Outlook For Next Season

[Jeff ROCKober]

i think winning 7-8 games is very realistic. It took UK 40 years to get to a 10 win season again and expecting this 2 years in a row is a far stretch. i hope I am wrong but I still think UK will have a pretty good year next year. Momentum is a great thing and I will never under estimate a Stoops team again.

[Jload]

Our defense should hold its own next year worth 6 wins at least , on the offensive side of the ball a different story. Losing Snell and Conrad will hurt. Rose is serviceable but his upright running style concerns me, he takes a lot of direct hits, run him 25/30 times a game not sure he stays healthy. Who backs him up( crickets chirping). Our quarterback is dreadful, the worst in the SEC IMO, so where does that leave us on offense Bowden and hope we strike oil on a skill position recruit, not a recipe for another 10 win season. My prediction 6-6, if we find a WB somewhere, 8-4

[Matt Dillon]

My three main concerns are the cornerback position where no matter who starts, they are going to have practically zero experience. Receiver where, with the exception of Bowden, we were pathetic this past season and quarterback. Wilson just doesn't inspire me at all, but he may turn out to be another Stephen Johnson where all he does is win. I feel good about the running game. I think Rose is more than just serviceable and I feel like Smoke and Rod are very capable of giving him a breather when he needs one.

[Pobilly]

My three main concerns are the cornerback position where no matter who starts, they are going to have practically zero experience. Receiver where, with the exception of Bowden, we were pathetic this past season and quarterback. Wilson just doesn't inspire me at all, but he may turn out to be another Stephen Johnson where all he does is win. I feel good about the running game. I think Rose is more than just serviceable and I feel like Smoke and Rod are very capable of giving him a breather when he needs one.

I think ROD might pass up Rose by game 3 or 4. He is big and he is fast. Not sure if he has the patience like Snell. That was Rose's only issue this year. Sometimes he would go a little too quick and run into the defense instead of trough the hole that is opening up. Rose hit some big play and is a very good back. I just think Rod (for some reason) is going to be tough to keep off the field. Whichever of the 3 Rose, Rob or Smoke wants it the most and can learn the fastest will end up being the man moving forward. We might just see an attach of all 3 like you do at some of the other schools.

[Brasslock]

I'm afraid the stats don't support Wilson as the worse QB in the SEC. His completion percentage, 67.2, ranks among the top 3 or 4. Tua was 69.5, Fromm was 67.4, Locke completed 62.9%. Burrow at LSU was 57% with a QB rating of 133. Terry's QB rating was 134. Fitzgerald's completion percentage was 51.6 % with a passer rating off 116.9. The Arkansas QB's were at the bottom of the SEC. This doesn't mean that you have to be pleased with TW. It might suggest that there are other things that you don't like. Terry knee was swollen after the Miss State game. Bunchy fell on it. He could hardly walk and his self-confidence tanked a bit as he played hurt. If he can take a step up this next year we could match or exceed this year. That's a big "if."

[SBCatMan]

It took UK 40 years to get to a 10 win season again and expecting this 2 years in a row is a far stretch..

Well, yes ... and no. I mean, yes, I do not expect to win 10 games next year. But, we were 3 plays away from winning 10 games LAST year. Take away the holding penalty vs UF, the miraculous catch by the Ole Miss WR and the missed 2-point conversion vs Norhtwestern and we have 10 wins 2 years in a row. And yes, I KNOW we cannot look at things that way, but still ...

[SBCatMan]

My three main concerns are the cornerback position where no matter who starts, they are going to have practically zero experience. Receiver where, with the exception of Bowden, we were pathetic this past season and quarterback. Wilson just doesn't inspire me at all, but he may turn out to be another Stephen Johnson where all he does is win. I feel good about the running game. I think Rose is more than just serviceable and I feel like Smoke and Rod are very capable of giving him a breather when he needs one.

I 100% agree with your first two points. And, as Meatloaf once famously said, “two out of three ain’t bad.”

