regime players and new, is having a HC, OC and DC that are wet behind the ears at the same time. No denying that. However, given UK's luck, I feel it's better to hold onto these coaches as they mature and improve as opposed to starting from scratch again and/or watch this staff land and flourish at another program after leaving here, as would be par for UK's course. Hold fast, let this play out and see where it goes. Putting all the eggs in the Stoops regime has got to be the better play than continually punting and wondering why nothing ever changes.

 

[WildcatofNati]

Good post, rife with common sense.

I'd add that another contributor to the problem, outside of a glaring lack of playable depth and a clear separation between old regime players and new, is having a HC, OC and DC that are wet behind the ears at the same time. No denying that. However, given UK's luck, I feel it's better to hold onto these coaches as they mature and improve as opposed to starting from scratch again and/or watch this staff land and flourish at another program after leaving here, as would be par for UK's course. Hold fast, let this play out and see where it goes. Putting all the eggs in the Stoops regime has got to be the better play than continually punting and wondering why nothing ever changes.

Agree with the point about the coaches. In fact, most of our other coaches besides the coordinators are also young up and comer types. Someone linked the WKU staff the other day and it was interesting to see what a mix of young and very experienced oldtimers they had in their staff. If UK does have some coaching positions open up for whatever reason, I would like to see them go after some experienced old fogies.

 

[sluggercatfan]

My reply would be A) which coaches have ever succeeded at UK in the first 3 years (not even taking into consideration the status of the program under Joker), B) what coach, exactly, could UK get that wouldn't set the program back to square one and 3-5 more years of building, C) how would they pay that coach if paying Stoops' buyout, D) what recruits/current players might we lose in the process, E) what guarantee exists that would promise a better on-field result, F) who's to say the local yokels wouldn't be calling for that guy's head in 3 years and, subsequently, perennially keeping the program in finding-its-*** mode, G) how do you, or anyone else, know that things won't improve once Stoops has a full compliment of players and 5 years of experience? For your solitary, yet hollow, cry to 'just win, baby', I can give you several reasons that would be safer plays and born of sound logic given UK's history, condition and position in a FB conference.

Yes, I feel he deserves 5 full seasons. No sense in hurrying the next guy in here before Stoops has a full go. No sense yanking the rug after only 3 years b/c odds are incredibly good that the next coach, the one no-name guy that is willing to follow 2 consecutive UK HC's after 3-year tenures followed by an axe, won't be any better.

Please tell me where I used the term"just win baby win"... I never said anything about the winning part only if we look as chaotic and as disorganized as the last two years have looked... So again are you telling me that if next year looks as bad or even worse you would give him a fifth year... & I can give you a couple names that I would trust much more right now with this program then Mark Stoops... Jeff Brohm and Mike Leach just to name two... I'm all for giving Stoops next year but if the product that is put on the field next year looks as chaotic and disorganized and the coaches all look as lost as they do now then he doesn't need a fifth year to figure out whether he knows what he's doing or not

 

[WildcatofNati]

Please tell me where I used the term"just win baby win"... I never said anything about the winning part only if we look as chaotic and as disorganized as the last two years have looked... So again are you telling me that if next year looks as bad or even worse you would give him a fifth year... & I can give you a couple names that I would trust much more right now with this program then Mark Stoops... Jeff Brohm and Mike Leach just to name two... I'm all for giving Stoops next year but if the product that is put on the field next year looks as chaotic and disorganized and the coaches all look as lost as they do now then he doesn't need a fifth year to figure out whether he knows what he's doing or not

Short of an absolute disaster (for example, beating Austin Peay and NMSU, losing to everyone else and getting blown out a half dozen times), he'll be back for a fifth year because of the buyout. In fact, even if there is a complete disaster, he'll probably be back anyway, because of the buyout. So my hope is that we get it turned around.

 

[sluggercatfan]

Here's where the real problem lies.

Go back and review the 2012 class. Count how many players from that class are either just now leaving UK, having just finished their senior year, or are returning for a fifth year having redshirted. Then count how many from that list that are gone. It's unbelievable; we lost nearly a whole class of players. Most of the ones that we kept were role players. We had three guys finish the year as starters from that class: Toth, Swindle and Foster, a punter. Towles certainly had his moments but he leaving now, as well. Toth will probably be our only starter next year from that entire class.

