The Goat Pen

I'm not saying Phillips is a good coach or anything, but hasn't he only been there for one season to this point? Not that he set the world on fire last year, but unless the bottom falls out this year, I don't see why he shouldn't get another season to try to develop and win with more of his own players.

Joker was the coach-in-waiting for a couple of years with more authority into recruiting and program direction than most assistants. Because of that, fairly or unfairly, fans expect more out of him sooner.

sardis wrote:

Fifer wrote:I'm starting to think ND would do better in the Big Ten conference. What they're doing now sure as hell isn't working.

Welcome to the "everyone else besides Notre Dame fans understand this" party...

Heh. Zing.

"If I were an alum of Ole Miss or Kentucky, not only would I help get him on campus, I would personally donate money for a utility shed so that he could punish the diva snowflake children of semi-famous sports figures as he sees fit."

Heh too.

Leach was also an assistant at UK at one time.

Phillips was an assistant with no head coaching experience and was expected to at least maintain status quo but his play calling is conservative and his player evaluation are suspect.

While UK fans may have unrealistic expectations about UK's place in SEC football, we can't sink back to doormat because of him.

He should be let go ASAP

At UK football is just something to busy yourself with until October. It's never been a priority.

people say that but UK fans sell out every home game.

They take UK football seriously. Its a shame our administration doesn't.

Like I said, it's something to do until basketball.

Except, UK fans support the football program too well to settle for mediocrity. They routinely get around 68K - 70K per home game. They travel pretty well for medicore bowl games (granted, they usually only have to travel to Memphis, Birmingham, Nashville, Atlanta etc). At this point, there's no reason they shouldn't expect to do at least as well as what South Carolina or Ole Miss has done over the past few years. Expecting a ten-win season every four to five seasons shouldn't be out of the question.

Hell, there's no real difference between UK and Okie State, and we can all see the level of success that the Cowpokes have had, particularly since 2002.

At UK its still "Just football"

At Tennessee, it's still just basketeball, but they've supported it enough to where they were a legititmate Top 15 program from about 2007 to last season. UK should at least be getting somewhere in that area with the football program. Yes, I know, Bruce Pearl proved to be anything but forthright, but still...

and UK has proven we don't care about forthright either when it comes to football

hell, many fans want Butch Davis

There is talk that Butch is just planning on hanging it up and doing tv work. His future in collegiate coaching depends on the October 28th hearing and whether or not he is issued a "Show Cause," which I don't think will happen.

He was at our game on Saturday sitting in the box with Deems May and Charlie Lourdermilk (his name is on the new Blue Zone). The team gave Butch the game ball (he wasn't in the locker-room) and will send it to him.

Maryland's uniforms....good god damn....

Hizzy III wrote:At Tennessee, it's still just basketeball, but they've supported it enough to where they were a legititmate Top 15 program from about 2007 to last season. UK should at least be getting somewhere in that area with the football program. Yes, I know, Bruce Pearl proved to be anything but forthright, but still...

With only 12 players on a basketball team as compared to 100 on a CFB team, its a whole lot eaisier to build a basketball program. Its why little schools like Butler can compete at the top level. Lets' see 'em do that in football.

Kentucky is a small state to start with. In the state of Kentucky there are less than 200 high schools even play football. Mnay rural county schools field a basketball team only. No other sports. The best athletes play basketball. They don't have the in state little leagues and high programs to even begin to compete for a top spot in CFB. Recruiting out of state, they are caught between the super powers of the SEC and the Big Ten. If you had potential NFL talent would you go to Kentucky? Or would you play for Tennessee or Ohio State? The University fathers way back in the 1920's saw this and put their efforts into building a great basketball program, for one main reason, BECAUSE IT COULD BE DONE. They knew way back then Kentucky would have a very difficult time competing in football, and the situation has changed very little to this day.

If you don't believe me, go back and read Bear Bryants book. At the end of his recounting the Kentucky years he said " It takes a very special man to win at a school like Kentucky. You just don't have the in state talent, you have to recruit out of state like crazy, and your up against it in the SEC." He wrote that book 30 years ago. I kinda think he knew what he was talking about.

Trust me I've suffered with Kentucky football since 1972. A break even season most years and a good team that can win 8 or 9 games about once a decade is about the best that can possible be done.

Best so far...

lol

I don't expect UK to ever be a top tier team in the SEC.

I'd love an opportunity to be the occasional top 20 team and always be a tough out at home for Florida, UT and Georgia - and just take for granted we'll beat Vandy.

We saw what someone with a plan on recruiting did at UL with John L. and Petrino. They filled the roster with guys who had a chip on their shoulder about not being at the best schools and then made sure scheduling wise they had a chance to prove themselves.

Our problem is we have too many fans that are thrilled to go to the Kroger Brand Pork-n-Beans bowl or some other made for TV crapfest that didn't exist 20 years ago. We should be hoping for a New Years day bowl (or equivalent) instead of hitting this 6 win mark that makes us "bowl eligible"

The term bowl eligible being applied to our season should not constitute success at UK.