Will/Should Mark Stoops be fired if UK fails to reach a bowl again?

ScrewDuke1

Hall of Famer
Jul 29, 2016
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Thoughts?

Personally I doubt he would be fired but no bowl this season and he might lose the support of the fan base.
 
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3kidsandme

Heisman
Jan 12, 2013
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Should be.

Won't be.
Can we atleast wait until mid season before we dump all over this team. We have more talent than we have had and won 5 games. This team will make a bowl and i will bet anybody on here who says otherwise.
 
Nov 29, 2015
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please just stop
It's not a ridiculous question considering the 2 mid season collapses the last 2 years. Terrible game/clock management. Absolutely woeful game preparation. Our team looked way too lost, disorganized, and just flat out had no heart much of this last season. If his buyout wasn't so ridiculous then he would deserve to be fired if we fail to reach bowl game. If I see the same ol ish I saw the second half of last season. Then there's no doubt he needs to go, but if we have a good season then obviously he would deserve to be retained. But seriously the fans that feel like regardless of how bad we do this season. IN YEAR 4. He deserves to stay. Those fans are the most hardcore of stoops apoligists and no matter how bad stoops performs they see no wrong. Like seriously yall? He still deserves a mulligan in year 4 with a roster of 97% his players? And one of those who aren't, toth. Is a player we need desperately to stay healthy. Just wow.

Yes he 100% DESERVES to be fired if we have a bad season. But he won't be no matter what due to buyout. I honestly feel like regardless of how bad he does he'll still have about 60% fan support. Which is absolutely insane to me. Crazy world we live in. If we don't reach bowl I'm saying bye to season tickets last season was pathetic in every sense of the word. 3 years in a row of that ish is unacceptable. His in game coaching so far has been woeful beyond words. Sometimes good coordinators aren't cut out for being an HC. And if I see the same 'looks like it's the first game he's ever coached' performance, every game again this season then I'm 100% done. The special teams was pathetic. Our defense being disorganized many times was pathetic. Our team absolutely having zero heart. And the worst of it all was. WE NEVER MADE ONE SINGLE HALFTIME/IN GAME ADJUSTMENT LAST SEASON OR THE 3 YEARS HES COACHED. Say we're shutting a team down. Then all of a sudden a team switches something up to beat us. We do nothing to switch anything up tonstopnthe change the offense made. Example that motherloving qb for Louisville, or every other team that switched to a read option last season.

The fact we never adjusted to read options and got beat on that play seemingly 95% of the time. THE ENTIRE SEASON. Was just a downright pathetic display of coaching. All these stoops apologists that didn't see problems with the way we never adjusted to read options, just shows me these people have never played a down of organized football in their damn lives. And have the tiniest of football IQ. Ive never seen such pathetic read option defense in my entire life. Yea as far as I can see stoops hasn't proven sh*t, yet many here would try and have you believe otherwise. This is the season. For stoops to prove himself. Point. Blank. Period. I have a glimmer of hope and that's as far as I'll take it based on what I've seen thus far.
 
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Bryo72

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Jun 12, 2016
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No......see Brooks....his head on the UK fan base chopping block...does the "bdubs bowl" make you excited!? BC it gives you/wife/and or friends too go party in Shreveport, LA? While watching UK take on gulf coast state? Wait....wait....most excuses..."well we get another 2 weeks practice, to help us get better for next years Music City Bowl!"
 

Bryo72

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Jun 12, 2016
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Bowls are so convuleted nowadays...yay
We won the pinstripe bowl or the H&R Block bowl....clap......clap
 
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Bryo72

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Fans with Tix stubs get 15% off their fees from H&R block, if you file your return with us....
 
Nov 29, 2015
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No......see Brooks....his head on the UK fan base chopping block...does the "bdubs bowl" make you excited!? BC it gives you/wife/and or friends too go party in Shreveport, LA? While watching UK take on gulf coast state? Wait....wait....most excuses..."well we get another 2 weeks practice, to help us get better for next years Music City Bowl!"
Difference in Brooks and Stoops. Brooks was PROVEN. BROOKS had no money that he was promised would be invested into the program so he was severely handicapped in the recruiting world in comparison to stoops. We couldn't recruit against anyone. Compare our recruiting room under Brooks and under stoops and that's the difference in recruiting between the 2 coaches right there as far as recruiting advantages go. BROOKS did far far more with far far far less talented players (if you base talent purely based on recruiting rankings, which many here do when judging stoops). Compare the star rating of our bowl teams under Brooks and the star ratings of stoops recruiting classes. Brooks can COACH. And that wasn't even a question when he arrived at UK. Stoops is a former OC first time HC. I guess Florida should've kept muschamp too. Had all the talent in the world and still sucked. Stoops is the definition of an unproven HC in a make or break year.
 

