Who was All In with Coach Stoops?

[BigBluePhantom]

There is a lot of debate, taking sides and name calling going on right now amongst our fan base. Many are saying that it will take more than 3 years to turn it around. Others are completely dissatisfied with the lack of effort and progression we saw this past season after so much was expected. One thing for sure, the honeymoon is over and many fans are taking Stoops to task. Here is why in my opinion.

I think the problem for the average fan is that we were ask to go "All In" this year. Stoops was in year 3 and many of his own players would be on the field, we had a beautiful new stadium, experienced QB, experienced OL, ground broken on the new training facility and a schedule that was set up for 7 or 8 wins. We did just that. We went "All In." Thing is that we thought we were going all in on a Full House and it turns out that this staff was bluffing and only had a King High. Yep, we went all in and we lost our asses. Now we are broke; at least emotionally.

UK football fans have been asked to give up a lot. We have lost out seats, our parking spots, affordable tickets and affordable concessions. For what? We were told it was the price that had to be paid if we wanted to compete in the SEC. For years, it has been said that at UK you make the most of the tailgate because you know game is going to suck. We made that work. We renewed our tickets each year for the social experience and interaction with those people we saw each Saturday in the parking lot and in the stadium. We gave all that up. We paid the price but what did we get in return? We now tailgate in a far off lot with people we don't know around us. Most of us sit farther away from the field and the people we have known for 30 years and guess what, the football still sucks.

I would have gladly given up my parking spot and my seats to some big money donor if that was the magic pill that would have allowed us to have winning seasons, go to bowls and compete for championships. However, I am not as excited to give all that up and pay even more for the same crappy product on the field. We were told this was the year by Stoops and by the administration. It was not. Hopefully, they were wrong and next year or the year after will be the year. I will be there but it will take a lot more convincing on the field before I even think about going "All In" again with this bunch of card sharks.

 

[Chuckinden]

I'm still all in with Stoops. Next year he will be judged on what he does then, not the past. It will be his 4th year and that's when things should start showing improvement.

I haven't given up on Stoops...

 

[Levibooty]

I agree I still am but results needs to start getting better.

 

[Mr Schwump]

I'm in, two and a half recruiting classes aren't enough to turn around any program much less one as low and desperate as UK was when Stoops arrived. Thankfully UK's getting past the leftovers from past years. Unfortunately those guys had neither the talent or leadership to compete on the SEC level. However, wins have to come very soon.

 

[docholiday51]

I think the vast majority of fans are still "all in" with regard to wanting Stoops to succeed.I believe the fan base was more on board with Stoops when he came in than they had been with any of the last 3 coaches when they arrived

Our expectations may have gotten a bit too high after year 2,some were expecting 8 or 9 wins,that wasn't going to happen.On the other hand 6 was doable and an almost minimal expectation, 7 was not unreasonable but would have put him ahead of the curve.

The problem is when he didn't get to 6 there was a fall and how he didn't get to 6 made it that much worse.Six wins this year would have bought him time but five put his back against the wall.

 

[Deeeefense]

I think CMS has the background and experience to correct his mistakes and right the ship. There is no way I want to go back to square one with a new staff and a new "3 year plan" and see recruiting go back to it's historically mediocre levels again.

We have strong talented and motivated 2016 class coming in that is going to take the task on their shoulders. That's just what our coaching staff needs to help them get things going in the right direction, even though many of them will red shirt next year. It's the attitude shift that's important in the building process.

 

[bigbluegrog]

I will give him five years because I really believe that he hasn't forgot how to coach defense just because he came to UK and UK was in really crappy shape when he took over. But he needs to let the offense do its thing and not try to control every aspect (if he is doing that). But like others have said, we need to win the games we are supposed to. Go 4-4 in the SEC and stop getting blown out.

 

[andreIGUODOLLAsigns4UK]

I agree with the OP that stoops lead all of us on this year by telling us to be excited about this, in his words 'much improved product on the field' but the team had a way easier schedule than the year before and we finished with the same record. Stoops has lost all of his credibility at this point IMO. He promised an Air raid to fill the seats. I have yet to see such a thing in his 3 years. Our offense is by no mean an 'air raid offense' like stoops claimed it would be. He did tell us to be 'ALL IN' this year, and us fans who invested in his words, got screwed pretty hard. Where is this much improved product stoops promised? Us fans invested in those words, we did our part, he didn't do his. If he doesn't take us to a bowl next year, then he needs to get the axe (I don't think we should wait til next year but we're going to anyways) no reason for fans to be lied to in order to fill the seats. He manipulated us in order to invest in the product, and we simply got screwed. No way around it. And the worst part is, he makes excuses after every loss!!

