A touchdown catch by Tayvion Robinson was one of the few highlights for Kentucky against Alabama. (Vicky Graff Photo)
Did you really think Kentucky was going to beat Alabama or did you talk yourself into it as the day approached? Were you one of the fans that sold your seats (at profit) to Alabama fans? Were you one of the fans that made it to the exits in the third quarter?
For many years I have said, “It is best to not have expectations for Kentucky football because that way you won’t be disappointed.”
This rings true this year. Fans were hyped for the season to start. Some predicted 11-1 with the only loss coming to Georgia. Alabama was down this year and the goalposts were going to be there for the taking. Here we are 6-4 with two games remaining — both of which could be losses or perhaps wins.
Will fans be satisfied with a 8-4 record? Many will determine that is a good record for the SEC. We are not in the top tier of SEC teams. However we are not at the bottom. Coach Mark Stoops has moved the program up to the middle tier and seemed to be going upward but other teams (Missouri) have continued to climb while Kentucky has perhaps regressed.
Will fans be satisfied with a 6-6 record? In my opinion if this happens fans should just turn off the radio, television and social media because it won’t be pretty. This would mean a loss to Louisville, a team playing with Scott Satterfield’s leftovers.
Is the problem defense? The defense has been the backbone of this team on its climb upward. Defensive coordinator Brad White has been deemed a genius by many. How quick the mighty fall. A coach can only make a game plan and it is up to the players to execute. He cannot go on the field and place them in the correct positions as was done in little league.
The offensive line is a mess. Again you can lead a horse to water but can’t make it drink. Fundamentals can be taught, playing with your heart cannot. What did John Schlarman do? Someone needs to figure it out. I haven’t heard our O-line called the Big Blue Wall all season.
Once again Kentucky will have to head to the transfer portal for a quarterback. The coaches will evaluate the talent available and make a decision as to which quarterback is the best fit. It is a gamble, like rolling the dice in craps. Their choice will be made and NIL money will be “ponied up” to make sure Kentucky is his school of choice. It is hard to get lightning to strike twice in one place and that first lightning was Will Levis.
It is time for Kentucky to “shake it off” and win the next two games and give the fan base something to get excited about.
9 Responses
Several things in my opinion, first of all Leary wasn’t as good as advertised and this team didn’t have the discipline to be a good team they talked instead of showing on the field. We will never challenge the top tiers teams regardless they were 5- 10 years ahead of us long before the NIL came around. SEC only get tougher will 2 teams coming next year. But I will give Stoops credit what he has done to the program it’s helluva lot better than what we were as custom years ago.
Whats gone wrong for Kentucky football this season? Not near enough talent, 5 star talent, and coaching that can’t seem to get it done now with the talent they do have. These coaches have to be held accountable for the salaries they receive. I will say one thing for Coach, he tells it like it is. I can take football losses, you get used to that with Kentucky over time. But losses like we saw against Georgia, Alabama, and especially Missouri and Tennessee after a pre season of hype are coach killers. I am not convinced, anymore, that Coach Stoops is the right man to lead this program, maybe he is. I know I am in the minority…..at least for now. Ten years is long enough IMO, and more time than most other schools give their head football coaches for poor performances like we saw in Athens, and in Lexington yesterday, and against UT for as long as I can remember. These last two games will tell the tale for him I do believe. Kentucky can salvage their season, but they have it to do now, and it will be quite a feat to win these last two.
Right now, Kentucky is in way over their heads in playing football in the SEC unless they can begin to buy top players like the elite football teams in this league are doing now, and then coach them up. Coaching them up seems to be a problem about now at Kentucky from my viewpoint. I did not think UK would beat Alabama yesterday, but I also did not think Kentucky would lose by 4 touchdowns either. Go Cats!!!!
What I can’t believe is that the people in the collective will pony up NIL money for performance like we have gotten thus far. These kids what to be treated like Pro’s, well, there is a performance clause in all professional compensation agreements.
Players aren’t good enough. And they’ve shot themselves in the foot / feet with really dumb penalties against teams you cannot do that against.. Which is almost everyone in the sec.
I see a few of our good players leaving, and I don’t blame them. Go to a winner.
Win the next two and construction of the Stoops statue will start up again.
One last time – I said 7 W’s and a bowl win would be great – hope my much criticized prediction comes to fruition !
Receivers dropped passes. Receivers ran wrong routes. QB missed a few. Untimely penalties. Defense took a step back. Get rid of Stoops, ($4 million) hire back Joker for $1 million, get a couple coordinators for half million a piece, and go back to winning 1 or 2 games a year. Then Barnhart could tell "the fans" he gave them what they wanted.
If and when the UK brass decide to part ways with Mark Stoops, they should consider Jon Sumrall at Troy. He has Troy playing well now in his second year as their head football coach. He has strong UK ties, I saw where he makes under a million a year now. He is a up and coming young coach who I believe is a good one. He is a very focused young coach, a players coach, very emotional, "fire in the belly" type who gets his players ready to play the game he loves. He has Troy at 8-2, and in first place in the Sun Belt West. Put the money UK could save in current coaching salaries to good use elsewhere. Just a thought.
Sumrall will continue to be a great coach wherever he is working