Go back to 2011 and 2010. Not much better. We did have a few really good players from those two classes (Williamson, Dupree, Miller) but not nearly enough. Lots of players left. It happens everywhere, but it happened a lot more here than it does at other places. Not that many of the guys who left did anything anywhere else.

Now, there is some hope for the future, because we are getting a fair amount of contribution from the next three classes. But when you have three classes in a row that were only ranked around 60th in the first place, and end up probably around 100th in contribution overall (due to defections and most of the 5.6 players and up never living up to potential), it's no wonder we were terrible in 2013. Last year it's a miracle that we were not that bad. This year was disappointing. But it's hard to rebuild from that foundation when Stoops arrived here.

I need to see where we stand after next month and after the end of the school year what happens with attrition in the offseason before you can make a determination on that... You surely cannot deny that there was a lot of discontent and turmoil on this team during the season this year

 

[Crushgroove]

Please tell me where I used the term"just win baby win"... I never said anything about the winning part only if we look as chaotic and as disorganized as the last two years have looked... So again are you telling me that if next year looks as bad or even worse you would give him a fifth year... & I can give you a couple names that I would trust much more right now with this program then Mark Stoops... Jeff Brohm and Mike Leach just to name two... I'm all for giving Stoops next year but if the product that is put on the field next year looks as chaotic and disorganized and the coaches all look as lost as they do now then he doesn't need a fifth year to figure out whether he knows what he's doing or not

Let us not kid ourselves, you and I and everyone here are aware that if Brohm or Leach or even Nick Saban himself failed to go to a bowl in 3 years time, you'd be here singing the same old song, regardless of how organized and together their teams may look in losing... so, please spare me. Besides, both those names are pipe dreams. Brohm is UL blood through and through and Leach is too intelligent to follow 2 coaches at UK that got axed in 3 years time. Funny how this UK team doesn't look so disorganized and out of sorts to start the year before depth and fatigue become an issue, don't you think? Or do you look that far into it?

 

[kyjohn]

If you really want a comparison of teams in the SEC and UK,look no further than Vandy,a team that has not matched UK in recruiting rankings but in the past three years have beat Stoops twice and that should never have happened i we are to believe that Stoops and company are all we thought they would be when they took the job.

 

[sluggercatfan]

Short of an absolute disaster (for example, beating Austin Peay and NMSU, losing to everyone else and getting blown out a half dozen times), he'll be back for a fifth year because of the buyout. In fact, even if there is a complete disaster, he'll probably be back anyway, because of the buyout. So my hope is that we get it turned around.

Like I said before I don't know of any Kentucky football fan that would not love to see Mark Stoops turn this thing around and build a lasting sustaining program here... But you have to admit that watching the product on the field it is very difficult for people to think he is going to be successful

 

[How Blue Can You Get?]

Everything starts at the LOS. Always has and always will. When there are constant breakdown at the LOS then everything else can go haywire quickly. QB's play worse which leads to WR's getting frustrated, and the list goes on.

Biggest issue is that there are too many younger guys on the roster who are the most talented and they frankly are very immature. Leaders have got to rise out of this group and these players have to decide if they want to win or not. If they all came to UK to change this program then they must re-focus and dedicate themselves to this program, themselves, and their teammates if they have any shot of turning this around.

Xs 10000!!!

 

[sluggercatfan]

Let us not kid ourselves, you and I and everyone here are aware that if Brohm or Leach or even Nick Saban himself failed to go to a bowl in 3 years time, you'd be here singing the same old song, regardless of how organized and together their teams may look in losing... so, please spare me. Besides, both those names are pipe dreams. Brohm is UL blood through and through and Leach is too intelligent to follow 2 coaches at UK that got axed in 3 years time. Funny how this UK team doesn't look so disorganized and out of sorts to start the year before depth and fatigue become an issue, don't you think? Or do you look that far into it?

Again you are wrong... this program looks like a dumpster fire... I can guarantee and I mean guarantee you that if this program looks like it was headed in the right direction that it was organized, the coaches look like they knew what they were doing ,the players were looking like they knew what the coaches wanted and if the record was five and seven and we were competing there would be no problem with keeping Mark Stoops a 5th year... as far as Mike Leach and Jeff Brohm are concerned I know an explayer who is close to Mike Leach that played ar UK and told me and a couple of my buddies in Nville that Leach would take the job and I know a very very close acquaintance of Jeff Brohms that has told me he would take the job in a heartbeat... and if this turns out to be all that keeping Stoops for the money there is going to be a hell of a lot more money lost than what it would take to buy Mark Stoops out