 

[Calsarmy]

I was totally in for Coach Stoops. Thought his family background and his own coaching experience was enough to work out well for both of us. That was then, this is now. Next year is the year in my book. Not a big improvement in year 4 and that will be enough for me. Candidly I wish him huge success and a long career here. But its on him now.

 

[ukalum1988]

I was "All In" with Stoops before the season started. Now, I'm about 75% in. Goes without saying that Stoops really needs to show improvement next year, or else the empty seats at the end of the year could provide impetus for a change. I hope not, but time will tell.

 

[domino79]

I'm in but have seen nothing to make me things are going to turn around. It's one thing to lose. It's another thing to lose like this year's team did. Just a complete fold at any adversity.

 

[Blueaz]

I was all in, AND expected a turn around to take more than 3 years. I expected 4-5. However, the on field play and player attitudes has not improved at a rate that gives me faith that HE can turn it around in under 7 years. He is "cutting his head-coaching teeth" with our program.
IMO, cut the cord sooner than later and try it again...UK football is groundhog day.

 

[BigBoyBlueMMA]

I honestly can no longer give my all in...I've drank the Kool Aid too often...and the factors are because of the products given to us (using Brooks as a reference not a definitive reason but resource.) ...I have seen our play and players not get appreciably better as season goes on (Brooks and his staff coached up all kids and this was shown on field), staff adjustments have dropped ball (Brooks had a great coaching and recruiting mix - Stoops has great recruiting - No QB Coaching - ZERO ST Coaching - failures on in game adjustments - ETC.) , Allegedly divisiveness on team (Stoops should have taken a more disciplinarian style and got rid of cancers on team or at least benched them but has allowed them to make his decisions reflective of these allowances)

For these reasons, and with sadness - I am sad to say I can't give my all in... Will I buy my season tix again next year? Yes. Will I attend games? Yes....But I just cannot give my all again....its' just too heart wrenching to me as an Alum and football fanatic.

 

[Kats23]

I was in when he got hired. He said a lot of the right things. I was still in before the Miss St/UT/UGA debacles but my confidence started waning after those 3 blowouts. You could of told me Joker Phillips was coaching and I wouldn't of known any difference. I de-boarded the Stoops train after Vandy and now I think the inevitable happens and he gets fired. Still all in on UK football but I'm waiting on the next head coach.

 

[BlueRaider22]

1. I'm "All In" with Kentucky. One of my degrees is from there. That's where I met and fell in love with my wife. I am and will always be "All In" for Kentucky. As far as coaches that the university chooses......I will always respect the choices and show support. That doesn't mean that it's not hard to be a fan sometimes.

2. The hire. In life you make choices based on the information you have at the time of the decision. Stoops was a great hire. Anytime UK can land a top coordinator from multiple Power 5 conferences.....especially if they come with a family name that is extremely well respected in the coaching community......it is a great hire. Whether Stoops is or is not successful is irrelevant......the hire was good.

3. In general, most fans only possess a shallow knowledge of college football and what it takes to win. And, most of the members of that pool don't want to learn. This means that there are plenty of misconceptions that can't be altered by reasoning and logic.

4. Before the year I predicted the following: We'd win 6 games. We'd get blown out at least 2-3x. We'd lose a game or two off coaching mistakes. We'd look decent at times and we'd look completely horrid at times. Due to a lack of depth, we'd fall off in the back half of the yr again. So, yeah, things are a little worse than I would prefer it to be, but it's not like the season went completely different than what I was expecting.

5. We've had a few decent head coaches at Kentucky.....like Curci, Claiborne, Brooks. But they've never had consistent talent to work with. In fact, no Kentucky coach in the last 60+ yrs has had consistent and widespread talent to compete regularly. Stoops seems to be recruiting "on paper" better than any coach in UK's history. That alone buys him a little extra time in my book.

