Now what do you think?
The ironic Lunacy over in big blew land
- Thread starter KerryRhodes
- Start date
They're now a full blown dumpster fire once again...
I think the coaching staff makes some very questionable decisions, at very bad times.
Bill, are you still sticking with your quote, from this site on Oct. 7, 2015?
"I don't mean to imply UK has passed Louisville in past success. I'm speaking for the here and now, just as I posted on here in the summer. UK is trending up, and Louisville is trending down."
"I don't mean to imply UK has passed Louisville in past success. I'm speaking for the here and now, just as I posted on here in the summer. UK is trending up, and Louisville is trending down."
As long as Towles is the QB UK is going to stay at a max of 6 wins. I'm not ready to say they're trending down yet, I predicted 6 wins before the season and that's still possible, although unlikely.
There goes a Yahtzee!
Have you ever noticed still pictures of Towels looking at the ball when he releases a pass? Really a freaky thing that a grade school coach might have noticed earlier. Looking good!
Hard to be a successful cross-eyed QB. Hopefully woofer Barker is taking notes.
Here's part of the rub.
All those recruiting classes produce some star power, but sometimes there's some "bad" that comes with it. For example, Dorian Baker is a talent but with that comes ego. He pretty much quits on a large # of plays. He drops passes which, happens. But he doesn't block, he just doesn't go all out every play. To sum it up, he thinks he's better than he actually is and he has a sense of entitlement. It's pretty obvious he doesn't want Towles to be their QB, he wants the QB to be Barker, his buddy. He sold Towles out a few times tonight, running lazy routes, not selling out to make catches in traffic. Yet, he plays the majority of the snaps. Embarrassing.
The inmates kind of run the asylum. Could you imagine what Petrino would do to Boom Williams if he ran that horsecrap negative 10 yard sweep on 1st D like he did tonight in the 2nd half vs Vandy? Dude just kept looking to reverse the field. He does it every game. He just bounces everything out it is hilarious. He'll hit a few HRs no doubt but he won't settle for the single. Oh, and he also pouted during a game when his replacement Kemp went off - their biggest W of the year vs Missouri. It's just not a team game for some of their guys.
OTOH you look at our team. We see changing parts. It is just obvious BP is rewarding kids based on work ethic. And he's not giving "passes" on monumental mistakes either. It's why you see so many different guys catching passes, and/or running the ball - and it's why we've seen 3 different QBs this year. You see guys supporting each other.
We got a coach, they got a puppet. He's over his head, and has no idea how to handle egos.
All those recruiting classes produce some star power, but sometimes there's some "bad" that comes with it. For example, Dorian Baker is a talent but with that comes ego. He pretty much quits on a large # of plays. He drops passes which, happens. But he doesn't block, he just doesn't go all out every play. To sum it up, he thinks he's better than he actually is and he has a sense of entitlement. It's pretty obvious he doesn't want Towles to be their QB, he wants the QB to be Barker, his buddy. He sold Towles out a few times tonight, running lazy routes, not selling out to make catches in traffic. Yet, he plays the majority of the snaps. Embarrassing.
The inmates kind of run the asylum. Could you imagine what Petrino would do to Boom Williams if he ran that horsecrap negative 10 yard sweep on 1st D like he did tonight in the 2nd half vs Vandy? Dude just kept looking to reverse the field. He does it every game. He just bounces everything out it is hilarious. He'll hit a few HRs no doubt but he won't settle for the single. Oh, and he also pouted during a game when his replacement Kemp went off - their biggest W of the year vs Missouri. It's just not a team game for some of their guys.
OTOH you look at our team. We see changing parts. It is just obvious BP is rewarding kids based on work ethic. And he's not giving "passes" on monumental mistakes either. It's why you see so many different guys catching passes, and/or running the ball - and it's why we've seen 3 different QBs this year. You see guys supporting each other.
We got a coach, they got a puppet. He's over his head, and has no idea how to handle egos.
Stoops is simply not a good coach. End of story. He's disorganized, irrationally stubborn, emotional and in over his head. I've been saying since day 1 that UK fans need to pump the brakes on the Stoops love and I'm finally being proven right. His organizational strategy, play calling and player development have been atrocious. I don't think a single player on that team is better now than they were when they came.
Go back and look at those highly ranked classes from 2013-2014. The best ranked players have either been under utilized, transferred, been in trouble with Stoops or done nothing. Boom Williams has been good and Dorian Baker is good the 2 or 3 times he actually catches the ball per game but other than that they've done nothing and it should make you truly appreciate a coach like Bobby Petrino when you look at what the Freshman (most of which weren't ranked near as high as a lot of the UK kids) and see what they are doing at Louisville compared to what the young kids are doing at UK. Look at guys like Lamar Jackson as a true Freshman compared to a hyped Drew Barker in his 2nd full year with the team.
