Gavin Wimsatt had trouble generating offense against Auburn. (Vicky Graff Photo)
Kentucky football fans were not happy with the team’s overall play in Saturday’s 24-10 home loss to Auburn, especially after the disappointing effort a week earlier in a loss at Florida.
However, media members were just as perplexed/frustrated by what coach Mark Stoops’ team did — or didn’t do — based on social media posts.
“Awful isn’t strong enough. How is this any better than the end of Joker (Phillips’ coaching tenure)?? And if you think it is? Ok 2-11 last 13 home SEC home games,” Alan Cutler, ESPN Radio Lexington.
“Fans once again did their part. Football program once again did not,” Kentucky Sports Radio’s Jack Pilgrim.
“I’ll be honest. There probably should be a limit on how long a D-1 college coach can head a program. I’d say 10 years. Fans have been awesome in filling up seats at UK, but I’m sensing a strong disconnect the past 3+ seasons,” former Cats’ Pause publisher/owner Oscar Combs.
“If it’s this bad and we’re not even into November and Kentucky can’t fire Mark Stoops, this is going to get ugly in a hurry. This feels like a breaking point,” Chris Fisher of 247Sports.
“Stoops deserves to have something big named after him at UK but the decision to roll with (Gavin) Wimsatt — the least accurate passer in Division I football in consecutive years — over the former 5-star you planned your season around (and wasn’t the problem even if not the singular answer) at that point in the game is tough to fathom. Why would BVG (Brock Vandagriff) want to be at Kentucky next year if he’s running to the sideline after positive plays instead of building momentum and learning to manage play to play ebbs and flows? The decision lacked an element of common sense and that is alarming,” CatsIllustrated publisher Justin Rowland of Rivals.com.
“I remember watching Kentucky lose to Oakland in last year’s NCAA Tournament and said to myself, ‘This can’t go on like this.’ It, obviously, didn’t. As an outside observer, tonight is the night where it feels like we’ve officially hit the same point with the UK football program,” national FoxSportsRadio host Aaron Torres.
“This is the most damning stat of the night and a possible sign of the culture change at UK … Cats got up 10 (points) tonight and just abandoned trying to run with the running backs. They averaged almost 5 ypc (yards per carry). Had 13 attempts,” Rivals.com’s Jeff Drummond.
Some of the most insightful media comments came from Lexington WVLK radio host Larry Glover of Larry Glover Live.
“It is astounding how many offensive coordinators have come here with the reputations of being smart only to produce average at best offenses or worse with allegedly high-level producers. Surely the head coach recognizes this and is curious as to why that’s the case, right?” Glover posted.
“It feels like this football program is coming full circle under Stoops. He inherited a bad program, built it up into something that the fans can be proud of … And now the program is very close to slipping back right where it was when he got here,” Glover added.
Pay close attention to this statement from Glover, who is not one prone to make inflammatory posts but who also does not mind being honest.
“In many ways, this is the most disappointing of disappointing performances this year. You’re getting your butt kicked by a 2-5 team. Fans aren’t mad, they’re discouraged because nothing will change. We’ll see the same or worse product next week (against Tennessee) and then the week after that,” Glover posted.
14 Responses
The ultimate proof there is total disconnect between coaches & players was the 10-0 lead and suddenly UK QUIT while Auburn ran off 31 unanswered points! I’m giving them the last TD they did not take but instead too a knee 3 times.
It’s too bad so many knowledgeable FB fans keep calling for the pseudo-QB to replace Brock. That pseudo-QB had the worst pass completion record for 3 years. Why is he even here at UK? He is the typical Stoops choice – a non-passer has been his preference for over a decade & he could not keep Coen as OC even with Levis returning for a year because he runs off every good OC. Of course he hires useless OC’s too, as in 2024 !!!
Brock would have a book full of impressive stats if he had even a half-decent OL and receivers who could think, focus and perform.
My bad as well. I was one that was pushing for Gavin to get more PT not being aware that he had worst record for last 2 yrs. His 4* rating coming into college was obviously missing the mark as much as Brock’s 5*. The line has been disgusting, but neither one of these dudes would still be performing up to the hype. The feeling seems to be good chance that Brock will be leaving after season as he does not showcase starting capability. Even on the plays where he does have decent protect he still misfires badly with not being able to process quickly and continues to throw into double coverage and high risk sideline passes. However, he does not get any help with receiver separation, and it makes no sense to keep relying on Key when the defenses know that as well. I do not understand why we totally abandon the short passes over the middle and actually exclude TE’s from game planning after hearing the last couple of years how talented these guys were and how the locker room was very secure.
Solid valid points.
It’s disgusting that TEs have not been utilized as receivers. Their consistency has been much better (but not enough chances) than the WRs.
