Season on the edge...

[40bill]

does anyone feel like the fanbase will revolt if the Cats DONT make a bowl this year? As important....facts being facts, M.Barnhart got Rich Brooks at bargain basement prices...and that likely helped tide things over an extra year or two while the program was building. The University has invested and unheard of amount of money into the program...will they have the patience to stick
with Stoops if this season only equals last? I've never seen a class of four star linemen commit to Kentucky before...but they won't be here until NEXT season.
Hoping this is an irrelevant question and we hit seven wins.

[Matt Dillon]

It's difficult to say, Bill. As much as I'd like to see a winner now (due mostly to my age), I feel coach Stoops and his assts. have things going in the right direction. I just don't believe the fan base is as patient as they've been in the past.

[Lighthouse]

Although I'm on board with CS and the hard and successful work he and his staff have put in so far, I'm afraid a lot of the fan base will yell loud if we don't make a bowl. The inspired effort on the field is evidence enough for me, because it shows the change to a winning attitude and much better talent than in the past. We have to remember we play in the SEC, and it'shard to gain or even keep up with the top teams.

[gerntz]

If some revolt should this come to pass, those that do would be showing their CFB ignorance more than anything else. CMS has consistently recruited better than any UK coach since Curci and has a top-notch staff in place. Whether that translates to a 6-6+ this year in the face of a top level schedule wouldn't necessarily mean, & most likely wouldn't mean, we're not improving; i.e., record alone in any one season is not the measure of ongoing progress & quality. But some can't understand that or just want to bellyache to cause trouble because that's who they are. Me, I won't be ********************in about 5-7 because I know that better will still be on the way. Even starting this thread shows some short-term thought process & desire to instill doubt.

[boomdaddy]

First off, I am not a D! football coach, nor do I pretend to be some college football savant who can predict exactly what is going to happen.

That being said, I am excited about Kentucky football! It is not a "Gee Whiz, I hope UK wins enough games to go bowling" season for me. I expect the Cats to go to a bowl this season. I expect them to put an exciting product out on the field.

I am aware that we, as UK fans, are in uncharted waters. There is a portion of the fan base that just won't believe anything positive is going to happen, until it does, That is understandable. What will the worry warts be bemoaning at the end of this season? I can tell you what the subject will be. Will UK lose Stoops or its top assistants to other programs, after this winning season and bowl victory. The UK administration has made a commitment to the program and will do what is necessary to keep the train chugging forward on the tracks.

I do believe it will take four full seasons, before those doubters in the fan base will be able to smile and agree that UK has entered a new era. But as for me, I am smiling right now. Go Cats!

[Brasslock]

I don't think the fanbase as a whole will revolt. The closest I've seen this happening is Joker's last year and all the empty seats. I don't want to revisit that in any form. Our fanbase has exhibited a tremendous amount of patience over the years. Most realize how depleted we were when Stoops arrived. If we don't get 6 wins there will be some criticism and negativity. There will be some criticism and negativity if we do win 6 because we should have won 7, and on it goes. I am amazed at the talent that Stoops et al are bringing in to the program. I'm not going to worry about the doubters. They will always be with us. Barring bad luck, this should be a fun year for Kentucky football. I'm with Stoops on one point for sure ... I want to win them all.

[Brother_Vol]

IMO you have to find another way to see improvement other than record. That isn't always easy because record is the most tangible way to see improvement from one year to another. This seems similar to UT a couple years ago. Coming off of a 5-7 the year before, we had all of these same conversations forming. Sure enough we lost to Vandy at the end of the season and had another 5-7 season. It hurt for sure. But it hurt a lot more for the people that were looking only at the record. For the rest of us, it wasn't hard to notice that the 2013 5-7 team was way better than the 2012 5-7 team. They finished games instead of rolling over in the fourth. There was young talent on the team. The program was moving forward. As long as you still have forward momentum at this point, don't get all bent out of shape if the record doesn't jump up right away. It's a long process in the SEC

[gerntz]

Great post, B_V. Thanks.

[Brother_Vol]

Great post, B_V. Thanks.

Now that being said, I think there are plenty of reasons to be a little higher on UK than the last couple years. I think 6 regular season wins is a very realistic goal with a possible swing of a game one way or the other. So, in my mind, the difference between 5-7 and 7-5 could be as little as a good or bad break or two. So if they don't go your way, no chicken little the sky is falling reaction. And if they do yall will have one of the most optimistic off seasons in a while. (So long as basketball season is going well anyway lol)

[Spiritof96]

IMO you have to find another way to see improvement other than record. That isn't always easy because record is the most tangible way to see improvement from one year to another. This seems similar to UT a couple years ago. Coming off of a 5-7 the year before, we had all of these same conversations forming. Sure enough we lost to Vandy at the end of the season and had another 5-7 season. It hurt for sure. But it hurt a lot more for the people that were looking only at the record. For the rest of us, it wasn't hard to notice that the 2013 5-7 team was way better than the 2012 5-7 team. They finished games instead of rolling over in the fourth. There was young talent on the team. The program was moving forward. As long as you still have forward momentum at this point, don't get all bent out of shape if the record doesn't jump up right away. It's a long process in the SEC

Great post. I agree with your assessment. I don't think most football UK football fans will. Posts got pretty negative as the team lost out to finish last season.

[Brother_Vol]

Great post. I agree with your assessment. I don't think most football UK football fans will. Posts got pretty negative as the team lost out to finish last season.

It's hard not to look at it that way. Believe me, I get it. But patience will go much further than pitchforks right now. There is finally a good coach at the helm. And I think a lot of the problem at the end last year was inexperience. Finishing out games and the season is the hardest part. The way the Cat's schedule usually seems to finish out doesn't help either. I think getting Florida at your place early this year will be huge!

[SBCatMan]

There is no question but that the program is headed in the right direction. And, there is no question that, no matter what the record this year, Stoops is safe with the administration. I also think that, barring an unforeseen total collapse, CMS is relatively safe with the greatest portion of the fan base. What would concern me -- and notice I use the conditional term "would" -- is what a total collapse would do on the recruiting trail. However, I expect this to be a moot point, because as Gerntz implied earlier in the thread, "why are we even having this conversation?" It's that ol' Kentucky insecurity coming out. But, we'll banish that eventually. (I hope).

[gerntz]

It's hard not to look at it that way. Believe me, I get it. But patience will go much further than pitchforks right now. There is finally a good coach at the helm. And I think a lot of the problem at the end last year was inexperience. Finishing out games and the season is the hardest part. The way the Cat's schedule usually seems to finish out doesn't help either. I think getting Florida at your place early this year will be huge!

OK, I'm quickly getting tired of saying great post to a Vol. Just stop it.

[RV]

We're better across the board and the biggest contributor to last season's melt down, lack of depth, has been addressed adequately. Therefore I'm expecting a bowl appearance and I wouldn't be all that surprised with as many as 9 wins - AND - ours is one game you shouldn't take for granted Brother Vol.

[Brother_Vol]

OK, I'm quickly getting tired of saying great post to a Vol. Just stop it.

Hahaha! We'll have our week to not get along soon enough. It's still summer for now though