Bryo72

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Jun 12, 2016
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No...wrong... Try again Stoops DC....yes, Brooks HC Atlanta Falcons, Superbowl 1998
 

Bryo72

Junior
Jun 12, 2016
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Ah, I dont care....stoops doesn't make a bowl! off with his head, hire another coach, no bowl, OFF with his head....etc.....vicious cycle=UK football....Curse of the Bryant...BC UK paid Rupp more than him....
 

RealCat41

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Oct 1, 2009
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I think Coach Stoops is in a precarious situation. A (5) win season in an of itself should not get him fired in my opinion, but if you add a couple of other things to the mix, a (5) win season becomes much worse.

Number one he has to face the offensive coordinator he fired from last year the very game of the season. What makes it worse is that it's only a 7 point game right now according to the folks in Vegas. A loss to Shannon Dawson would be like taking a blow from Mike Tyson within the first few seconds of the first round. Not many survived that.

Number two is that is former QB didn't exactly leave and go to a directional school to finish his college career. Boston College plays Louisville in addition to Clemson and Florida State. Should Towles play well or beat Louisville and the Cats lose to Louisville then a (5) win season just got much worse.

Right now these things aren't a big deal, but they certainly could be depending on the way things play out.
 

Kats23

All-American
Nov 21, 2007
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The simple answer from an administration point is no, he won't be fired. Too much money tied up in him at this point to not give him a 5 th year. Outside of something disastrous like a 3-8 finish or worst he'll be back next season.

Should he is another question. For me, it depends on how the team finishes. I think this team can go 5-7 and still be greatly improved. So many factors in play here from the schedule to a first full year starter at QB to another first year OC with a new system. If this team look competitive, plays out the year, and just due to some inconsistent QB play, which you better expect this year from Barker, and some holes on defense this team goes 4-8 or 5-7, then Stoops I think deserves a 5th year to see if they can put it all together.

Now, if this season resembles the circus I've seen the past two seasons, he deserves to go. If he can't mesh with another OC, if he looks like he should of taken a left at Albuquerque on the sidelines, if we're changing QB's in game 10, pack his bags. What you're risking if you let yourself get too far along with the wrong coach, recruiting suffers and the roster begins to roll thin. The talent is supposedly there so at least the product should start looking better at a certain point. That hasn't happened yet. That's why these questions on Stoops remain.
 
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Stenchymouse

All-American
Jul 31, 2005
12,633
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We may get to a bowl (I believe we will) this year, but honestly, I think that its next year and beyond that we'll finally see the program rise to another level.

Stoops has done it the right way and its taking some time...

I'm very confident in the program's future!
 

Perrin75

Senior
Aug 9, 2001
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Baring some catastrophic run of injuries, if Stoops can't lead this team to at least 6 wins this season then he should be fired. This is year 4 so his team should be in place. We are also playing a schedule against what looks like one of the most winnable SEC slates in my lifetime.

Unless we see a massive drop in attendance or some major scandal then there will not be a coaching change at Kentucky next season. The money just doesn't work. But, if Stoops is fired, then we need to correct the mistake we made last time and hire Mike Leach. Here is to hoping that won't be necessary.
 

shutzhund

All-Conference
Nov 19, 2005
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It's not a ridiculous question considering the 2 mid season collapses the last 2 years. Terrible game/clock management. Absolutely woeful game preparation. Our team looked way too lost, disorganized, and just flat out had no heart much of this last season. If his buyout wasn't so ridiculous then he would deserve to be fired if we fail to reach bowl game. If I see the same ol ish I saw the second half of last season. Then there's no doubt he needs to go, but if we have a good season then obviously he would deserve to be retained. But seriously the fans that feel like regardless of how bad we do this season. IN YEAR 4. He deserves to stay. Those fans are the most hardcore of stoops apoligists and no matter how bad stoops performs they see no wrong. Like seriously yall? He still deserves a mulligan in year 4 with a roster of 97% his players? And one of those who aren't, toth. Is a player we need desperately to stay healthy. Just wow.