With our OL in such disarray I’m not sure either qb they are considering is capable of making a difference. Wimsatt can run but can’t complete passes, Vadagriff is a decent runner but very slow on decision making. I have seen many times this season where Vadagriff had a receiver completely open 8-10 yards downfield but he was so locked in on someone further down the field he either doesn’t see the open receiver or is just trying to go for the big play that seldom happens.
Jayden Daniels and Cam Newton would have a hard time being successful behind this OL and neither of them have eligibility.
I think Stoops has backed himself into a corner with the hiring of Wolford. He was the start of the downfall of the Big Blue Wall and was not very successful at Alabama with the best OL money could buy. Hamdan on the other hand, coached Boise State to their worst finish since 1998 and the new OC has guided Boise to 1 loss this year.
The combination of Wolford and Hamdan just seems to be a dumpster fire.
Exactly.
The OC revolving door has probably kept some OC’s from ever considering UK.
The OC hires & OL hires have led to a total collapse on offense.
Keeping the Secondary coach has broken down the entire defense which would otherwise be quite good.
UK seems to be graveyard for OC’s and TE’s. Little surprised that Marrow apparently doesn’t have as much input as he deserves which is just another consistent example of Stoop’s incompetence with the offense.
I agree 100% Hamden was a terrible hire. He couldn’t do anything with the best Roster in the conference at Boise. The worst year in 26 years and we hire him. Stoops is a bone head. The bad thing is we change our whole playbook every year. Other teams have continuity. We dont. We also have a new dud for a quarterback every year except Levis.
I just read Hamden’s remarks regarding the QB situation. This guy has no clue. Replacing a developing QB with a three year QB that has demonstrated that he cannot throw the ball accurately. That is not going to fix the problem. It’s the O Line stupid. Fix that.
Exactly right!
Every SEC team has great athletes on the outside – we’ve lost the middle.
I really believe it’s a simple as that.
All American center, safety and a couple killer guards + someone who can throw with accuracy and the game would change. However everyone is looking for that combo. Get em’, your in business, without em’ you’re toast.
Even with stars, a qualified HC (not DC as a pretend HC) & staff who can develop, motivate, instill focus & be ready for INSTANT changes in game planning.
I would start Cutter and let him play the whole game against Murray State. Gavin and Brock are below average quarterbacks. That with a terrible line and terrible receivers outside of Key and that’s why we haven’t scored any points. When Gavin come in for Brock everyone knows hes going to run the ball. Its the most stupid play calling I’ve seen to go along with all the problems mentioned above. I would start all the backups on the offensive line too. This season is done. Prepare now for next season. We will beat Murray and Louisville is a 50/50 game. If our defense plays bad the rest of the year like they have the last 3 games Louisville will beat us. So 4-8 is the likely scenario. Why not play the guys who will be back next year and tell the seniors good riddance. We havent been good since Eli Cox and company have manned the line the last 3 years. A 6th year senior. M. Cox a 7th year senior. Mincey a 5th year senior and they are terrible. Burton has started this is his third year. They all suck. I would also start Gilmore over Brown as crazy as that sounds. Brown can’t run routes and struggles to catch the football. I’ve never seen a offense this bad. Key is the only player who is decent. Kattus and Single were supposed to be strong points they never even run routes. They block 95% of the time. Usually a tight end is quarterbacks best friend especially when the receivers suck. We went away from what was working in the first quarter. We were blitzing on defense and running the ball on offense. Then we started passing every play and playing that stupid prevent defense only being up by 10 in the first quarter it looked like we’re playing to lose. The defense is wore out because every time there supposed to come off the field the offense gets a first down on third and long. Then they stop them again 2 more times then a chunk play. The offense doesn’t help either its usually a 3 and out or a 6 and out. The defense is beat up. We are missing our only good corner. Its just a bad situation all around. Maclin is terrible I would start Brown Stephens over Maclin. Or Gilmore or Farrier. Anybody but Maclin. He looks terrified out there.
These are the reasons that USA TODAY Sports analyst Dan Wolken has Kentucky football atop the misery index rankings this week.
Related: Who is at fault for Kentucky’s offensive failings
Wolken correctly points out that Stoops is one of the ten highest paid coaches in college football, and fans expect more after all this time. Wolken says:
He makes $9 million a year and is among the 10 highest-paid coaches in the country, largely because he’s turned down multiple opportunities to leave. You’d probably stay too for that kind of contract, the theory being that life will be good if you win seven or eight games. Unlike most fan bases in the SEC, Kentucky fans are never going to expect a national championship in football.
It’s an interesting situation with Kentucky football. Few people believe a national championship is on the horizon, but sometimes a staleness sets in, especially when the standards set aren’t being met.
Wolken add:
Stoops can be forgiven for a bad season, which this clearly has become. But after a dozen years, it’s easy to lose a fan base’s enthusiasm for struggling to make minor bowl games and losses to South Carolina, Vanderbilt and a bad Auburn team.