UK Recruiting Makes Me Laugh

[BAQ]

For several reasons, but mainly because of this either/or reality:

EITHER the recruits are overrated coming in, OR Lumpy is completely inept.

Personally, I think it's a little of both - or a lot of both. So fun though to read the posts over there about the perceived assemblage of talent. One guy suggested that they have better personnel than a handful of teams including Vandy and Louisville. I mean, do they understand how many NFL picks we've produced the last 3-4 years? Surely my eyes deceive me when scanning their defensive roster for talent superior to guys like Rankins, Fields, Brown, Harvey-Clemons, Wiggins, etc, etc.

It's all just so hilarious and only a small part of the joy I get over our continued dominance of them. But, But, the all-time series is tied. And they were ranked eight spots ahead of us in 16' recruiting. Sure it will make all the difference.

 

[BAQ]

So here is the action plan at UK:
1-Can't evaluate talent, so hire pure salesman as recruiting coordinator to arbitrarily sign second tier northern kids with inflated star rankings
2-Get inflated, over-hyped recruits on camps and generate buzz by making declarations such as, "this is the first time we've had truly-SEC ready talent since this staff has been here."
3-Wait for applause and kudos from mouth-breathing fans
4-Go 4-1 in first five games, beating four patsies while surviving a couple of close scares against bottom feeders and FCS teams.
5-Lose obligatory game to average SEC team
6-Beat Over-hyped SEC team and claim you've turned the corner
7-Lose some close ones against average SEC teams and use as evidence of progress.
8-Get blown out by SEC powers and teams in the top half of the conference standings
9-Lose to Louisville, while still managing to insult your in-state rival
10-Miss a bowl game even in years when 5-7 teams are being considered
11-Repeat

 

[zipp]

Their problem has been demonstrated to be a combination of overrated kids and lack of coaching. The latter is obvious. But the issue on talent is that most of their higher rated players are Kentucky kids from out in the State. Those kids have proven to be hit-and-miss, mostly misses.

Until LPT starts drawing better talent from southern states like Georgia and Alabama, I'm always going to be suspicious of their recruiting rankings. Because they don't perform in line with their rankings, and they sure as hell aren't getting "coached up".

LPT Football: That's why we snagged Lamar Thomas!...

 

[teamcanada]

Obviously UK is never going to recruit like the big name SEC schools do so they only way they can win is hope the other teams get worse or find someone who can coach their players up. Stoops has proved the second choice isn't happening. I find it interesting that they still blame Joker for everything.

 

[65bird]

I think coaching up is their biggest problem. I don't remember the kid from Central who walked on for the Cards and later played in the NFL. Who were the the two 2 star OL brothers from Boyle County, Petrino 1.0. At least one went to the NFL.
Evaluation and coaching. Don't see that so much down the road.

 

[Senore2006]

So here is the action plan at UK:
1-Can't evaluate talent, so hire pure salesman as recruiting coordinator to arbitrarily sign second tier northern kids with inflated star rankings
2-Get inflated, over-hyped recruits on camps and generate buzz by making declarations such as, "this is the first time we've had truly-SEC ready talent since this staff has been here."
3-Wait for applause and kudos from mouth-breathing fans
4-Go 4-1 in first five games, beating four patsies while surviving a couple of close scares against bottom feeders and FCS teams.
5-Lose obligatory game to average SEC team
6-Beat Over-hyped SEC team and claim you've turned the corner
7-Lose some close ones against average SEC teams and use as evidence of progress.
8-Get blown out by SEC powers and teams in the top half of the conference standings
9-Lose to Louisville, while still managing to insult your in-state rival
10-Miss a bowl game even in years when 5-7 teams are being considered
11-Repeat

The reason they finished 11th out of the 12 teams competing for the 5-7 "exceptional" spot in bowl games was because of a barely eligible APR, lol, at a minor league .946.

How ironic that a puffed up sense of propriety over their urban rivals for the farm and hillbilly kids vote seems somehow unfair to them. We must cheat, is their most common answer, lol. Viola! Then it becomes the truth to a crowd so bereft of sunshine that they make a reality they can live with and rally around it in a massive daisy chain of fake juice.

