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Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 09-26-2013, 09:23 AM:

Like the article says even the coach's don't know for sure and are waiting to closer to the game to make the final decision.

Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said that sophomore quarterback Maxwell Smith “threw good” in Wednesday’s practice and had his second straight “good day” after injuring his shoulder in UK’s previous game against Louisville.

“We did keep a pitch count on him again today, but seems to be no effects. Seems to be fine,” said Stoops as UK continued preparations to face visiting Florida Saturday.

However, Stoops would not say if Smith or Jalen Whitlow would start Saturday.

“We haven’t decided yet. No. We really haven’t. Both guys have been getting equal reps this week because of the pitch count and everything else with what we’re doing. So they’ve been equal,” Stoops said.

Offensive coordinator Neal Brown said he did have an “idea” about who would start.

“I want to watch this practice (on videotape) and get through tomorrow and kind of make a call on it,” Brown said.

Brown agreed with Stoops on how Smith has practiced and said he was “almost perfect” in Tuesday’s practice.

“No signs of the injury to me,” Brown said.

Link

Posted by ukcatfannfl (Member # 1425) on 09-26-2013, 03:44 PM:

The problem is he wasn't very good "before" the injury!

Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 09-26-2013, 03:45 PM:

The very fact that Smith got equal reps despite the possible shoulder problem tells me that the staff really wants Smith to start. The offense seems to have a better pace and momentum when he is in the game.

I say Smith starts and plays until his shoulder acts up.

Posted by Trey Ball (Member # 332) on 09-28-2013, 09:38 PM:

Pains me to watch Smith and Whitlow to try and play Quarterback in the SEC. Neither can throw it past 10 yards with any accuracy. I just don't understand the choice at all when you have a kid in Towels who can.

Posted by EnterpriseCat (Member # 2881) on 09-28-2013, 10:10 PM:

Amen, Trey. Pitiful excuse for QB play. UF's RB had more rushing yards than our offense had in total yards. Simply pitiful.

Posted by UKFan_22 (Member # 6216) on 09-28-2013, 10:20 PM:

The problem about Towles is his delivery is just too slow right now. In Neal Brown offense the delivery has to be fast. People are forgetting Reese Phillips. He has a live arm and accurate.

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 09-28-2013, 11:01 PM:

UK-Smith & Whitlow 17-26 65% and 126 yards.
Florida-Murphy 15-18 83% and 156 yards. We lost no doubt about it but our quarterbacks numbers were not that bad considering the rush Florida put on them. They did not have a whole lot of time for receivers to get down field and still were comparable to Florida's numbers.

How about our running game which gained a paltry 48 yards or our defense that gave up over 400 yards of which 250 yards were on the ground. That is where the big disparity really shows up...

Posted by PaulCat (Member # 513) on 09-28-2013, 11:19 PM:

1. Stoops has to pick a QB. Platooning just doesn't work. Pick one and live with it. I actually think Whitlow is better than Smith.

2. Why don't we ever try to run a normal play? Every play is some type of trick play.

3. Someone needs to teach the DB's how to cover a receiver.

4. Our defense is slooooooow.

Posted by WildcatFanatic (Member # 2932) on 09-28-2013, 11:51 PM:

Not sure what to think after tonight's game. I guess it's going to be another long season. The only thing that can help us is recruiting recruiting recruiting.

Posted by PaulCat (Member # 513) on 09-29-2013, 06:22 AM:

That's true. It all boils down to talent.

Posted by EnterpriseCat (Member # 2881) on 09-29-2013, 09:13 AM:

I guess the realization of just how little talent we have hit me when UF went for 4th and 6 by running straight up the gut and got 7 yards. Our defense is slow, slow, slow and they take poor angles to tackle.

I wish on offense they'd pick a QB and stick with them. This platooning thing obviously isn't working. I hope Barker is as good as advertised because Whitlow and Smith are not SEC caliber QB's.

Posted by WildcatFanatic (Member # 2932) on 09-29-2013, 09:45 AM:

Florida had a huge offensive line that bullied our smaller defense. And our guys weren't getting much time to rest with so many 3 and outs by the offense.