Drew Barker looked so dejected and defeated on the sidelines tonight when they put Towles back in the game but I have no sympathy for kids like him or kids like Kash Daniel, Drake Jackson and Tate Leavitt who knowingly commit to UK after seeing what that program is year in and year out. You signed up for 5-7 seasons, embarrassing blowout losses and being the joke of the SEC. You knew what UKs program was and you still went there, so deal with it. You had options and you simply chose wrong because you're an in-state kid and you got sold the load of bull that Vince Marrow sold you on even though every piece of data and history told you the opposite.
Go back and look at those highly ranked classes from 2013-2014. The best ranked players have either been under utilized, transferred, been in trouble with Stoops or done nothing. Boom Williams has been good and Dorian Baker is good the 2 or 3 times he actually catches the ball per game but other than that they've done nothing and it should make you truly appreciate a coach like Bobby Petrino when you look at what the Freshman (most of which weren't ranked near as high as a lot of the UK kids) and see what they are doing at Louisville compared to what the young kids are doing at UK. Look at guys like Lamar Jackson as a true Freshman compared to a hyped Drew Barker in his 2nd full year with the team.
Drew Barker looked so dejected and defeated on the sidelines tonight when they put Towles back in the game but I have no sympathy for kids like him or kids like Kash Daniel, Drake Jackson and Tate Leavitt who knowingly commit to UK after seeing what that program is year in and year out. You signed up for 5-7 seasons, embarrassing blowout losses and being the joke of the SEC. You knew what UKs program was and you still went there, so deal with it. You had options and you simply chose wrong because you're an in-state kid and you got sold the load of bull that Vince Marrow sold you on even though every piece of data and history told you the opposite.
OK, gotta come to Stoops' defense (as poor as that defense is...)
Like most of his predecessors, he was dealt a bad hand, and it's simply taking time to right the ship. Speaking of defense, it played reasonably well against Vandy which admittedly doesn't have a great offense. But defense didn't lose that game. Seven of Vandy's 21 points were gift-wrapped by the LPT offense. Holding any SEC offense to 14 points should be good enough.
A big part of that bad hand has been the offensive woes thrust upon Stoops. The vestige of which is the ridiculous air raid siren that almost never sounds. Clearly, Stoops was not an air raid disciple. But remembrances of Hal Mumme's dink and dunk offense and golden boy Couch , and a coach with no HC experience who had to pretty much accept whatever terms Brainfart dictated, all of that was saddled on Stoops. Now, he's got an OC more to his liking. And this guy hasn't even been given a year to make good things happen. BTW this OC, like Stoops, was new in the position of OC. Why?... Because what other OC in his right mind would come to work at LPT?
Now, many typical LPT fans wanna fire the head guy after three years. Forget about the fact that he's simply failed where everyone else has failed playing a comparable schedule. And of course there's not a better coach waiting in the wings. Firing Stoops would be insanity, which is why I expect them to do it.
LPT Football: If it doesn't make sense...
Like most of his predecessors, he was dealt a bad hand, and it's simply taking time to right the ship. Speaking of defense, it played reasonably well against Vandy which admittedly doesn't have a great offense. But defense didn't lose that game. Seven of Vandy's 21 points were gift-wrapped by the LPT offense. Holding any SEC offense to 14 points should be good enough.
A big part of that bad hand has been the offensive woes thrust upon Stoops. The vestige of which is the ridiculous air raid siren that almost never sounds. Clearly, Stoops was not an air raid disciple. But remembrances of Hal Mumme's dink and dunk offense and golden boy Couch , and a coach with no HC experience who had to pretty much accept whatever terms Brainfart dictated, all of that was saddled on Stoops. Now, he's got an OC more to his liking. And this guy hasn't even been given a year to make good things happen. BTW this OC, like Stoops, was new in the position of OC. Why?... Because what other OC in his right mind would come to work at LPT?
Now, many typical LPT fans wanna fire the head guy after three years. Forget about the fact that he's simply failed where everyone else has failed playing a comparable schedule. And of course there's not a better coach waiting in the wings. Firing Stoops would be insanity, which is why I expect them to do it.
LPT Football: If it doesn't make sense...
I agree that Stoops wasn't given a great hand. I mean he's the HC at UK...thats not an ideal situation. But...his teams nearly ALWAYS look disorganized. If not in all 3 facets (offense, defense, special teams) at least one unit will look disorganized nearly every game....and his play calling is typically horrendous.
Also, while he wasn't dealt a great hand he has brought in a ton of talent. On paper and per rankings this is in all likelihood the most "talented" roster in UKs history and they've looked horrible in 7.5 of the 10 games they've played. They looked good against Missouri and Auburn and the 1st half of the South Carolina game. They nearly lost to ULL to open the season and should have lose to EKU to go along with losing to Miss St, UT and UGA by a combined score of 121-40.