 

[RS73CAT]

I'm still, ALL IN!!! People that expected 8 wins, probably haven't been around a long time. There were many more people screaming for Brook's head after year three.
Have there been mistakes, disappointments, and failure. Yes, and no one is more saddened by it, than me. IMO, the division among the players was a huge reason for the failure on the field. Players should have been benched, but Stoops did not have the luxury of having a competent backup. Next year should, and better be different. No effort, no play. As I stated, just my opinion, but a divided team, is like cancer.
If it was as easy, as some on here believe, Curry would still be here.

 

[gobigblue812_rivals29381]

Sill all in.

 

[Lonesome Hippopotamus]

Still all in with Stoops.. as long as he is Head Coach at UK.

 

[Anon1639625937]

I'm still all in with Stoops. Next year he will be judged on what he does then, not the past. It will be his 4th year and that's when things should start showing improvement.

I haven't given up on Stoops...

Although I've been and am critical of Stoops because he's another Apprentice HC at UK. I think it was the right outside of the box thinking approach. Still, I'm all in....

 

[Crushgroove]

Still "All In."

 

[Anon1712931820]

I was, I is and I will be.

Stoops is getting the pieces. When he learns to play the game to his full potential then look out.

Signature says it all. Go CATS!

 

[JasonS.]

I have no clue what being ALL IN as a fan means.

But if we're going with poker terminology, I'm more of a check.

 

[messecat]

I am and will be as long as he is here and working hard. I as well as everyone else should have known it would take a coach will no prior experience and with very few left over players a little time. The recruiting is still going well even with the loses and depth in the classes are getting better each year.

 

[Poetax]

I agree with the OP that stoops lead all of us on this year by telling us to be excited about this, in his words 'much improved product on the field' but the team had a way easier schedule than the year before and we finished with the same record. Stoops has lost all of his credibility at this point IMO. He promised an Air raid to fill the seats. I have yet to see such a thing in his 3 years. Our offense is by no mean an 'air raid offense' like stoops claimed it would be. He did tell us to be 'ALL IN' this year, and us fans who invested in his words, got screwed pretty hard. Where is this much improved product stoops promised? Us fans invested in those words, we did our part, he didn't do his. If he doesn't take us to a bowl next year, then he needs to get the axe (I don't think we should wait til next year but we're going to anyways) no reason for fans to be lied to in order to fill the seats. He manipulated us in order to invest in the product, and we simply got screwed. No way around it. And the worst part is, he makes excuses after every loss!!

Do you think the coaches at Kansas, Tulane, and UAB, doesn't paint the picture a little brighter every year? What use is there in being totally negative? Besides, saying we are better then his first year is not a lie. Things need to change for sure but it was never going to be that easy with the roster and a first year HC and staff. But I'm still all in.

 

[AirRaidFan_rivals164446]

There is a lot of debate, taking sides and name calling going on right now amongst our fan base. Many are saying that it will take more than 3 years to turn it around. Others are completely dissatisfied with the lack of effort and progression we saw this past season after so much was expected. One thing for sure, the honeymoon is over and many fans are taking Stoops to task. Here is why in my opinion.

I think the problem for the average fan is that we were ask to go "All In" this year. Stoops was in year 3 and many of his own players would be on the field, we had a beautiful new stadium, experienced QB, experienced OL, ground broken on the new training facility and a schedule that was set up for 7 or 8 wins. We did just that. We went "All In." Thing is that we thought we were going all in on a Full House and it turns out that this staff was bluffing and only had a King High. Yep, we went all in and we lost our asses. Now we are broke; at least emotionally.

UK football fans have been asked to give up a lot. We have lost out seats, our parking spots, affordable tickets and affordable concessions. For what? We were told it was the price that had to be paid if we wanted to compete in the SEC. For years, it has been said that at UK you make the most of the tailgate because you know game is going to suck. We made that work. We renewed our tickets each year for the social experience and interaction with those people we saw each Saturday in the parking lot and in the stadium. We gave all that up. We paid the price but what did we get in return? We now tailgate in a far off lot with people we don't know around us. Most of us sit farther away from the field and the people we have known for 30 years and guess what, the football still sucks.

I would have gladly given up my parking spot and my seats to some big money donor if that was the magic pill that would have allowed us to have winning seasons, go to bowls and compete for championships. However, I am not as excited to give all that up and pay even more for the same crappy product on the field. We were told this was the year by Stoops and by the administration. It was not. Hopefully, they were wrong and next year or the year after will be the year. I will be there but it will take a lot more convincing on the field before I even think about going "All In" again with this bunch of card sharks.