 

[The Public Enemy]

I think coaching up is their biggest problem. I don't remember the kid from Central who walked on for the Cards and later played in the NFL. Who were the the two 2 star OL brothers from Boyle County, Petrino 1.0. At least one went to the NFL.
Evaluation and coaching. Don't see that so much down the road.

Another factor I see is the constant turnover with their coordinators...some talk about Louisville losing Greg Brown, Terrell Buckley and someone who I have no love for in Lamar Thomas-(they can have him)...while losing Brown and Buckley hurts they on the other hand are on their 3rd Offensive Coordinator in 3 years....recipe for disaster...

 

[wilkie01]

 

[Cardsfan62]

I think coaching up is their biggest problem. I don't remember the kid from Central who walked on for the Cards and later played in the NFL. Who were the the two 2 star OL brothers from Boyle County, Petrino 1.0. At least one went to the NFL.
Evaluation and coaching. Don't see that so much down the road.

Bobby and Travis Leffew they are good people from Danville. They were excellent performs at UofL.

 

[Pike 96]

Another factor I see is the constant turnover with their coordinators...some talk about Louisville losing Greg Brown, Terrell Buckley and someone who I have no love for in Lamar Thomas-(they can have him)...while losing Brown and Buckley hurts they on the other hand are on their 3rd Offensive Coordinator in 3 years....recipe for disaster...

Losing Dawson is addition by subtraction. Never called plays before in D1 and it showed. Overall, Stoops has kept almost all of the staff members he's wanted if you believe the Kentucky rivals guys. Now losing Ansley to Bama hurt. But it's Bama

 

[The Public Enemy]

Losing Dawson is addition by subtraction. Never called plays before in D1 and it showed. Overall, Stoops has kept almost all of the staff members he's wanted if you believe the Kentucky rivals guys. Now losing Ansley to Bama hurt. But it's Bama

This issue is the players having to learn another offensive system-(Drew Barker 3rd OC in his college career)...no consistency at all...it may or may not work out...time will tell..

 

[zipp]

Losing Dawson is addition by subtraction. Never called plays before in D1 and it showed...

How do you know? The same fanbase thought Dawson was going to be a hit. Now, we're supposed to listen to "addition by subtraction" talk?

Fool me once, shame on you...

LPT Football: Doing the same things and expecting different results...

 

[Mike'sMarbles]

Talent plays a role, but in college football, coaching and development of players are the keys.

Take a look at USC (The PAC, not SEC). They had 16 5-star recruits enter their program in the past 4 years. They finished 8-6 playing in a 2nd tier Bowl. Pretty similar results to what Louisville had last year playing in a similarly strong league, when we had 0 5-star players.

And really, when you look at the star ratings, UK is basically in the same ballpark as UofL. The difference is Stoops can't develop and coach talent. Petrino can. Neither team is hauling in multiple 5-star players year after year like USC, Alabama, Ohio State and that group. Coaching and development, that's what separates Louisville from Kentucky. It's a wide gulf that I don't see closing soon.

 

[Jay Reimenschneider]

Talent plays a role, but in college football, coaching and development of players are the keys.

Take a look at USC (The PAC, not SEC). They had 16 5-star recruits enter their program in the past 4 years. They finished 8-6 playing in a 2nd tier Bowl. Pretty similar results to what Louisville had last year playing in a similarly strong league, when we had 0 5-star players.

And really, when you look at the star ratings, UK is basically in the same ballpark as UofL. The difference is Stoops can't develop and coach talent. Petrino can. Neither team is hauling in multiple 5-star players year after year like USC, Alabama, Ohio State and that group. Coaching and development, that's what separates Louisville from Kentucky. It's a wide gulf that I don't see closing soon.

Bbbbbut Eddie Gran!!!!!

 

[Jay Reimenschneider]

Losing Dawson is addition by subtraction.

