Re: UK Football 2020: Turning the Corner
Quote:
Originally Posted by
adkindo
I think the SEC East is on the upswing....I expect it to be much stronger in the near future compared to the recent past. Georgia is not going anywhere, while UF and Tennessee appear to be making strides to reclaiming their position in the SEC
The problem with UK football is that while Stoops has tremendously improved the program, no matter how much he improves it, it will never be enough to get over the hump. Everyone else keeps improving too.
Georgia is at the top of the pyramid right now but Florida will be the team that knocks them off if it does happen. Tennessee is paying two former head coaches to go away but they will spend to get back to the top. Kentucky at best is fighting in the middle tier in the East with South Carolina and Missouri. Vanderbilt will always be a doormat unless Derek Mason becomes James Franklin overnight.
Re: UK Football 2020: Turning the Corner
How is Louisville under "less likely" in your mind WV? Weve beaten them a combined 101-23 the last 2 seasons and won 3 of the last 4. UK has the bulk of our roster returning. Did UofL find some eligibility for Lamar Im not aware of? We are going to absolutely embarass them this year. I honestly expect a better game from Vanderbilt with Masons job being on the line, thats not blue tinted hyperbole either. UofL has some seeeerious work to do before we can take them serious again.
Re: UK Football 2020: Turning the Corner
Quote:
Originally Posted by
WVRed
The problem with UK football is that while Stoops has tremendously improved the program, no matter how much he improves it, it will never be enough to get over the hump. Everyone else keeps improving too.
Georgia is at the top of the pyramid right now but Florida will be the team that knocks them off if it does happen. Tennessee is paying two former head coaches to go away but they will spend to get back to the top. Kentucky at best is fighting in the middle tier in the East with South Carolina and Missouri. Vanderbilt will always be a doormat unless Derek Mason becomes James Franklin overnight.
Disagree slightly.
Moving forward, the Gators and Vols are probably going to be superior over the course of a decade-long stretch, but Kentucky will be competitive. It would not shock me if the Cats ended up knocking off both clubs in, say, one season out of ten. (Or perhaps two out of ten.)
Basically, I think it will end up being the basketball rivalry in reverse-- a blue blood advantage in the win column, but respectable, tough, hard-fought games nearly all the time.
That puts Kentucky on its own level ahead of Missouri and South Carolina (who UK's beaten in 10 of the last 11 meetings combined) and Vandy.
This season, btw, may well see that Blue Moon. Kentucky returns the best offensive line in the SEC-- and it's not particularly close. Two guys grade out as All-SEC 1st Team (and deserve All-American hype), and the rest are big, agile, effective, and experienced. UK loses three starters on both sides of the ball and a bit of quality depth, but, overall, the talent level has never been as high as it is this season in Lexington.
The running backs will be good. Both lines should be outstanding. QB pressure should be constant. The LB corps are very good, and a coverage squad that was among the nation's best is back almost in its entirety (and adds top-flight talent). The QB is experienced.
They need Wilson to emerge as a near All-SEC performer to have a special season, but, if you squint, it's certainly possible. He has all the tools.
The schedule is set up nicely, though most of the tough games are away from home.
My guesses at the games:
Near Automatic Wins (But This Is Kentucky): 4
Eastern Michigan (This type of team has proven difficult in the past, but first game should see experience and talent trump underdog.)
Kent State (More talented team at home is a pretty easy call.)
Eastern Illinois (Easiest game on schedule, perhaps. Clearly at a talent disadvantage to Cats.)
Vanderbilt (Kentucky wins almost all talent, depth, and experience match-ups. At home helps make this non-competitive.)
Momentum Says Cats: 4
South Carolina (Cats won five of last six. At home.)
at Missouri (Cats won last five. May be closer than Cats' fans would like.)
Mississippi State (Less sure about this, but Cats won last two at home.)
at Louisville (UK clearly better, more talented the past two seasons. Profile to be same this year.)
Stranger Things Have Happened: 3
at Florida (Lots of returning starters and talent makes this one a tough lift. The schedule helps Kentucky a bit, if no injuries.)
at Auburn (On experience, Kentucky has the advantage. AU a ton of talent, but it's Auburn, so talent leans that way. At Auburn.)
at Tennessee (UK should have won last season. This one is away. It's the most winnable of the three here. Lots of talent returns, but skill positions are questionable. Were this played in the first couple of games, I'd feel better about Kentucky's chances.)
Not Yet There: 1
Georgia (Lost a lot of talent, but clearly a tier or two above everyone in the East right now.)
That's 8-4, yet another solid bowl game, and arguably the best sustained run of Kentucky football ever.
Re: UK Football 2020: Turning the Corner
Quote:
Originally Posted by
UKWhoDey
How is Louisville under "less likely" in your mind WV? Weve beaten them a combined 101-23 the last 2 seasons and won 3 of the last 4. UK has the bulk of our roster returning. Did UofL find some eligibility for Lamar Im not aware of? We are going to absolutely embarass them this year. I honestly expect a better game from Vanderbilt with Masons job being on the line, thats not blue tinted hyperbole either. UofL has some seeeerious work to do before we can take them serious again.
Two reasons:
It’s at Louisville
And Louisville is the betting favorite in that game at least for right now.
That said, Louisville is expected to turn the corner this year. Doesn’t mean they will. For all we know Scott Satterfield will be another Steve Kragthorpe. It’s all fluid and could change.
Re: UK Football 2020: Turning the Corner
Quote:
Originally Posted by
WVRed
That said, Louisville is expected to turn the corner this year.
Kentucky returns far more talent-- and talent at premium positions. Kentucky also recruited better (and should see many of those recruits play large roles this season).