[Uncle Dave]

Remember, CBs Westry and Baity both played/started as true freshman. That's as green as it gets. They both showed promise, and ended up playing a zillion snaps in their career.. We'll have guys more experienced, at the least, this coming year. I think we have 3 JUCOS in this 2019 class. We have a JUCO player who RS'd last year, plus Garner, Brown, Dort, Dodson, and anyone else I'm surely forgetting. I think it'll be fun seeing how it shakes out.

[teamchemistry15]

At this point, literally the only question mark on the team next year is the secondary. The talent and length is there they just have little to no experience.

The front seven on defense has the potential to be one of, if not the best in the SEC. Not only the starters but the depth across the board at LB and on the line.

The offensive line is going to be a strength again with the returners and Young coming back.

I think we replace Snell by committee. Call me crazy, but I think the running game could actually be better without Snell. Rose isn't going to handle the load like Benny did. He isn't built for it. I think we rotate him, Rod, and Smoke a lot giving is three different looks and talents at RB, al a Boom and Benny in Benny's freshman year.

The receivers like Epps, Ali, and Richardson will be improved and Bowden will be a star. If we get Devonta Lee he will likely be good enough to contribute from day one, as well.

I know Wilson wasn't spectacular. He made his share of mistakes. But, he's got a year of experience (his first at this level) and has a full off season to work. He will clean up some things and become more accurate.

TE isn't that big of a concern because we don't target them much. I know how good Conrad was, but at this level any of our TEs will be able to stick a defender to help out in the running game.

Special teams: Look out. Bowden will be the full time returner with Bouvier gone. We all know what he can do. Duffy is back and Poor is the new kicker.

All in all, there's only one for sure loss on the schedule, IMO, at Georgia. I'm not saying we go 11-1, but if we don't win eight next year I will be surprised. And, before you give me grief I called 8-9 wins this season when everyone else was hoping for 6-6 😃

[SBCatMan]

^ Best post in the thread thus far. I totally agree.

[40bill]

Just to be honest, I really was hoping for 6-6 this past year. I agreed with prognosticators that we had lost part of the soul of the team with Johnson and I saw no way a defense would make a monstrous jump like it did. Allen being player of the year? Wilson looking AWFUL but winning? No passing game to think of? Losing Ware and Paschal before a snap and plaing d like that? Losing our highest ranked o-lineman in practice?
this has been an amazing ride. I ain't ready for it to stop...a slow down maybe....

I'm looking forward to next season

[johnkyblue]

I disagree with the value of Conrad's blocking.

[Blue Heaven]

I'm afraid the stats don't support Wilson as the worse QB in the SEC. His completion percentage, 67.2, ranks among the top 3 or 4. Tua was 69.5, Fromm was 67.4, Locke completed 62.9%. Burrow at LSU was 57% with a QB rating of 133. Terry's QB rating was 134. Fitzgerald's completion percentage was 51.6 % with a passer rating off 116.9. The Arkansas QB's were at the bottom of the SEC. This doesn't mean that you have to be pleased with TW. It might suggest that there are other things that you don't like. Terry knee was swollen after the Miss State game. Bunchy fell on it. He could hardly walk and his self-confidence tanked a bit as he played hurt. If he can take a step up this next year we could match or exceed this year. That's a big "if."

Agreed. Good post.

[teamchemistry15]

I think a big part of everyone thinking we will be back to 6-6 next year is simply the history of our program. With us being mediocre or below something like 94 times out of 100 it's hard to break the feeling that we will get that result. But, Stoops and Co have built us a football program. We have legitimate SEC talent, speed, and depth nearly across the board.

[Matt Dillon]

I think a big part of everyone thinking we will be back to 6-6 next year is simply the history of our program. With us being mediocre or below something like 94 times out of 100 it's hard to break the feeling that we will get that result. But, Stoops and Co have built us a football program. We have legitimate SEC talent, speed, and depth nearly across the board.

I'm not predicting 6-6, but I'm thinking they may struggle to win more than eight.