Of course it is! Of course it is. Lol! Such an adorable bunch. So gullible. It's part of their charm

 

[teamcanada]

Losing Dawson is addition by subtraction. Never called plays before in D1 and it showed. Overall, Stoops has kept almost all of the staff members he's wanted if you believe the Kentucky rivals guys. Now losing Ansley to Bama hurt. But it's Bama

Substitute the name Brown for Dawson and I would believe I was reading a post from last year.

 

[The Public Enemy]

Believe it or not the Wildcats actually do have talent on their roster...but and we keep telling them Football is not Basketball...more involved than just throwing out "Stars"...you have to develop the players you bring in...you have to have a good S&C program-(something that IMO was lacking with them) and players that fit the system you plan on running-(which changes year to year with them).

 

[Pike 96]

This issue is the players having to learn another offensive system-(Drew Barker 3rd OC in his college career)...no consistency at all...it may or may not work out...time will tell..

Definitely not ideal to have players constantly learning new systems. But given the option I'd much rather have an experienced play caller that has been a successful OC verses system continuity with an OC that is not a proven commodity during in game situations.

Kentucky has definitely felt the pain of some of Stoops learning on the job lack of head coaching experience. But it's wishful thinking to think stoops can't develop talent. He's created NFL players everywhere he's been. I vividly remember these very boards clamoring that PetrinI had lost his touch and wasn't the same coach or play caller when UL started 0 and 3(with several bone headed Petrino in game decisions thrown in). But with a talent like Jackson and a very strong Defense he righted the ship and all was great again.
Wish away that UK will always be the same drowning football program. Talent has always been the main hurdle. With that changing, it just takes time to get young guys mature and build depth. We lost 40 to zip to Vandy in Jokers final game. That says it all as to how low the program had fallen. Very similar to the 50 point beating UL took to Rutgers in Kragthorpes last year. 3 years isn't enough. But after this year, UK will have higher ranked recruiting classes 3 of the last 4 years as the main players on the field. Kentucky fans are confident that with better talent will follow wins. But feel free to make your predictions based on days gone by. : )

 

[The Public Enemy]

Definitely not ideal to have players constantly learning new systems. But given the option I'd much rather have an experienced play caller that has been a successful OC verses system continuity with an OC that is not a proven commodity during in game situations.

Kentucky has definitely felt the pain of some of Stoops learning on the job lack of head coaching experience. But it's wishful thinking to think stoops can't develop talent. He's created NFL players everywhere he's been. I vividly remember these very boards clamoring that PetrinI had lost his touch and wasn't the same coach or play caller when UL started 0 and 3(with several bone headed Petrino in game decisions thrown in). But with a talent like Jackson and a very strong Defense he righted the ship and all was great again.
Wish away that UK will always be the same drowning football program. Talent has always been the main hurdle. With that changing, it just takes time to get young guys mature and build depth. We lost 40 to zip to Vandy in Jokers final game. That says it all as to how low the program had fallen. Very similar to the 50 point beating UL took to Rutgers in Kragthorpes last year. 3 years isn't enough. But after this year, UK will have higher ranked recruiting classes 3 of the last 4 years as the main players on the field. Kentucky fans are confident that with better talent will follow wins. But feel free to make your predictions based on days gone by. : )

No where did I say Kentucky is/was a drowning program...if Vandy under Franklin can have back to back 9 win seasons and if Baylor-(much for years was a dumpster fire) can become a strong program under Art Briles anything possible.

As for developing players...maybe Stoops has proven it as a position coach/coordinator...but his current assistants have not really done so-(outside of the DB on Defense)...again JMO...

 

[Pike 96]

Substitute the name Brown for Dawson and I would believe I was reading a post from last year.

Brown left to become a D1 head coach and had run very highly ranked offenses for years at Texas Tech. Dawson was never more than an OC in title that hadn't called plays or proved himself. Eddie Gran was who Stoops wanted but he wasn't ready to leave tuberville after only a year. There is really no comparison in coaching experience between Gran and Dawson

 

[Pike 96]

No where did I say Kentucky is/was a drowning program...if Vandy under Franklin can have back to back 9 win seasons and if Baylor-(much for years was a dumpster fire) can become a strong program under Art Briles anything possible.