There is absolutely no reason that in his 3rd full year this team should be as bad as they are regardless of the hand he was dealt. They've looked bad all year and this was supposed to be the year they took a slight step forward and then took their big leap forward next year but with the roster and the Seniors they are losing for next year to me it seems like Stoops is now nothing more than a lame duck coach.
UK's schedule will be harder (keep in mind they were gift wrapped 8 home games this year and the SEC East is terrible) and the UL game will be in UL and Stoops will probably be walking into a very good UL team and get nailed with his 4th consecutive loss to their chief rival. So barring some insane turnaround next year Stoops is nearly assured be fired....Now, it doesn't make sense to fire him this year only because there are a ton of openings better than UK and they would be near the bottom of the pecking order but in reality UK should go ahead and fire Stoops and not delay the inevitable.
Also, while he wasn't dealt a great hand he has brought in a ton of talent. On paper and per rankings this is in all likelihood the most "talented" roster in UKs history and they've looked horrible in 7.5 of the 10 games they've played. They looked good against Missouri and Auburn and the 1st half of the South Carolina game. They nearly lost to ULL to open the season and should have lose to EKU to go along with losing to Miss St, UT and UGA by a combined score of 121-40.
There is absolutely no reason that in his 3rd full year this team should be as bad as they are regardless of the hand he was dealt. They've looked bad all year and this was supposed to be the year they took a slight step forward and then took their big leap forward next year but with the roster and the Seniors they are losing for next year to me it seems like Stoops is now nothing more than a lame duck coach.
UK's schedule will be harder (keep in mind they were gift wrapped 8 home games this year and the SEC East is terrible) and the UL game will be in UL and Stoops will probably be walking into a very good UL team and get nailed with his 4th consecutive loss to their chief rival. So barring some insane turnaround next year Stoops is nearly assured be fired....Now, it doesn't make sense to fire him this year only because there are a ton of openings better than UK and they would be near the bottom of the pecking order but in reality UK should go ahead and fire Stoops and not delay the inevitable.
Barker looked dejected because he played better than Towles in the first half yet still was yanked.
Right, but stupid coaching decisions and losing to teams like Vandy are all part of the UK experience that he signed up for so I have no sympathy for him. Did he think things would all the sudden be different?
Last edited:
I'm not going to excuse the coaching mistakes, they were bad. I think a lot of what you wrote about Stoops is correct.
I imagine he did and does think things will be different. You seem to think no matter what UK does things can never change, I disagree.
UK will finish 5-7 this season, last time I checked it takes at least 6 wins to go to a Bowl game and 5 doesn't equal 6.
UK fans doesn't want to admit it but they're declining fast. They was 4-1 that was a long time ago it seems to them.
UK fans doesn't want to admit it but they're declining fast. They was 4-1 that was a long time ago it seems to them.
In reality neither Towles or Barker would start for UofL. Just think I got banned on the "Liar" for making that statement back in July. Towles just isn't very good and Barker makes horrible decisions. Bonnafon would eat their lunch as a qb and . . . uh, there's a kid by the name of Bolen that is from Lexington that would kick ass at uakay but he wasn't good enough for the cayuts. And I didn't even mention Lamar Jackson. Jeeze it must just suck to be a uakay fan . . . oh, wait . . . IT DOES. 
GO CARDS - BEAT EVERYBODY!!! God Bless America!!!
GO CARDS - BEAT EVERYBODY!!! God Bless America!!!
Obviously any program can change under perfect circumstances for a short time (see Vanderbilt)...and weirdly, the past 2-3 years have been the perfect scenario for UK to rise up the ranks in the SEC and they've squandered them. But I honestly don't think teams like UK and Vanderbilt can rise to the top of the SEC and stay there. My only point was that Barker knew that he was coming to play for a coach with no reputation or resume of doing anything and coming to a program with a long history of being terrible. He had offers to legit football programs and chose to go to UK...deal with the consequences.
In reality neither Towles or Barker would start for UofL. Just think I got banned on the "Liar" for making that statement back in July. Towles just isn't very good and Barker makes horrible decisions. Bonnafon would eat their lunch as a qb and . . . uh, there's a kid by the name of Bolen that is from Lexington that would kick ass at uakay but he wasn't good enough for the cayuts. And I didn't even mention Lamar Jackson. Jeeze it must just suck to be a uakay fan . . . oh, wait . . . IT DOES.
GO CARDS - BEAT EVERYBODY!!! God Bless America!!!
Barker might start for UL. I say that because he would have been under a better coaching staff and under the watchful eyes of Bobby Petrino for the last 1.5 years. We've seen what he's done with the Freshman and Sophomores on ULs roster so I have absolutely no doubt that Barker would be a much better QB right now if he were at UL.