Posted by Trey Ball (Member # 332) on 09-29-2013, 12:36 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by catmandoo:
[QB]UK-Smith & Whitlow 17-26 65% and 126 yards./QB]

UK had 72 yards passing before Florida went into their "prevent" defense on the last drive. The problem is that neither Smith nor Whitlow can throw the ball with ANY accuracy past 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. You simply cannot win that way with the speed of the defenses in the SEC.

I said prior to the season that I didn't think UK would win but two games this year (Miami (OH) and South Alabama) but I expected the coaching staff to play the players who could help them win in the future. That is what disappoints me about the QB choice.

Posted by PaulCat (Member # 513) on 09-29-2013, 02:40 PM:

I saw a "mix tape" video of Barker, and I was stunned at how slow his delivery is and how slow it took the ball to get to the receiver. I hope I was just watching a bad video or something!

Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 09-30-2013, 10:16 AM:

From what I'm hearing here is that we may not have found a savior after all.

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 09-30-2013, 12:46 PM:

Bama, as you know the SEC is the most physical league in the country and most every team will eat up our quarterbacks that don't have quickness and foot speed especially if we don't make improvements in our offensive line. It also wouldn't hurt to get some kind of a running game going that would help slow down the pass rush and give the receivers time to get open as "48" yards against Florida just isn't going to get it done. The way it is now it's amazing our quarterbacks are completing any passes.

I think we as Kentucky fans just need to support the team and coachs as best we can. The future looks brighter but is still going to take time before we will see any marked improvement. Florida beating us every time we played them for the past 27 years should tell us something.

Posted by Old Norm (Member # 1482) on 09-30-2013, 01:02 PM:

It tells ME something. It tells me that Kentucky is not a football school. and probably never will be. But we flat dominate in basketball.

Posted by boomdaddy (Member # 2644) on 10-01-2013, 05:25 AM:

quote:
Originally posted by Old Norm:
It tells ME something. It tells me that Kentucky is not a football school. and probably never will be. But we flat dominate in basketball.

I am as disappointed as anyone. But, I do think it will turn around. The poor QB play is not what I expected for this season. The OC that Stoops hired is top shelf. I am not a highly paid D1 college coach, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, but if I were the OC, I would get me a Juco QB that could win me some games, so I wouldn't have to count on a freshman for next season.

Posted by handycat (Member # 2323) on 10-01-2013, 07:47 AM:

Originally posted by Old Norm:

"It tells ME something. It tells me that Kentucky is not a football school. and probably never will be. But we flat dominate in basketball."

You're spot on Norm and it aint't likely to change in our lifetime. I couldn't believe some of the predictions last year for this season after the "hire". He may turn this program into mediocrity but that won't be easy.

Posted by Old Norm (Member # 1482) on 10-01-2013, 11:08 AM:

quote:
Originally posted by handycat:
You're spot on Norm and it aint't likely to change in our lifetime.

Hell, at my age, I may not change my underwear in my lifetime!

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 10-02-2013, 11:50 AM:

Trey posts:
I said prior to the season that I didn't think UK would win but two games this year (Miami (OH) and South Alabama) but I expected the coaching staff to play the players who could help them win in the future. That is what disappoints me about the QB choice.

Who in their right mind would ever say that with the new coaching staff we are going to have a solid season this year knowing we went 1-10 last year without winning 1 conference game. In the last 58 years we have 3 seasons where we lost less than 4 games. You have to give them a few years to get players in here before we can start raking the coach's over the coals.

Singling out the quarterbacks for the poor play is a bit of a stretch too as if you look at stats they have completed over 60% of their passes which is a very solid percentage considering the pass rush that has been put on them. We also have had receivers that have dropped passes and definitely have to upgrade our receiving corp. That said we "definitely" can upgrade the quarterbacks my point is why not mention the other positions that need a ton of upgrading?

I have not seen to many if any posts that talk about the lack of defense by the Cats. We have given up just under 1400 yards in 3 of our 4 games which is a unbelievable stat and is HUGE reason why we are getting beat like a drum. We have to realize after so many unbelievably bad seasons that this staff needs "a little time" to get their players in here especially when they are starting with a 1-10 season last year.