As for developing players...maybe Stoops has proven it as a position coach/coordinator...but his current assistants have not really done so-(outside of the DB on Defense)...again JMO...

The drowning program was not referencing you. But the prevailing sentiment and theme of many posters that UK has been and always will be a graveyard program. To me that dialogue is more of a self serving, bury your head wish verses a prediction based on facts. Talent has always been the number 1 2 and 3 issues. Kentucky will never out talent the SEC and UL in major way but it's at least in the same ballpark. It's closer to our NFL playing your usually more NFL prospects verses our future accountants playing your future NFL players.
I think Stoops, Elliot, and the Dline coach have put lots of guys in the pros. You can say the same thing about Gran and Hinshaw. We'll see if the sum of the parts combines for a successful whole or not.

 

[homerblue]

Shout it from the rooftops brother but they will never get it. It is really different now and even all of us old timers understand that we have just been fooled every other year. Common sense would tell you that we are the first ones that would be able to see that this time we really have turned the corner with our recruits. Kash and the Legendarys are game changers. SEC level game changers. They have not earned the title "The Legendarys" for no reason.
I actually feel sorry in a way for ul fans the way General Stoops has built an iron fence around the state, has conquered Ohio and for his greatest move yet, he not only cut off ul's pipeline to Florida he brilliantly diverted it so now all South Florida talent will be pouring into Lexington now! HaHaHaHa!
I love the irony that ul fans always make fun of how good we are getting in our strategic off season moves, until this year when they became our prey.

 

[Senore2006]

For a team whose APR is 946, I wouldn't count on too many accountants from your program.

Everything in life does not create some false and automatically equal dichotomy for posters who wish it were true. The talent separation is growing between UofL and UK as Petrino begins filling in areas of need. On a strictly skill level, here is what UK has no answer for : James Quick; Jamari Staples; Lamar Jackson; Jawon Pass; Kyle Bolin; Peete, Smith and Samuel from last year's true freshman class......... the punt returner. I did not say you don't have the defense to stop them.........I said you have no equal or better skill players at those positions. You have Boom then a cast of nobodies. Your solution at quarterback is a dog's breakfast.

Inasmuch as Petrino is his own OC, we will run as long as life lets them with one of the best offensive minds in the game. Apparently, he will be rewarded with an extension, so you can expect a series - and a long one - of tragic Novembers.

UK always run their mouths this time of year. Hell, they started early this time out, lol. That program is a train wreck of the first order.

 

[Senore2006]

So what were the final numbers in our all important, oh so vital recruiting rankings between ourselves and UK?

 

[Jay Reimenschneider]

Definitely not ideal to have players constantly learning new systems. But given the option I'd much rather have an experienced play caller that has been a successful OC verses system continuity with an OC that is not a proven commodity during in game situations.

Kentucky has definitely felt the pain of some of Stoops learning on the job lack of head coaching experience. But it's wishful thinking to think stoops can't develop talent. He's created NFL players everywhere he's been. I vividly remember these very boards clamoring that PetrinI had lost his touch and wasn't the same coach or play caller when UL started 0 and 3(with several bone headed Petrino in game decisions thrown in). But with a talent like Jackson and a very strong Defense he righted the ship and all was great again.
Wish away that UK will always be the same drowning football program. Talent has always been the main hurdle. With that changing, it just takes time to get young guys mature and build depth. We lost 40 to zip to Vandy in Jokers final game. That says it all as to how low the program had fallen. Very similar to the 50 point beating UL took to Rutgers in Kragthorpes last year. 3 years isn't enough. But after this year, UK will have higher ranked recruiting classes 3 of the last 4 years as the main players on the field. Kentucky fans are confident that with better talent will follow wins. But feel free to make your predictions based on days gone by. : )

Is Pike just a more subtle Homer? I'm seriously not sure.

 

[Jay Reimenschneider]

But the prevailing sentiment and theme of many posters that UK has been and always will be a graveyard program.

Thats because you have been and always will be a graveyard program. About 65 yrs and counting.....except when you were cheating. And even then the "success" was modest.