All Barker needs is some playing time. Which is why I'm frustrated with Stoops. Towles is what he is, he's had time to mature and grow, yet he's the same QB he was last year.
Barker made some mistakes yesterday, but he also made some plays, and led the team to a TD, which means he now has exactly half the number of pass TD's as Towles does in SEC play.
I think you hit the nail on the head when you said Stoops is stubborn. There's some clubhouse issues with this team, and Stoops is trying to show that he's in charge. By yanking Barker yesterday all he did was damage his confidence in afraid.
Watching Stoops coached teams reminds me so much of Kragthorpe that I almost feel sorry for UK fans.
The fact that Stoops hasn't given Barker more playing time this year is insane and a key indicator that shows his ability. I stated before the season that UK would go as far as Towles would allow them to go, meaning that Towles wouldn't win UK any games and if he simply wasn't terrible then UK would be a decent team this year. He's been terrible in 7.5 games this year and Barker has thrown 19 passes this season.
I think Barker is a long way away from being a decent D1 QB..he can't read defenses and he doesn't understand what the defenses are doing (illustrated by his 2 picks in only 19 attempts) but he's the best hope UK has at not being terrible so if you're a smart coach (like Strong did with Teddy his Freshman year) you roll with the young kid and take your lumps. My only concern w/Barker if I'm a UK fan is that I've seen nothing from this staff that makes me remotely confident that Stoops and this staff can make Barker better and help him realize his potential...its why I think had he came to UL he might be starting already for us.
I think UK has bigger internal issues that they better figure out or they will start seeing more players leave. You can promise playing time for the early classes after that you better build depth with recruiting. Their promises are creating problems internally. I equate what they have done on the recruiting trail to recruiting too many JUCO's.
Recruiting is the best way to build a program. The problem is when you recruit higher level players and promise playing time even though they aren't ready or don't produce that is a recipe for disaster. The other factor is there are players highly ranked that are misevaluted. Elam is a good example he had no business playing as a freshman. He really has no business playing today. He hasn't bought into their weight or performance program yet he plays. Baker and Bone don't produce yet they both play significant minutes. Johnson is their best receiver.
That only creates a divide in the locker room. You can see it how they play. That is a very short sighted approach to building a program.
The biggest difference between Louisville and UK if you perform in practice you play if not you sit. That is why players develop at Louisville. On offense and to a lesser extent defense the depth chart is constantly changing. It doesn't matter if you are a freshman or senior you perform at practice you play. Louisville isn't very good and it wouldn't surprise me if they went 2-0 or 0-2 but I know the program is in good hands with this staff because everyone is accountable.
Recruiting is the best way to build a program. The problem is when you recruit higher level players and promise playing time even though they aren't ready or don't produce that is a recipe for disaster. The other factor is there are players highly ranked that are misevaluted. Elam is a good example he had no business playing as a freshman. He really has no business playing today. He hasn't bought into their weight or performance program yet he plays. Baker and Bone don't produce yet they both play significant minutes. Johnson is their best receiver.
That only creates a divide in the locker room. You can see it how they play. That is a very short sighted approach to building a program.
The biggest difference between Louisville and UK if you perform in practice you play if not you sit. That is why players develop at Louisville. On offense and to a lesser extent defense the depth chart is constantly changing. It doesn't matter if you are a freshman or senior you perform at practice you play. Louisville isn't very good and it wouldn't surprise me if they went 2-0 or 0-2 but I know the program is in good hands with this staff because everyone is accountable.
Bill would you bench Timmons for dropping the perfectly thrown pass by Towles on the opening drive that was an easy TD? Somebody else dropped one inside the 10 early in the game too.
I think UK fans find it easy to put blame one place, the reality is the entire team has struggled mightily.
Timmons needs to make that play. Towles day and the entire team's day goes differently if he secures the easy TD.
I don't know how you can say that when it's obviously not true regarding your own QB issues. Petrino plays who he thinks gives him the best chance to win.
Did Bolin all of a sudden start performing better in practice midway through the game last week?
Timmons does need to make that play. And Timmons is no longer returning punts because of boneheaded plays.
I'm not saying it's all on Towles, but a large part of it is. He also under threw the Int in the endzone. He doesn't have confidence and the team doesn't have confidence in him.
Barker in his first significant time, on the road played better than Towles. He made a mistake on the Int, which is part of getting used to the speed of live action.
My reference was more guided to the RB shuffle, the WR shuffle, and the Oline shuffle.
Mainly, I was referencing the turd Dorian Baker, and lack of effort he shows on game day. Since he doesn't try every play during actual games, I'm assuming he's not your strongest practice guy. It's a fair assumption to make.
Stoops tolerates lack of effort and Petrino doesn't.
