IMO, both White and Hamdan need to be seriously reevaluated on their performance these past two years.
The OL has NOT been very good and is absolutely dumbfounded when a team mixes up its blitzes and stunts. I understand if the defender is just physically better than our OL. But, in the face of a stunt or unusual blitz, to just get blown by without so much as putting a hat on a defender is the fault of the OL coach, i.e., Wolford. Somehow he has a reputation as being a solid OL coach and a top-notch recruiter, but I've yet to see either. Supposedly a couple of the FR OL have been really excelling in practice (which, of course, begs the question: why aren't they on the field?) but we've all heard that BS for decades. We've had a lot of practice and B/W All-Americans over the years who've looked vastly overmatched on Saturdays. I think Wolford's job should be in question, but, lord, Wolford is light years better than Yenser so not sure I'd trust Stoops to hire someone competent. Wolford may be the best we can do with the HC situation.
Stewart with the DL seems to put a decent unit on the field. LBs don't seem to be improving very much from year to year (Mike Stoops). WR unit has improved this year - Dakiel (sp?) should be retained, if he agrees to it. Safteties and CBs - don't know if it's lack of talent or scheme, but they give up way too many easy pitch-and-catch plays for easy yards. If it's scheme, you can't really fault the DB coach if that's what he'd been told to teach/coach.
It would be hard for a coach in Stoops' situation to be able to find an OC and DC for presumably only one year, but I'd seriously consider cutting Hamdan (especially) and White loose. Don't know if he's qualified, but maybe promote Anwar Stewart to DC and bring in Ed Orgeron to coach DL and recruit like a maniac. Much like attracting players via the portal in a few weeks, it's going to be very difficult to attract a good coach to come to UK when it all may implode and everyone sent packing after next season.
And all because Barnhart made a horrible decision with the buyout and has essentially hobbled the entire program. And, there was no need to do it. Stoops came here w/out any HC experience and did a pretty good job f0r 10 years. If he'd left to go elsewhere at that point or before, the program was in a vastly better place with facilities, support, talent on the roster than when he arrived. Another G5 HC or P4 coordinator would have had a much easier job maintaining where the program was than attempting to rebuild if from the trash heap that Joker left Stoops. Thus, no need to commit 10s of millions of dollars to Stoops. He is and was not a unicorn. Another coach could have come in after him and continued the momentum, I believe.
The OL has NOT been very good and is absolutely dumbfounded when a team mixes up its blitzes and stunts. I understand if the defender is just physically better than our OL. But, in the face of a stunt or unusual blitz, to just get blown by without so much as putting a hat on a defender is the fault of the OL coach, i.e., Wolford. Somehow he has a reputation as being a solid OL coach and a top-notch recruiter, but I've yet to see either. Supposedly a couple of the FR OL have been really excelling in practice (which, of course, begs the question: why aren't they on the field?) but we've all heard that BS for decades. We've had a lot of practice and B/W All-Americans over the years who've looked vastly overmatched on Saturdays. I think Wolford's job should be in question, but, lord, Wolford is light years better than Yenser so not sure I'd trust Stoops to hire someone competent. Wolford may be the best we can do with the HC situation.
Stewart with the DL seems to put a decent unit on the field. LBs don't seem to be improving very much from year to year (Mike Stoops). WR unit has improved this year - Dakiel (sp?) should be retained, if he agrees to it. Safteties and CBs - don't know if it's lack of talent or scheme, but they give up way too many easy pitch-and-catch plays for easy yards. If it's scheme, you can't really fault the DB coach if that's what he'd been told to teach/coach.
It would be hard for a coach in Stoops' situation to be able to find an OC and DC for presumably only one year, but I'd seriously consider cutting Hamdan (especially) and White loose. Don't know if he's qualified, but maybe promote Anwar Stewart to DC and bring in Ed Orgeron to coach DL and recruit like a maniac. Much like attracting players via the portal in a few weeks, it's going to be very difficult to attract a good coach to come to UK when it all may implode and everyone sent packing after next season.
And all because Barnhart made a horrible decision with the buyout and has essentially hobbled the entire program. And, there was no need to do it. Stoops came here w/out any HC experience and did a pretty good job f0r 10 years. If he'd left to go elsewhere at that point or before, the program was in a vastly better place with facilities, support, talent on the roster than when he arrived. Another G5 HC or P4 coordinator would have had a much easier job maintaining where the program was than attempting to rebuild if from the trash heap that Joker left Stoops. Thus, no need to commit 10s of millions of dollars to Stoops. He is and was not a unicorn. Another coach could have come in after him and continued the momentum, I believe.
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