I'm still in. I'm not a quitter. Looking forward to improving my seats when quitters quit.

 

[sluggercatfan]

Do you think the coaches at Kansas, Tulane, and UAB, doesn't paint the picture a little brighter every year? What use is there in being totally negative? Besides, saying we are better then his first year is not a lie. Things need to change for sure but it was never going to be that easy with the roster and a first year HC and staff. But I'm still all in.

So this is where we are being Kansas, Tulane and UAB...Sure makes me feel a lot better:thumbsdown::thumbsdown:[banana][banana]

 

[LowCountryCat]

If you give him a 4th year then you better just give him 7, because that's how long he's being paid.

 

[andreIGUODOLLAsigns4UK]

Do you think the coaches at Kansas, Tulane, and UAB, doesn't paint the picture a little brighter every year? What use is there in being totally negative? Besides, saying we are better then his first year is not a lie. Things need to change for sure but it was never going to be that easy with the roster and a first year HC and staff. But I'm still all in.

Did I say improvement since his first year? Did stoops? I said between years 2 and 3 there was no improvement. At which time stoops promised a much improved product in the field, he lied, he was wrong, no improvement between years 2 and 3, no matter how you try to spin it. No one said anything about his first year. You can be upset about negativity all you want. But this staff is awful, we have no experience at OC, DC, and HC. That's a recipe for failure if I've ever heard of one. As long as we have zero experience in all those spots playing in the SEC, we will not amount to anything successful. I wasted money listening to stoops words. Hence my negativity. He said this is the first year he can say with confidence that we'll be a good team, at which time I still had faith in him. Maybe if you wasted a bunch of money listening to stoops promises, then you might be a lil upset yourself. But til then you can continue to be a stoops apologist I could care less.

 

[theoledog]

I'm okay with him for another 2-3 years... Just don't know that that means I'm "in" CWS watching....

 

[gobigblue812_rivals29381]

I'm still in. I'm not a quitter. Looking forward to improving my seats when quitters quit.

Me too

 

[JW PRPcoach]

This takes me back to the question of why people are so mad at Barnhart about the hiring of Stoops.
Hindsight is always 20/20 - but when interviewing, Stoops wow'd the committee with his vision.

• He got enough momentum to get the stadium remodeled and the new practice facility is in the works
• Recruiting is at an all-time high - going into regions that no other coach thought possible to recruit from
• With his pedigree, you would figure he had contacts to hire a great staff around him

Unfortunately, as of now he is only 2 for 3 - new facilities, solid recruiting classes - poor coaching/staff decisions. More like brother Mike and less like brother Bob. He still has time to recover and improve on #3, but he has lost his grace period with bad game management and seemingly poor player development.

I'm still IN - and even if he eventually is a failure - I will be forever grateful for the "spark" that he gave to UK football. If another staff is needed to take the next step - so be it - but it's not Barnhart's "fault" that he hired coach Stoops

 

[Poetax]

Did I say improvement since his first year? Did stoops? I said between years 2 and 3 there was no improvement. At which time stoops promised a much improved product in the field, he lied, he was wrong, no improvement between years 2 and 3, no matter how you try to spin it. No one said anything about his first year. You can be upset about negativity all you want. But this staff is awful, we have no experience at OC, DC, and HC. That's a recipe for failure if I've ever heard of one. As long as we have zero experience in all those spots playing in the SEC, we will not amount to anything successful. I wasted money listening to stoops words. Hence my negativity. He said this is the first year he can say with confidence that we'll be a good team, at which time I still had faith in him. Maybe if you wasted a bunch of money listening to stoops promises, then you might be a lil upset yourself. But til then you can continue to be a stoops apologist I could care less.

Is it really lying when you believe in what you are saying? If you're going to get butt hurt every time he says something and it doesn't pan out, you are going to stay unhappy. We probably have less experience in the coaching staff then with the players we put on the field but they got to get better because they know it's about the W's. And you are right, I will back any UK coach until he has gotten his stuff in place and if it doesn't happen, I will go with the next guy they bring in. And please, I don't want to hear your whining about spending money, I have been doing it for 44 years so cry me a river because there are a lot of us in the same boat.

