TheCatsDomain.Com Message Boards: Lot at stake against UT and Louisville

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Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 11-12-2014, 08:41 AM:

Until we get more depth at most every position we will have a tough time sustaining a winning program. We got off to a good start this season but injuries started and our momentum disappeared. We still have a ways to go to be able to play well for a complete season but if we continue to bring in better players our chances of becoming a viable threat in the SEC will get better and better.

Whatever happens in Kentucky's final two football games of the year, Saturday at Tennessee and Nov. 29 at Louisville, what UK has already done in 2014 is program progress.

With five wins, the Wildcats (5-5) have won more games than they did in 2012 and '13 (four) combined.

After going 0-16 in SEC games in the prior two seasons, Kentucky has two league victories so far in 2014.

Yet with the Wildcats amidst a four-game losing streak in which they've been outscored 169-75, a celebration of "progress" is about the last thing one senses with UK football fans right now.

For Mark Stoops, this feels like the first real period of testing in his still young head coaching career.

While going 2-10 in 2013, Stoops and staff got (and deserved) a free pass based on having inherited a program that was near rock bottom.

In the first six games of this year, UK produced five wins, beat South Carolina and came achingly close to besting Florida before falling in triple overtime on the road.

That fast start coupled with all the good vibrations Stoops has created with perceived recruiting success stamped UK football as a program on the rise.

Four straight losses later, the perception of UK football as an up-and-comer looks a bit wobbly.

Against a schedule back-loaded with difficult games, Kentucky has performed like a see-saw.

In a 41-3 loss at LSU, the UK defense fought hard, especially early, but the offense looked overmatched.

The following week, while losing 45-31 to No. 1 Mississippi State, the Kentucky offense was potent, but the defense got throttled.

During a 20-10 loss at Missouri, the defense kept the Wildcats alive but the offense was punchless.

Then, in the embarrassing 63-31 loss to Georgia Saturday, the Kentucky D literally did not stop the Bulldogs one time, while the Cats offense showed some life.

"It's been the offense playing well, then the defense playing well, trading off," Stoops said Monday at his weekly news conference. "We have not put it all together."

The Kentucky special teams and its coach, newcomer Craig Naivar, have become lightning rods for fan criticism during the losing skid. The Wildcats have allowed four kick-return touchdowns in the past four games — two on punts, two on kickoffs (one of them coming on an onside kick vs. Mississippi State).

For me, the goal of the 2014 Kentucky season has always been for the Wildcats to play well enough that Stoops and his staff can maintain recruiting momentum. The blowout losses to LSU and Georgia and the listless offensive effort at Missouri could have imperiled that.

Tennessee and Louisville are opportunities for UK to flip the narrative back in a more positive direction. "We have two big rival games left," Stoops said. "Let's put that together and go have a great week."

Winning at least one of the games would mean bowl eligibility for UK. Whatever happens, the Cats need to play well enough against The Rocky Toppers and The Ville to leave a better taste than currently exists about the arc of their season.

Link

[ 11-12-2014, 08:45 AM: Message edited by: catmandoo ]

Posted by Green-Bean (Member # 13551) on 11-12-2014, 09:26 AM:

The thing that bothers me, the sec is so strong, can someone tell me who we are going to beat to get more than 5 wins, how many times will we beat south Carolina, now that was a good win, but south Carolina more times than not will just get better. the sec east is down a lot this year, but folks the sec east will get stronger and quick, this was the year and is the year if we are going to get tenn. they have progressed since day one, we have regressed, the last few games. I guess we will see Saturday, and Louisville is a good football team, and they are getting good recruits too, so it will be hard to get 6 wins every year.we must get a great offensive line. in the trenches is where u win in sec. jmo.

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 11-12-2014, 10:59 PM:

G-B, this is one of our better chances at getting a bowl bid but we have to play better than we have of late. Hopefully this weekend will be the game we come out of our funk and play some football.

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-13-2014, 06:43 AM:

The defense needs to play out of their minds this weekend!

Posted by Green-Bean (Member # 13551) on 11-13-2014, 09:28 AM:

yea MH THE DEFENSE AND SPECIAL TEAMS MUST PLAY THEIR BEST. WE CANNOT LET TENN DO WHAT GEORGIA DID AND GET UP ON US. WE HAVE DONE THAT ALOT THIS YEAR. WE CAN BEAT TENN, BUT IT WILL TAKE OUR BEST EFFORT.

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 11-13-2014, 09:30 AM:

I guess our best might be a win over Louisville.

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-13-2014, 08:42 PM:

I'd like to see us win both of those games

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 11-14-2014, 01:13 PM:

We all would like to see us win two games but at this point winning one game and going to a bowl would be a little more realistic.

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2014, 10:52 PM:

Special teams needs to step it up tomorrow! No more missteps. This is for real!

Posted by boomdaddy (Member # 2644) on 11-15-2014, 06:28 AM:

I am no D1 coach,nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, but I believe the Cats are beating themselves.

They had a bit of swagger to start the season and even gave Florida all they wanted in the swamp.

The offense has went to crap, defense has been porous, and the special teams have not been special.

I truly believe if they quit shooting themselves in the foot, they can win the last two games. The problem is that they have been terrible the last three games. One mistake after another. In football, one mistake can cost the whole game.

The offense should not be this bad, imho. We have announcers touting the QB as a future pro? Are you kidding me? They struggle to move the ball down the field. I don't think the staff has forgotten how to coach. It is gut check time and this is where the program can make its mark. The O needs to put up at least 30 plus in each of these last two games, to give them a chance to win.

Posted by Green-Bean (Member # 13551) on 11-15-2014, 11:16 AM:

24--21 ky.

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-15-2014, 12:26 PM:

31-24 Kentucky!!

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 11-15-2014, 03:01 PM:

21-17 Kentucky