UK's offensive line v. Louisville's defensive line is a huge mismatch. The entirety of Louisville's defense was porous last season and didn't get much help. Their offense dominated against lesser opponents, but largely proved middling against tougher competition. Kentucky's defense will probably be the second toughest Louisville faces all year.
The clear advantage should go to Kentucky.
Re: UK Football 2020: Turning the Corner
Developing:
US Marshals, DEA searching Lynn Bowden’s home in Youngstown https://kentuckysportsradio.com/foot...in-youngstown/
Re: UK Football 2020: Turning the Corner
Quote:
Originally Posted by
WVRed
Two reasons:
It’s at Louisville
And Louisville is the betting favorite in that game at least for right now.
That said, Louisville is expected to turn the corner this year. Doesn’t mean they will. For all we know Scott Satterfield will be another Steve Kragthorpe. It’s all fluid and could change.
Im not buying what youre selling. Maybe they give us a decent game, but UK is clearly head and shoulders above them right now. Their recruiting hasn't been that hot either quite frankly.
Re: UK Football 2020: Turning the Corner
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Bourgeois Zee
Kentucky returns far more talent-- and talent at premium positions. Kentucky also recruited better (and should see many of those recruits play large roles this season).
UK's offensive line v. Louisville's defensive line is a huge mismatch. The entirety of Louisville's defense was porous last season and didn't get much help. Their offense dominated against lesser opponents, but largely proved middling against tougher competition. Kentucky's defense will probably be the second toughest Louisville faces all year.
The clear advantage should go to Kentucky.
Bingo.
Re: UK Football 2020: Turning the Corner
Quote:
Originally Posted by
UKWhoDey
Im not buying what youre selling. Maybe they give us a decent game, but UK is clearly head and shoulders above them right now. Their recruiting hasn't been that hot either quite frankly.
Again, I’m going by the (very) early Vegas lines. Once the season actually starts and we see where we (and they) are, I’m sure my opinion will change.
My concern heading into this season is who will inevitably go down to injury in training camp. Seems like it happens every year.
Re: UK Football 2020: Turning the Corner
Quote:
Originally Posted by
WVRed
Again, I’m going by the (very) early Vegas lines. Once the season actually starts and we see where we (and they) are, I’m sure my opinion will change.
My concern heading into this season is who will inevitably go down to injury in training camp. Seems like it happens every year.
Nope. Lol Drink the blue kool aid. Betting against Vegas was extremely profitable for UK homers last year. I certainly cleaned up. UofLs win total might look impressive turnaround wise but the reality is their schedule was atrocious. And they looked equally atrocious against even middling competition. Missouri is a bigger potential upstart w/Drink coaching them now than UofL. We'll see.
Re: UK Football 2020: Turning the Corner
Quote:
Originally Posted by
WildcatFan
Fortunately the SEC East has fallen way behind the West. It's not inconceivable for the Cats to get to an SEC title game at some point in the next three years.
For what it's worth, here are Vegas's current odds:
Clemson – 11/4
Ohio State – 11/4
Alabama – 5/1
Georgia – 8/1
Florida – 12/1
Oklahoma – 16/1
Notre Dame –30/1
Oregon – 30/1
Penn State – 30/1
Texas – 30/1
Texas A&M – 30/1
Auburn – 40/1
LSU – 40/1
The SEC East has 2 teams in the top 5
Re: UK Football 2020: Turning the Corner
Quote:
Originally Posted by
WVRed
The problem with UK football is that while Stoops has tremendously improved the program, no matter how much he improves it, it will never be enough to get over the hump. Everyone else keeps improving too.
I get it. I will look at some video's and images of facility renovations and improvements @ WVU that costs tens of millions of dollars which will give me some confidence.....then I will see the massive new complex Florida is building or Georgia's new IPF, and realize we are treading water at best. It is a constant arms race (especially in football), and nearly impossible to catch up. WVU has spent and spent....and only climbed to around the middle of the B12 in facilities.....would be in the bottom 3rd of the SEC.
UK Football 2020: Turning the Corner
Quote:
Originally Posted by
adkindo
I get it. I will look at some video's and images of facility renovations and improvements @ WVU that costs tens of millions of dollars which will give me some confidence.....then I will see the massive new complex Florida is building or Georgia's new IPF, and realize we are treading water at best. It is a constant arms race (especially in football), and nearly impossible to catch up. WVU has spent and spent....and only climbed to around the middle of the B12 in facilities.....would be in the bottom 3rd of the SEC.
I get why WVU jumped to the Big 12 but the death of the Big East was the death of WVU Football as you and other WVU fans knew it. Once that happened WVU had to find a home and the options available they didn’t fit culturally (ACC) or geographically (SEC, Big 12). Going to the AAC would have been a death sentence.
If you want to feel frustrated, look at recruiting. Kentucky is ranked 25th on 247. Looks great until you consider Georgia (1), Alabama (2), LSU (4), Texas A&M (6), Auburn (7), Florida (9), Tennessee (10), and South Carolina (18) rank ahead of them. Top 25 but 5th best in recruiting in their own conference.
Should mention everything will likely change come signing day but this has been the norm of Kentucky football.
Re: UK Football 2020: Turning the Corner
So, there's football in Kentucky, right?
Re: UK Football 2020: Turning the Corner
Well that sucked.
Hope Gatewood is ruled eligible soon. Terry Wilson doesn’t have Benny Snell or Lynn Bowden to bail him out. Three turnovers and two were by Wilson.
Don’t understand Eddie Gran not utilizing Kaviosey Smoke more either.