Reese Phillips transferring as well

[Matt Dillon]

Kiel also had two head/neck injuries this season. I'm not sure coach Stoops would want to hang his hat on a player like that.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/13881223/cincinnati-bearcats-open-qb-competition-gunner-kiel-hayden-moore

[SBCatMan]

Kiel originally committed to IU, which was virtually his home town team. He then backed out of THAT commitment and gave his pledge to LSU. Only problem, on NSD he signed with notre dame, never telling LSU of his change of heart. When THAT did not work out, he transferred to Cincy. His has been a LONG, strange journey. I have to think he will have graduated soon, if not already. And, if Gram comes over, who knows? But, IF he comes, it will not be as an insurance policy. So then, what happens with Barker?

[Matt Dillon]

Getting back to Reese, it appears he's going to take the FCS route. He also says he was going to transfer before his injury but decided not to. Here's an eye opener, he echos Towles' sentiments about coach Dawson. He states he learned a lot from coach Dawson and they became close. He said the decision to fire coach Dawson is the reason he's leaving. He said he doesn't want to be at UK now that coach Dawson is gone.

http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/30833384...r-destinations

[Lighthouse]

We are beginning to find out things we don't need in our FB program.

[Matt Dillon]

We are beginning to find out things we don't need in our FB program.

Correct, my friend. First the team dissension thing, and now finding out that the former OC was highly popular with the first and third string QB's, and who knows who else. We'll probably never know how close this year's team came to a complete and total meltdown. It's amazing they were able to win five games, in my opinion.

[teamchemistry15]

Getting back to Reese, it appears he's going to take the FCS route. He also says he was going to transfer before his injury but decided not to. Here's an eye opener, he echos Towles' sentiments about coach Dawson. He states he learned a lot from coach Dawson and they became close. He said the decision to fire coach Dawson is the reason he's leaving. He said he doesn't want to be at UK now that coach Dawson is gone.

http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/30833384...r-destinations

Coach Dawson wasn't here when he came to UK so I don't buy that as the main reason. Especially if he considered it before. I always hate to lose players like this though and wish him nothing but the best.

[Brasslock]

I seem to recall that Randy Sanders really liked Reese.He went to Chattanooga to watch him work out.

[40bill]

Its real easy to say you loved a particular coach after you leave. Being with a coach that didn't recruit you for one year then saying his being released is the reason you're transferring doesn't quite wash with me.
I kind of think the more telling thing is that young Mr.Phillips stated he was going to transfer before he was injured. The rest is imho just trying to throw some gas on the coals.

[Blue Heaven]

Good luck to you Reese. I'm not liking the smell that has been released since Towles and now Phillips decided to transfer. I had the feeling all along that the problem was Stoops and Elliot. It seems as though I might've been right. It's really a shame that the buyout is as ridiculous as it is because Kentucky has no chooce but to see this through.

[bigblue4life]

Getting back to Reese, it appears he's going to take the FCS route. He also says he was going to transfer before his injury but decided not to. Here's an eye opener, he echos Towles' sentiments about coach Dawson. He states he learned a lot from coach Dawson and they became close. He said the decision to fire coach Dawson is the reason he's leaving. He said he doesn't want to be at UK now that coach Dawson is gone.

http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/30833384...r-destinations

Thanks for sharing that link. I would be pretty happy to see Reese go to McNeese St. My wife and I both have degrees from there. Plus, McNeese is a quality FCS program.

[RV]

Good luck to you Reese. I'm not liking the smell that has been released since Towles and now Phillips decided to transfer. I had the feeling all along that the problem was Stoops and Elliot. It seems as though I might've been right. It's really a shame that the buyout is as ridiculous as it is because Kentucky has no chooce but to see this through.

Pray tell. How would the two QB's transferring have anything to do with Elliot?

As for your further assertion, Stoops will be fine IMO. The most difficult part is learning on the job in the toughest conference in the land.

[Joneslab]

More from Phillips.

Sounds like there may have been a schism between Stoops' guys and Dawson's guys. I have to admit when I heard Stoops in his last call-in show with Tom Leach that it was strange that he was referring to Barker as his starter. I know they probably wanted to hand it over to a guy much earlier than they have the last couple of years, but you obviously run the risk of just driving away the back-up(s) when you name the starter in November...which obviously has happened.

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/s...ptions/342103/

[KevinHall]

UK had better hope Barker stays healthy next season. If not it may be a bad,bad season with a backup that has no experience at all in the SEC.

[boomdaddy]

I am a big fan of hitting the juco talent, when you are trying to turn things around. I thought the staff should have gotten a juco QB the last two seasons and it costs them, waiting for a QB to blossom and it never materialized.

[Blue Heaven]

Pray tell. How would the two QB's transferring have anything to do with Elliot?

As for your further assertion, Stoops will be fine IMO. The most difficult part is learning on the job in the toughest conference in the land.

Just a hunch and nothing more. Most fans all year were crying for Dawson's head. I felt he was never the problem. The biggest gripe all year, amongst others, was the inability to involve Conrad. When the guy has to stay in and block because the O Line was terrible then I don't feel like that was Dawson's problem. Then you have 2 QB's transfer who admittedly liked Dawson, then it's not too hard to see where this is going. Really it was a multitude of problems. Bad clock/game management, special teams disaster, WRs who couldn't catch a cold, etc. . Seems Stoops listened to the fans and showed Dawson the door. Big mistake. I felt that Eliot was numero uno, followed by a special teams coach. There were things Stoops did that was baffling. Timeouts like that one on a punt took the cake. Plus it always was the defense who couldn't get guys in on time. How many times were defenders running in and out? Way too much. Seemed like every game. Also, let's take the youngest most talented depleted team in the league and only play 3!!! down lineman on defense. A recipe for disaster if you ask me. Eliot didn't deserve another year while Dawson did IMO.