We have to realize we have to upgrade EVERY position and add back ups to those positions and this is not going to happen over night.

Posted by Trey Ball (Member # 332) on 10-02-2013, 03:45 PM:

cmd,

I can rake the coaches over the coals for their decision making. I'm the one guy on here that said that if Stoops goes 6-6 or 7-5 every year he is a SUCCESS. I don't expect UK to win, but I expect to have a Coach who has some guts to make tough decisions and I thought STOOPS would be one of the those guys, but it is painfully OBVIOUS that he is not. It is probably the reason that he had never landed a head coaching job in the past.

We talk QB because it is the easiest positions to speak about, but it applies across the board. Sanders, etc should not be getting snaps at RB, Jo Jo Kemp should get most of them.

I can tell you this. Hal Mumme would have made a QB choice before the first game was played and Rich Brooks would have done the same. To me it is obvious that reading the article you linked that STOOPS CANNOT or will not make those decisions. If that is the case then he cannot be a head coach and it will turn out to be a terrible hire by UK.

Posted by handycat (Member # 2323) on 10-02-2013, 04:49 PM:

quote by treyball "I'm the one guy on here that said that if Stoops goes 6-6 or 7-5 every year he is a SUCCESS."

Actually, there were at least a couple of us that felt that way. WAY too much fanfare was given to the hiring of a coach who had never won a game at a D-1 school as a head coach. As Norm said earlier, we are not a football school and probably never will be. You're right, if Stoops can take this program to any where near a consistent break even season year in and year out, he'll not only be a success, he'll be gone to greener pastures.

I'll always cheer for our football Cats, but the reality of our program sat in years ago.

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 10-02-2013, 05:11 PM:

Trey, any coach that goes 6-6 or 7-5 at Kentucky is a success also JoJo Kemp will get a majority of the carries against South Carolina and yes he should have gotten more carries. My point is that until we get SEC talent on the field we will continue to lose SEC games. I doubt we have one player that could even start for most any of the better SEC teams. To blame the coach or players just seems counter productive at least until the time the coaching staff can bring in more of their own players on "both" sides of the ball". According to all the newspapers our recruiting is on the rise so hopefully it won't take to many years till we get a 6-6 season.

Posted by Trey Ball (Member # 332) on 10-03-2013, 08:02 AM:

quote:
Originally posted by handycat:
quote by treyball "I'm the one guy on here that said that if Stoops goes 6-6 or 7-5 every year he is a SUCCESS."

Actually, there were at least a couple of us that felt that way. WAY too much fanfare was given to the hiring of a coach who had never won a game at a D-1 school as a head coach. As Norm said earlier, we are not a football school and probably never will be. You're right, if Stoops can take this program to any where near a consistent break even season year in and year out, he'll not only be a success, he'll be gone to greener pastures.

I'll always cheer for our football Cats, but the reality of our program sat in years ago.

You are correct. It should have read, "I'm one of the guys". That is what happens when I try to sneak post in on work hours. They are fast and furious and often not grammatically correct. [Wink]

I cheer the Cats on all the time and watch the Cats when I can. It is funny here in Indiana because everyone ask me who do I cheer for in college football. I look at them and say UK of course. Here in Indiana you have the fans who cheer for IU in basketball and Notre Dame in football.

[ 10-03-2013, 08:05 AM: Message edited by: Trey Ball ]

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 10-03-2013, 09:06 AM:

Here is a earlier Link on that very subject. To be honest if the truth were known I doubt there were very few Cat fans that honestly thought this year would be that good at all. You just don't turn losing around like the Cats have done for more than half a century and all of a sudden become a significant team especially playing in the SEC.

Link

Posted by Trey Ball (Member # 332) on 10-03-2013, 11:09 AM:

cmd,

The discussions I am talking about go back to the weeks after Stoops was hired. Some people on hear were saying that in 3 years that UK would be in a "BCS" Bowl (obviously the "BCS" title will be going away). I said at that time that would never happen at UK as long as they were in the SEC.