I will have to admit

[RV]

that it doesn't seem possible to satisfy or please UK football fans. Here we sit 6-1, 4-1 and for the first time in history we will be .500 or better in the SEC for three straight years. We have the top rated scoring defense in the SEC and the #2 scoring defense in the nation. Our team ranked #12 in the polls. The top rusher in the SEC. Potential draft picks all over the field that evidently no one wanted when they came out of high school. The team has their own destiny in their hands and yet all I see and hear everywhere I go is a gripe fest.

Go figure.

[40bill]

We went from being "can't we win a game" to " gosh, we won but looked awful" in five or six years
😀

In all seriousness...I think some of us may have brought our upset on ourselves by believing Terry Wilson was a bigger L. Jackson .... When truth is, he's a rookie in the SEC trying to learn a playbook and figure out a different defensive look every week

Should Johnson's backups have had a little more experience in game??? I think so
Truth is, Wilson won the job I would like to see someone come in as a change of pace or give Wilson a break, but we've never had a UK coach in my time that's done that.

NEXT season will be intriguing. Do we turn Rodriguez and Smoke into the next Bennie or will Gran(if he stays) go back to his days as Cincinnatti slinger?

This is quite a ride ... Gonna be an entertaining last five games.

[fastkat]

I don't get all the negativity either. I gather from some posts on this board and other boards that people are disappointed that we aren't throwing the ball 50 times and we are winning by playing big boy football, i.e. running the football and tough defense.

There are two guys that sit behind me and you'd think that they expect Mark Stoops to take off the mask and there stands John Ray or Bill Curry. They are just waiting for this team to implode.

[DA#23]

There is a lot of griping. Also there are several fans who simply want to see this team maximize their potential and not lose games they otherwise should win if the offense returned to early season form.

I guess it can be difficult to decipher the two, but with some of the football the fans have had to watch over the years how could you fault the latter group? With the heart and determination you've seen this year, not to mention some fruit from the staff's labor, how could you fault the latter?

Bennie's quote says as much. Some of us whined during the '12 title run and during the '15 season (put KARRLLL on the bench, start Dakari!) . Just enjoy the team in the way you choose.

[Catsrock]

I honestly encounter a lot of excited and happy fans. Many of whom would like to see a more balanced offensive attack and believe the personnel exists on the team to have it.

True--there will never be a total lack of complaining about any athletic team. Even Bama fans complain on call in shows and websites.

[Westtncat]

As a fan, this is the best UK football team I have ever witnessed and without a doubt the best defense. I tend to point out the negatives only because I want the maximum for this team. It's also a degree of the fear of losing. The bad thing about being KY is , lose one game you aren't supposed to and everything they did all year is negated. Why? because we are KY football. I am so not wanting to hear, you guys were overrated, lucky, or whatever the talking heads might say. I do not want to lose. We still don't have the respect we deserve so if any of my posts seem negative its because the thought of losing a game really bothers me. I am still not over the A&M loss. This team has me hooked to the point that I'm not even thinking about basketball yet, couldn't care less! So from my point of view it's more like, let's try and improve on this so we don't lose. Our defense needs rest, they are great but they are human. Just a small amount of help at A&M and I think we are undefeated.

By the way, I didn't feel like this post was directed at me at all, just giving my two cents.

[catfaninin]

What's amazing to me is how the complaints change from week to week. The play call vs A&M has been beat to death. When everyone on earth, including a really good defense knew Snell was getting the ball I thought a pass was the right call. In fact I was sitting here saying "Don't run Snell up the middle it will never work." I still think the play call was fine, just terribly executed.

Fast forward to last night when Snell was having his way, now everyone wants to throw the ball?

Certainly in order to beat a team like UGA there is going to have to be some balance. But there was no need to be pass happy last night.

As someone said elsewhere teams like Bama and LSU have had some really good luck with playing defense and running the ball down teams throats.

[Westtncat]

What's amazing to me is how the complaints change from week to week. The play call vs A&M has been beat to death. When everyone on earth, including a really good defense knew Snell was getting the ball I thought a pass was the right call. In fact I was sitting here saying "Don't run Snell up the middle it will never work." I still think the play call was fine, just terribly executed.

Fast forward to last night when Snell was having his way, now everyone wants to throw the ball?

Certainly in order to beat a team like UGA there is going to have to be some balance. But there was no need to be pass happy last night.

As someone said elsewhere teams like Bama and LSU have had some really good luck with playing defense and running the ball down teams throats.