Yes he 100% DESERVES to be fired if we have a bad season. But he won't be no matter what due to buyout. I honestly feel like regardless of how bad he does he'll still have about 60% fan support. Which is absolutely insane to me. Crazy world we live in. If we don't reach bowl I'm saying bye to season tickets last season was pathetic in every sense of the word. 3 years in a row of that ish is unacceptable. His in game coaching so far has been woeful beyond words. Sometimes good coordinators aren't cut out for being an HC. And if I see the same 'looks like it's the first game he's ever coached' performance, every game again this season then I'm 100% done. The special teams was pathetic. Our defense being disorganized many times was pathetic. Our team absolutely having zero heart. And the worst of it all was. WE NEVER MADE ONE SINGLE HALFTIME/IN GAME ADJUSTMENT LAST SEASON OR THE 3 YEARS HES COACHED. Say we're shutting a team down. Then all of a sudden a team switches something up to beat us. We do nothing to switch anything up tonstopnthe change the offense made. Example that motherloving qb for Louisville, or every other team that switched to a read option last season.

The fact we never adjusted to read options and got beat on that play seemingly 95% of the time. THE ENTIRE SEASON. Was just a downright pathetic display of coaching. All these stoops apologists that didn't see problems with the way we never adjusted to read options, just shows me these people have never played a down of organized football in their damn lives. And have the tiniest of football IQ. Ive never seen such pathetic read option defense in my entire life. Yea as far as I can see stoops hasn't proven sh*t, yet many here would try and have you believe otherwise. This is the season. For stoops to prove himself. Point. Blank. Period. I have a glimmer of hope and that's as far as I'll take it based on what I've seen thus far.


Having played more than a few downs of football and having a little more than the tiniest foot ball iq the most obvious cause of UK's football woes have always been having players who can execute. We have some but not many.

To ignore that is kind of naive to the point of being ridiculous. To claim our roster is postseason loaded………well what can be said about that? Ignorance is the kindest word.

We've had some good and not so good coaches in the past and, with the exception of Curci who had good players, they've all ended about the same. So did Curci when recruiting went south.
 

BigBoyBlueMMA

Senior
Jul 14, 2013
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Contract says
 
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BigBlueTuckian

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Jan 9, 2016
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More context is needed to answer this question.

If Stoops goes 5-7 with 3 close losses he will not be fired.

If Stoops goes 3-9 or 4-8 with lots of blowouts and we do not look prepared or competitive, Mitch needs to have a serious talk with him about the future of the program.

If Stoops goes 3-9 or 4-8 because Barker and other players suffered season-ending injuries then he will not be fired.

Not a black and white call unfortunately.
 

Pike 96

All-Conference
Jun 7, 2010
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The simple answer from an administration point is no, he won't be fired. Too much money tied up in him at this point to not give him a 5 th year. Outside of something disastrous like a 3-8 finish or worst he'll be back next season.

Should he is another question. For me, it depends on how the team finishes. I think this team can go 5-7 and still be greatly improved. So many factors in play here from the schedule to a first full year starter at QB to another first year OC with a new system. If this team look competitive, plays out the year, and just due to some inconsistent QB play, which you better expect this year from Barker, and some holes on defense this team goes 4-8 or 5-7, then Stoops I think deserves a 5th year to see if they can put it all together.

Now, if this season resembles the circus I've seen the past two seasons, he deserves to go. If he can't mesh with another OC, if he looks like he should of taken a left at Albuquerque on the sidelines, if we're changing QB's in game 10, pack his bags. What you're risking if you let yourself get too far along with the wrong coach, recruiting suffers and the roster begins to roll thin. The talent is supposedly there so at least the product should start looking better at a certain point. That hasn't happened yet. That's why these questions on Stoops remain.

"Recruiting suffers" if you stay to long with the wrong coach??? You've got to be kidding, right?
We haven't gotten these type of talented recruits before Stoops since the 70's.

It's a joke to even discuss this...Yes, there was some pain last year with game management choices and their has been a painful learning curve for Stoops. But it's beyond ridiculous to question Stoops coaching ability and ability to develop talent.