 

[Jay Reimenschneider]

It is almost a certainty that UK comes in to PJCS 5-6 AGAIN!! this November. That's going to be hilarious AGAIN! 3rd time not a charm yuts. Sorry

 

[Mike'sMarbles]

The drowning program was not referencing you. But the prevailing sentiment and theme of many posters that UK has been and always will be a graveyard program. To me that dialogue is more of a self serving, bury your head wish verses a prediction based on facts.

The proof was right there on the field in lack of player development and coaching. Start with Elam and Barker, though I'm sure someone will give you a list of other highly touted players who have failed to develop under Stoops.

Then the play calling. 8 men on the field for a punt return. Watching the same play over and over and over again from our QB and not adjusting. Again, someone can provide a more detailed list of examples if you need it.

Poor coaching, poor player development. It's not head in the sand wishful thinking, it's the UK football program under Stoops.

 

[homerblue]

The proof was right there on the field in lack of player development and coaching. Start with Elam and Barker, though I'm sure someone will give you a list of other highly touted players who have failed to develop under Stoops.


Then the play calling. 8 men on the field for a punt return. Watching the same play over and over and over again from our QB and not adjusting. Again, someone can provide a more detailed list of examples if you need it.

Poor coaching, poor player development. It's not head in the sand wishful thinking, it's the UK football program under Stoops.

THIS WHOLE RESULTS ON THE FIELD LAST SEASON ARGUMENT IS JUST SILLY!!

Anybody who knows what they are talking about knows that 5-7 was exactly what we had predicted. Stoops did an amazing job considering there was open rebellion by 20 or so of jokers recruits and the fact he was tricked into hiring the absolutely worse offensive coordinator in the world.
This offseason the traitors have been replaced by Kash and the Legendarys and the one and only offensive mastermind Eddie Gran has took the reigns of our incredibly talented offense.

 

[cardsp]

THIS WHOLE RESULTS ON THE FIELD LAST SEASON ARGUMENT IS JUST SILLY!!

Anybody who knows what they are talking about knows that 5-7 was exactly what we had predicted. Stoops did an amazing job considering there was open rebellion by 20 or so of jokers recruits and the fact he was tricked into hiring the absolutely worse offensive coordinator in the world.
This offseason the traitors have been replaced by Kash and the Legendarys and the one and only offensive mastermind Eddie Gran has took the reigns of our incredibly talented offense.

How was he tricked in to hiring Dawson? Who is the head coach?

 

[homerblue]

How was he tricked in to hiring Dawson? Who is the head coach?

It has been discussed ad nauseum all over the place by those that are close to the program. Im not going to do your research for you.
It's a fact, you can't prove otherwise

 

[teamcanada]

The proof was right there on the field in lack of player development and coaching. Start with Elam and Barker, though I'm sure someone will give you a list of other highly touted players who have failed to develop under Stoops

Then the play calling. 8 men on the field for a punt return. Watching the same play over and over and over again from our QB and not adjusting. Again, someone can provide a more detailed list of examples if you need it.

Poor coaching, poor player development. It's not head in the sand wishful thinking, it's the UK football program under Stoops.

You could add Boom quitting because he wasn't getting enough carries. Receivers intentionally dropping passes because they wanted a different QB, calling time out to ice your own kicker and my favorite- the Vandy trick play that only the coach in the booth saw but he couldn't call time out because he didn't know the correct word to use to signal the bench to call it. Yeah that's all on Dawson. Like Towles said scapegoat.

 

[Senore2006]

Escape coat, hells yeah!

Homer, I want to congratulate you on your awesome roll.

 

[Cardsfan62]

For several reasons, but mainly because of this either/or reality:

EITHER the recruits are overrated coming in, OR Lumpy is completely inept.

Personally, I think it's a little of both - or a lot of both. So fun though to read the posts over there about the perceived assemblage of talent. One guy suggested that they have better personnel than a handful of teams including Vandy and Louisville. I mean, do they understand how many NFL picks we've produced the last 3-4 years? Surely my eyes deceive me when scanning their defensive roster for talent superior to guys like Rankins, Fields, Brown, Harvey-Clemons, Wiggins, etc, etc.