I disagree. I still think it was the wrong call at A&M. We only needed two yards. Even the coaches admitted it was the wrong call. The passing game was not working that night either so why would we think that would work as opposed to what HAS worked all year? In the end we will never know. As far as people wanting to pass the ball I haven't seen that at all. I think people are realizing that beating Vanderbilt with just Benny Snell is fine but feel it will not work for the rest of the year. They are also worried about the abuse Snell will endure if he has to carry the ball 30+ times per game. I just haven't seen the "griping" that some are talking about and yes we need to depend on Snell but the main reason folks are talking about the passing game is not because they want an air raid offense they just want the capability. As of now its kinda non existent. 18 Yards passing is not good. Wanting more in my opinion, isn't really griping.

Also, I have watch Bama several times this year. They are a passing team. Not the same Bama that Jalen Hurt had.

[catfaninin]

I disagree. I still think it was the wrong call at A&M. We only needed two yards. Even the coaches admitted it was the wrong call. The passing game was not working that night either so why would we think that would work as opposed to what HAS worked all year? In the end we will never know. As far as people wanting to pass the ball I haven't seen that at all. I think people are realizing that beating Vanderbilt with just Benny Snell is fine but feel it will not work for the rest of the year. They are also worried about the abuse Snell will endure if he has to carry the ball 30+ times per game. I just haven't seen the "griping" that some are talking about and yes we need to depend on Snell but the main reason folks are talking about the passing game is not because they want an air raid offense they just want the capability. As of now its kinda non existent. 18 Yards passing is not good. Wanting more in my opinion, isn't really griping.

Also, I have watch Bama several times this year. They are a passing team. Not the same Bama that Jalen Hurt had.

And the running game against A&M was stellar? If I remember right UK never crossed midfield other than the Bowden play till the OT. Had they handed off the ball and been stopped, which I would say was very likely the complaint would have been "why do what everyone expected?"

I totally agree that the threat of a passing game needs to exist. But I think we are to the point it's obvious the passing game is going to be iffy at best. Running the ball, paying defense are going to be the way this team wins. But a pass play as an element of surprise can be very effective.

This years Bama team is definitely a passing team. But names like Coker, McElroy , Parker Wilson were hardly star QB's.

[RV]

Pointing out shortcomings on a call in show to the coach, writing him a letter or sending a text 'might' be helpful. Saying this over and over again on message boards does absolutely nothing helpful or productive.

NOTHING.

If you walk up to me and start spouting this stuff, I'll politely excuse myself and then avoid you like the plague. No one likes to hang around someone that always finds the negative to talk about.

BTW - to those that think about UK football an inordinate amount of time, welcome to my world. Been living it since the 1960's.

[Westtncat]

Pointing out shortcomings on a call in show to the coach, writing him a letter or sending a text 'might' be helpful. Saying this over and over again on message boards does absolutely nothing helpful or productive.

NOTHING.

If you walk up to me and start spouting this stuff, I'll politely excuse myself and then avoid you like the plague. No one likes to hang around someone that always finds the negative to talk about.

BTW - to those that think about UK football an inordinate amount of time, welcome to my world. Been living it since 1969.

Seems we go through this every so often. I come here to talk about Kentucky sports, I wouldn't come up to you or anyone for that matter and talk at all, unless you invited me to or I knew you well enough to do it. This is a message board NOTHING anyone does or says here is helpful or hurtful. Its a message board. So if you are always positive or always negative or 50/50 nothing any of us say is helpful. To say we cant talk about all facets of the game is insane. Kentucky football or basketball or any sport isnt always rainbows and unicorns. Im still not sure you are addressing anyone in particular but I haven't really seen all the negativity you guys are pointing out. I just see people discussing the games and issues we are having. I for one am having a really good time this year. I am more excited about this team than I have been any UK team in a long time. This includes basketball. I see nothing but interest where some see negativity. I guess the problem is you cant determine tone through a text, its the worst form of communication, but...its all we have here.

[Spiritof96]

I’m delighted with this season, and after a gut wrenching grinder of a game, I woke up this AM and remembered... WE ARE FREAKING 6 and 1 and did a happy dance.

I worry that the passing game woes are going to bring it crashing down, but until it does... I’m over the moon! Winning is awesome!!!

[40bill]

This thinking of a whipping by Missouri is a head scratcher for me.

On the year, Kentucky defense is second in the nation in points allowed and the last three games has averaged giving up twelve points a game.
On the year, Missouri's defense is ranked 96 and the last three games is giving up 36 points a game.

I know they can throw, but gee folks....they ain't Alabama.

[Matt Dillon]

A big thumbs up to posts 4, 5, 6 & 11.

[Matt Dillon]

The thing that is worrisome to me is that our def., as great as it is, and a one dimensional off. isn't going to continue to produce victories. If the off. situation isn't remedied, it's going to bite us in the rear, and I'm not talking about just the Ga. game either.