Mark Stoops with Mitch Barnhart after a UK win. (Vicky Graff Photo)
The two biggest topics for University of Kentucky fans today clearly are will Mark Pope’s team be able to win a national championship and when will Mark Stoops be relieved of his football coaching duties.
Everyone has opinions and that’s the way it should be even though I think the majority of fans believe UK basketball could win a national title and that Stoops should be fired after going 6-13 during the last two seasons.
However, not everyone blames Stoops for everything wrong with the UK football program. Long-time UK fan Jason Boyle of Lincoln County has a bit of a different feeling about the football program that I wanted to share.
Here is what Boyle believes:
“I know that everyone in Kentucky that loves sports seems to have an opinion about our football coach, so here’s mine and I’m sure on most points you’ll agree. Mark Stoops hasn’t forgotten how to coach and in my opinion he’s a very good one but here in lies the problem. When coach Stoops was hired he instilled early on hard work and development of his players. By this I mean he recruited solid guys with potential to develop to go along with a few blue chip recruits mixed in. That formula worked and UK saw heights that it had never before seen.
“To go along with the recruit and develop strategy, coach Stoops had a very stable staff with limited turnover. Then something changed and the last couple seasons the results on the field haven’t worked out. What changed? NIL, and it’s killed UK. If you remember early on, while other SEC were rolling the dice on NIL and collectives, (UK athletics director Mitch) Barnhart had UK in the wait and see approach. Stoops was visibly frustrated but would never throw Mitch under the bus but made mention of ‘resources’ multiple times.
“While other schools were loading up on talent, UK simply watched because Stoops had his hands tied and I think then he knew this wasn’t gonna end well and by the time Mitch turned the powers that be loose we had already lost the bigger part of two classes and multiple players. It’s my opinion you can’t do that and win and couple that with back to back years of top 10 hardest schedules and it’s a snowball effect.
“Do I think there’s a change coming, probably so, but I also think that 85 percent of these games in the last couple years can be laid at the feet of the administration and not the coach. Barnhart has been great for UK overall but I think he’s thrown coach Stoops to the wolves with lack of an NIL plan those first couple years and the results are showing. Simply put, Stoops is a great coach, but I think he’s been thrown to the wolves and was put in a situation out of his control then asked to be a miracle worker.
“It’s not that easy, especially when asked to compete against teams in the SEC who literally double and triple our NIL budget. We have gotten several good young players in this last class that are gonna be difference makers. If Stoops is fired, I look for those young men to play a big role in UKs success in the years to come.”
Agree? Disagree?
14 Responses
You're probably 90% right but the result will be the same. Here's the deal. If coach Stoops new knew what was going to happen he would have preserved his future by leaving KY for another school that didn't have an idiot and a coward for an AD. Instead he has sullied his coaching rep so badly that I doubt any school would have him for a head coach and he knows it. That' why he is hanging on for the money.
If Stoops had left, it would have exposed Barney and we would likely have another AD now. Instead Stoops took the money so Barny could ride it out to retirement and they both win. That's what make this mess so difficult to stomach. So what we are left with is that either Stoops is an incompetent coach or he sold his soul and has no self respect. As for Barny, well he is doing what he planned to do. Barny is riding this disaster out to retirement and compensating his buddy nicely for taking the heat.
Am I the only one who finds it odd that the big contract extension came at the end of the last good season we had at the beginning of NIL?
He tried to go to Texas A&M. Remember?
That is a good value point what Jason mention about Barnhart didn't jump ship on
NIL while others were taken advantage of it. That put our football program set back to a extent not all is to put the blame on Stoops.
you got that right Cats79
Finally a man with a brain. Thank you Mr. Boyle.
Jason Boyle loves his Cats, too
Everything you have said is true. And, Yes, Barnhart is probably more to blame for the lack of quality players than Stoops is, but that has nothing to do with the incompetence on the field. Clock management has been a Stoops downfall since year one. The turnover a WR coach, OC, OL coach, etc. all fall at Stoops feet. The lack of game planning, preparation, sensible play calling, etc. also fall at Stoops feet.
They are both to blame but it could be possible that Stoops kind of gave up because he wasn't being given the tools to succeed, which is a very reasonable possibility.
We haven't been the same since Eddie Gran was relieved of OC duties..one year with Wandale and Will Levi's. Gran planned for the players he had.
Gran was very underrated Greg
Thank you Greg. That's exactly right. When you're rushing for 350 yards a game and winning, why change? I say there was pressure to do so.
Louisiana’s Governor called it exactly right when he was very critical of the LSU AD for his reckless one-way contract which cost LSU $50 Million. The UK administration (everyone in the chain of command above the UK AD and everyone with a voice in authorizing the AD to throw away money without any accountability should ALL be brought before an independent counsel of lawyers & accountants to explain their failure to keep the AD in check.
The woke wave days are nearly flushed out of the USA and common sense is being introduced to millions who are at a loss for how to be real and practical. So, now is that time to shake up the UK administration from the coaching staff to the Board of Trustees and determine who is qualified and who needs to depart so UK can begin o recover fr far too many years of zero accountability!
Some of those who are responsible for letting the AD issue contracts without any approvals need to help pay to buyout the AD, HC & OC. Top rate lawyers could get results to reduce payouts AND to charge some fines on those who failed.
Funny thing, two miracles are unfolding at IU and Vandy. They are rolling out big 💰💰 to keep their new wizards on campus. Sort of Barny’s position a few years ago – WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A 30 DAY PAYOUT TO LEAVE ! Our position is akin to needing to purchase a new house and car but having only 30 days to pay for both. Thanks Barn, as Andy would say.
This is a great perspective I had not even considered.
I suspect Mark and Mitch will both be gone at the end of this season and a new AD will find a football coach. I just hope all our young guys, and Cutter especially, stick around.
Thanks Larry.