It's all just so hilarious and only a small part of the joy I get over our continued dominance of them. But, But, the all-time series is tied. And they were ranked eight spots ahead of us in 16' recruiting. Sure it will make all the difference.

Other than laughing at one of the worst football programs in the country, I could give a rat's ass about them. They are beneath us and it's time for our fan base to find another program in our conference to be our focus of beating. We keep winning and they will eventually play themselves off of our schedule. Focus on them for basketball if you will but it doesn't do anything for us to obsess about them in Football. Our rivals in football have to be Clemson and Fla State.

 

[The Public Enemy]

Other than laughing at one of the worst football programs in the country, I could give a rat's ass about them. They are beneath us and it's time for our fan base to find another program in our conference to be our focus of beating. We keep winning and they will eventually play themselves off of our schedule. Focus on them for basketball if you will but it doesn't do anything for us to obsess about them in Football. Our rivals in football have to be Clemson and Fla State.

For us to move forward we have to beat either Clemson or Florida State...barring injury, improvement from Lamar Jackson from under center and if the OL can be at least "OK" like our chances this year

 

[bthaunert]

For several reasons, but mainly because of this either/or reality:

EITHER the recruits are overrated coming in, OR Lumpy is completely inept.

Personally, I think it's a little of both - or a lot of both. So fun though to read the posts over there about the perceived assemblage of talent. One guy suggested that they have better personnel than a handful of teams including Vandy and Louisville. I mean, do they understand how many NFL picks we've produced the last 3-4 years? Surely my eyes deceive me when scanning their defensive roster for talent superior to guys like Rankins, Fields, Brown, Harvey-Clemons, Wiggins, etc, etc.

It's all just so hilarious and only a small part of the joy I get over our continued dominance of them. But, But, the all-time series is tied. And they were ranked eight spots ahead of us in 16' recruiting. Sure it will make all the difference.

I was one of the posters who says we have better talent than UL and Vandy, but I specify that it is better talent coming out of high school and it's up to the coaching staff to make sure that talent turns into college talent...to date, that has not happened. This is a big year for Stoops. He has a roster loaded with his own guys. The question is if he can win games through coaching....to date he has not shown that.

 

[teamcanada]

UK will never out recruit the other SEC teams. The only way they can compete is by having superior coaching. Stoops isn't even an average coach much less a superior one. IMO they should give him another $20 contract extension

 

[Mike'sMarbles]

UK will never out recruit the other SEC teams. The only way they can compete is by having superior coaching. Stoops isn't even an average coach much less a superior one. IMO they should give him another $20 contract extension

If Stoops were even a good coach he'd have found some way to get to a Bowl in one of the last 2 seasons, even with the Louisville loss.

And, if he were a good coach someone would have snapped him up by now. Instead he will stay at UK and finish out his contract, then leave a wealthy man and UK not much worse off than normal.

 

[The Public Enemy]

If Stoops were even a good coach he'd have found some way to get to a Bowl in one of the last 2 seasons, even with the Louisville loss.

And, if he were a good coach someone would have snapped him up by now. Instead he will stay at UK and finish out his contract, then leave a wealthy man and UK not much worse off than normal.

The telling game as far as in game coaching ability was this past year @ Vanderbilt...the in game coaching was really smh stuff...

 

[Senore2006]

I was one of the posters who says we have better talent than UL and Vandy, but I specify that it is better talent coming out of high school and it's up to the coaching staff to make sure that talent turns into college talent...to date, that has not happened. This is a big year for Stoops. He has a roster loaded with his own guys. The question is if he can win games through coaching....to date he has not shown that.

For the life of me, I can't understand why you keep doing this to yourself.

You so badly want to get credit for UK's abysmally bad recruiting, the only team you care to compare it to is us. And we are a program that puts 2 stars into the NFL.

That might be the world's smallest cookie you think you just won, lol. Even if you can't see how pathetic your statements are..