He will learn from his mistakes like most everyone does. We play in the SEC and are just now getting a competitive roster. Patience
 

Anon1712931820

All-Conference
Apr 11, 2008
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Everyone keeps referring to the "second half collapses", but IMO much of that can be attributed to not having quality depth causing fatigue and injuries that you cannot win with during the back stretch. Add to the fact that the second half of our last two seasons have been filled with our tougher opponents and you get the results that happened. Last year Louisville was inexcusable, but other than that it is what it is. This year we should begin to see the results of Stoops having his system and players for the 4th year. He has built depth and hopefully it takes us bowling this year to catapult confidence for what should be a great year in 2017.
 
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TBCat

Heisman
Mar 30, 2007
14,317
10,331
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Bowls are so convuleted nowadays...yay
We won the pinstripe bowl or the H&R Block bowl....clap......clap
That actually counters your argument. The fact that there are so many worthless bowls is a real indictment of a coach that can't even get to a minor one after 4 years. I'd like to see a list of the programs that didn't get to at least one bowl game during that four year span. It'll be a very small list I assure you. And we would be the only SEC team on it since Vandy went during Stoops' first year.

As to the OPs question, I believe he will be fired if he doesn't make it to a bowl game. Quote to me his ridiculous buy out all you want but that's petty cash compared to the investment we've made into facilities. If you don't commit to winning games then we've just wasted every penny of that investment. The credibility of Stoops' tenure here will be over if he can't win at least 6. Keeping a damaged coach on just because of a buy out is stupid.
 
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Randy Bob

All-Conference
Jun 14, 2009
7,198
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If he does not get to a bowl or beat the ville which I don't thank he ever has, he should be fired, heck try someone else its possible there could be a coach out there that could win at Ky..
 

Kats23

All-American
Nov 21, 2007
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"Recruiting suffers" if you stay to long with the wrong coach??? You've got to be kidding, right?
We haven't gotten these type of talented recruits before Stoops since the 70's.

It's a joke to even discuss this...Yes, there was some pain last year with game management choices and their has been a painful learning curve for Stoops. But it's beyond ridiculous to question Stoops coaching ability and ability to develop talent.

He will learn from his mistakes like most everyone does. We play in the SEC and are just now getting a competitive roster. Patience


Yeah, recruiting suffers. These guys Stoops has been getting will stop showing up if the wins do not show up on the board. That's not an opinion. That's a fact. They show up to college for 2 reasons. To win and to get to the NFL. They aren't here for a haircut. It's fine to be a homer and it's fine if people want to give him more time but it's not ridiculous that going into your 4th year, your first time head coach is still making the same mistakes he made the first weekend at WKU in Nashville and people want to question if he's the right guy for the job or not.


Too many times the team look unprepared, and even quit in games. That's on the head coach. Just be thanking your lucky stars that UK made a miracle throw and catch against EKU last season.
 
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tntuk

Heisman
Jan 17, 2002
11,497
10,966
113
Thoughts?

Personally I doubt he would be fired but no bowl this season and he might lose the support of the fan base.
No. He is here next year as well. His contract says so.

Either way - we are going to a bowl game so this is moot.
 

Rockford

Heisman
Jun 28, 2001
22,029
45,727
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BigBlueTuckian said, "more context is needed"
I concur. I will post mine.
Started going to games as a Freshman at UK in 1975.
Since that time UK has had a .........
  • Overall record of 196-273 41%
  • 12 winning seasons out of last 41 (Brooks had 4 in a row, no one else more than 2)
  • 2 break even seasons (1993, 1999)
  • SEC record of 84-215 28%
  • 2 winning SEC seasons (1976 and 1977) none in the past 38 years. NONE!!!
  • 5 break even SEC seasons ( 1984, 93, 98, 99, 2006)
  • 7 seasons of zero SEC wins
  • 6 seasons of only 1 SEC win
Unlikely someone is going to turn that around in four seasons. Stoops has recruited better than anyone, with the exception of Curci, which put us on probation. Stoops deserves more time to get those recruits in place and learn to be an SEC head coach. We are not risking the Kingdom with a couple of extra years. Much more to gain than there is to lose. With these numbers of our past, there's very little to lose, IMHO.

This is my context.