Sad that it's come to this

[blueheretic]

I am sad that it has come to this.

Just two short years ago, I thought Stoops would go out on "top". One more 10 win season and ride off into the sunset.

I really think his mother dying in so prolonged a manner really took something out of him. That's when the change occurred.

I think he should have stepped away at that time. He probably didn't realize what it would do to him.

A lot ceases to matter for folks when parents pass. It's one of THE crucibles of life and some folks simply do not fully recover. Few recover swiftly. Losing a parent or a sibling is excruciatingly painful.

It's just sad. I wanted it to end differently.

Now, it's going to be extremely difficult to separate Stoops from the Buyout...ever. I'm always going to feel like he ripped Kentucky Football off and took advantage of the fan base. In a sense, Kentucky signed the contract. Pay him what you idiotically owe him. In another sense, he hasn't earned it and he's holding the program for ransom. I won't forget that.

I blame Barnhart as much as anyone.

[bthaunert]

Stoops also took full advantage of an SEC that was down for a bit too in terms of the depth of the conference and who UK played. If you look at his schedule then compare it to now, it's night and day. To his credit, he took full advantage of it! Ranked teams that UK played in the regular season during his run, which started in 2016:

Run of successful seasons
2016 - #2 Alabama, #11 UL
2017 - #20 Florida, #7 Georgia
2018 - #25 Florida, #14 MSU, #6 Georgia
2019 - #9 Florida, #10 Georgia
2021 - #10 Florida, #1 Georgia

Decline
2022 - #12 Florida, #14 Ole Miss, #16 MSU, #1 Georgia, #3 Tennessee, #25 Louisville
2023 - #22 Florida, #1 Georgia, #21 Tennessee, #8 Alabama, #10 Louisville
2024 - #1 Georgia, #6 Ole Miss, #7 Tennessee, #3 Texas
2025 - #20 Ole Miss, #12 Georgia, #21 Texas, #17 Tennessee, #9 Vanderbilt, #16 Louisville

It's not even close how much harder the schedule got.

[Jaxcat]

Good point. I'm still scratching my head as to how IU and Vandy not only caught and passed us in just a few years, but we may be so far behind them currently that we don't even show up in their rearview mirror. Yes, I get the portal was kind to them. But, Vandagriff was rated much higher than Pavia and Mendoza coming out of HS and had a couple of years practicing against elite competition at UGa. Yet, he gets here, gets his brains beat in, has a pitiful OC (who seemingly has improved, TBF), and ends up QUITTING football. We've had several other transfers that, on paper, looked like a great get who ended up being not much.

IU these past couple of years has definitely benefited from easier B10 schedule. But, when's the last time we traveled to #3's stadium and beat them? Elite level coaching and coaching with a specific plan in place has thrust those two programs well ahead of UK. It's gonna take a while for us to recover, although I believe neither IU nor Vandy can sustain their current level for long.

[EKYCat]

Good point. I'm still scratching my head as to how IU and Vandy not only caught and passed us in just a few years, but we may be so far behind them currently that we don't even show up in their rearview mirror. Yes, I get the portal was kind to them. But, Vandagriff was rated much higher than Pavia and Mendoza coming out of HS and had a couple of years practicing against elite competition at UGa. Yet, he gets here, gets his brains beat in, has a pitiful OC (who seemingly has improved, TBF), and ends up QUITTING football. We've had several other transfers that, on paper, looked like a great get who ended up being not much.

IU these past couple of years has definitely benefited from easier B10 schedule. But, when's the last time we traveled to #3's stadium and beat them? Elite level coaching and coaching with a specific plan in place has thrust those two programs well ahead of UK. It's gonna take a while for us to recover, although I believe neither IU nor Vandy can sustain their current level for long.

With the portal and the right coach in place, UK could theoretically be in the same position Vandy is in right now in very short order. Gone are the days when it took 4 solid recruiting classes to be competitive. It just takes the right scheme and the right players and some money. IU and Vandy are proof.

[Sjslhill]

Good point. I'm still scratching my head as to how IU and Vandy not only caught and passed us in just a few years, but we may be so far behind them currently that we don't even show up in their rearview mirror. Yes, I get the portal was kind to them. But, Vandagriff was rated much higher than Pavia and Mendoza coming out of HS and had a couple of years practicing against elite competition at UGa. Yet, he gets here, gets his brains beat in, has a pitiful OC (who seemingly has improved, TBF), and ends up QUITTING football. We've had several other transfers that, on paper, looked like a great get who ended up being not much.

IU these past couple of years has definitely benefited from easier B10 schedule. But, when's the last time we traveled to #3's stadium and beat them? Elite level coaching and coaching with a specific plan in place has thrust those two programs well ahead of UK. It's gonna take a while for us to recover, although I believe neither IU nor Vandy can sustain their current level for long.

IU equals Mark Cuban $$$ and weak schedule
Vandy equals QB for one. The coaches must be better as well. $$$ coming from alumni?

[Sjslhill]

I bought season tickets when Curry was hired. I thought wow, he was 10-1 at Alabama and got fired as I recall. I thought he’ll be able to recruit a great team. Well, that didn’t work out so well. In come Hal Mumme and it was very exciting for awhile. They fired Mumme for basically nothing and that was it for me. I didn’t like Morris, Brooks or Joker.

[bthaunert]

I bought season tickets when Curry was hired. I thought wow, he was 10-1 at Alabama and got fired as I recall. I thought he’ll be able to recruit a great team. Well, that didn’t work out so well. In come Hal Mumme and it was very exciting for awhile. They fired Mumme for basically nothing and that was it for me. I didn’t like Morris, Brooks or Joker.

I would be interested in your take on firing Mumme for "basically nothing".

[Matt Dillon]

I bought season tickets when Curry was hired. I thought wow, he was 10-1 at Alabama and got fired as I recall. I thought he’ll be able to recruit a great team. Well, that didn’t work out so well. In come Hal Mumme and it was very exciting for awhile. They fired Mumme for basically nothing and that was it for me. I didn’t like Morris, Brooks or Joker.

I was excited by the Curry hire because he was coming from Bama. Like you say, Mumme ball was exciting at first but I didn't expect it to last. The word defense wasn't in his vocabulary plus I figured it was only a matter of time until the better def. coaches would figure him out. I liked Morris' results. I wish he had stayed longer. I had misgivings about Joker from the start. I liked coach Brooks. I wish he had been younger and would have stayed longer.

[davtay]

I bought season tickets when Curry was hired. I thought wow, he was 10-1 at Alabama and got fired as I recall. I thought he’ll be able to recruit a great team. Well, that didn’t work out so well. In come Hal Mumme and it was very exciting for awhile. They fired Mumme for basically nothing and that was it for me. I didn’t like Morris, Brooks or Joker.

Alabama did not fire Bill Curry. They may not have been sad to see him leave... but he was not fired.

[Jload]

I was excited by the Curry hire because he was coming from Bama. Like you say, Mumme ball was exciting at first but I didn't expect it to last. The word defense wasn't in his vocabulary plus I figured it was only a matter of time until the better def. coaches would figure him out. I liked Morris' results. I wish he had stayed longer. I had misgivings about Joker from the start. I liked coach Brooks. I wish he had been younger and would have stayed longer.

I was shocked by Curry failing so spectacularly here. A good friend of mine sent his son to UK football camp under Phillips,came back with some stories that solidified my fears about him. Brooks was a good coach for us. Guy Morris getting away was Barnharts first huge misstep IMO. My favorite coach at UK was Jerry Claiborne