 

[Poetax]

So this is where we are being Kansas, Tulane and UAB...Sure makes me feel a lot better:thumbsdown::thumbsdown:[banana][banana]

Slugger, was making a point that down programs all have coaches who talk positive and think they can bring change. No one can make you feel better slugger, it comes from within. I don't even charge for advice, lol.

 

[yoshukai]

I was and always will be a wait and see guy . If someone would have asked me when he was hired , I would have said ask me in 4 years.

 

[andreIGUODOLLAsigns4UK]

Is it really lying when you believe in what you are saying? If you're going to get butt hurt every time he says something and it doesn't pan out, you are going to stay unhappy. We probably have less experience in the coaching staff then with the players we put on the field but they got to get better because they know it's about the W's. And you are right, I will back any UK coach until he has gotten his stuff in place and if it doesn't happen, I will go with the next guy they bring in. And please, I don't want to hear your whining about spending money, I have been doing it for 44 years so cry me a river because there are a lot of us in the same boat.

Stoops words were he never made those promises before this season because he wasn't confident with the product he's fielding, this year he said it's a way different story and that we should be excited about the product. And the fact our staff has less experience than our very inexperienced team. Then there's no hope, you're going to continue to back stoops knowing this staff won't get it done? I just can't back the man up anymore because of the decisions he made with the staff. It's given us a zero percent chance at success. The decisions he made with the staff tell me all I need to know about him as a coach. He's in over his head. There's not a single bit of evidence that suggests otherwise. There's not a single thing to be happy about with this team besides the fact towles transferred.

I just don't get the point in getting on to people about negativity when there's a million times more things to be unhappy about than their is to be happy about. It doesn't make sense to me. If stoops improves light years as a coach and if this team goes 7-5 next year, which I hope they will. I'll get off his back. But what realistically is going to happen is that we're going to have another season like the last 2. Maybe even 4-8. And at that point he NEEDS to go. When the teams you're a fan of perform well below what was expected, and you invest in said team, then that means there's not a single reason to not be critical and negative about the performance, that's what they've earned, they deserve the negativity at this point. So that's what they're going to get. No point in complaining about it.

 

[Poetax]

Stoops words were he never made those promises before this season because he wasn't confident with the product he's fielding, this year he said it's a way different story and that we should be excited about the product. And the fact our staff has less experience than our very inexperienced team. Then there's no hope, you're going to continue to back stoops knowing this staff won't get it done? I just can't back the man up anymore because of the decisions he made with the staff. It's given us a zero percent chance at success. The decisions he made with the staff tell me all I need to know about him as a coach. He's in over his head. There's not a single bit of evidence that suggests otherwise. There's not a single thing to be happy about with this team besides the fact towles transferred.

I just don't get the point in getting on to people about negativity when there's a million times more things to be unhappy about than their is to be happy about. It doesn't make sense to me. If stoops improves light years as a coach and if this team goes 7-5 next year, which I hope they will. I'll get off his back. But what realistically is going to happen is that we're going to have another season like the last 2. Maybe even 4-8. And at that point he NEEDS to go. When the teams you're a fan of perform well below what was expected, and you invest in said team, then that means there's not a single reason to not be critical and negative about the performance, that's what they've earned, they deserve the negativity at this point. So that's what they're going to get. No point in complaining about it.

You have the right to rant and I have the right not to. You also don't have to back him or be a fan but like I said when he gets his stuff in place and still fails I will be ready to back the next HC. You have been on here for less then two weeks, a lot of us have been on here forever so we know the problems of the program and Brooks proved its not an overnight fix.

 

[Beatle Bum]

Define "experienced Oline."

 

[Poetax]

Define "experienced Oline."

All 5 year seniors who never gives up sacks and gives the QB at least 5 minutes to throw the ball.

 

[UKspecial38]

All 5 year seniors who never gives up sacks and gives the QB at least 5 minutes to throw the ball.

I'm still all in with Stoops. Next year he will be judged on what he does then, not the past. It will be his 4th year and that's when things should start showing improvement.

I haven't given up on Stoops...

 

[UKspecial38]

All in with Coach Stoops. Think he knows what changes he needs to make. Probably knew what changes he was going to make in November. We just have to be patient and trust he will work things out. I trust that he knows a lot more about the football program than we do. I expect us to see a much better product on the field in '16.