I believe that a 10% improvement by 2 players can improve UK significantly: Drew Barker (QB) & Matt Elam (NT/DT)

 

IF Matt can improve physically, technically and situationally (due to defensive scheme), he could force any opponent to have to double team him. Obviously, this would result in their remaining 9 players having to face our remaining 10 defenders. Can he? Only time will tell. I sure hope so.

 

If Barker can simply make his reads a fraction of a second faster, get rid of the ball a quarter/half second quicker, he could change a sack/fumble to a completed pass. He may still get hit, but the ball would be out of his hands by then.

 

An improvement in passing accuracy by only 6 inches could mean the difference between a catch or an incompletion/interception. I believe that that 10% increase in production would result in an extension of our offensive drives by 3 downs every other possession. I think that would keep the defense off the field by 5-8 minutes per half. I believe that would be significant not just for the time of possession, but for the morale of the team.

 

So I put the 2 keys for UK on Barker & Elam. But they don't have to double their production, just improve by 10%.

Lots of holes on this roster although many less than there were a few years ago. Beginning to wonder if all the decommits were just kids being kids or a symptom of a larger problem at UK.

I think the play of the WR's needs to improve as much as anything. Between blowing blocking assignments and dropping passes last year, the WR's seemed to always have the offense behind the sticks and in 3rd and long.

Those two players could improve 1000% and it still isnt helping this team. The coaching staff has done a horrible job with recruiting, until that is corrected, same ole, same ole.

Lots of holes on this roster although many less than there were a few years ago. Beginning to wonder if all the decommits were just kids being kids or a symptom of a larger problem at UK.

I think most of them have came from kids that UK got onto first and got a commit from only to have a bigger more prominent programs to then "Get on" those kids and get them to decommit from UK and move over to them. That will continue to be a problem until UK can maintain some momentum on the field.

We look like Bama in recruiting compared to where we were under Joker. Lots of people, me included, miss Rich Brooks. That guy could coach them up.

Those two players could improve 1000% and it still isnt helping this team. The coaching staff has done a horrible job with recruiting, until that is corrected, same ole, same ole.

 

 

I think you're being WAY too pessimistic. In the real world, NOBODY improves 1000%. Improvement is gradual, most of the time. It's possible to make big strides, but even those are usually not by doubling effort. Often times, a mere improvement in technique, or placement on the field can yield big dividends.

 

I believe those are possible.

 

"The coaching staff has done a horrible job with recruiting"

Ground control to Major Plantman: What planet are you on?

Edited June 22, 201610 yr by Bluto

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I think you're being WAY too pessimistic. In the real world, NOBODY improves 1000%. Improvement is gradual, most of the time. It's possible to make big strides, but even those are usually not by doubling effort. Often times, a mere improvement in technique, or placement on the field can yield big dividends.

 

I believe those are possible.

 

"The coaching staff has done a horrible job with recruiting"

Ground control to Major Plantman: What planet are you on?

 

How am I being pessimistic? Your saying 2 players can change this team. No way, they are multiple, upon multiple players away from making any progress. In reality those first couple of recruit classes of Stoops are going to hurt him and take steps backwards.

 

What planet am I on? The one that has its eyes open and sees that the hire of Stoops was very poor decision. He was tagged as this great recruiter. Great Recruiters get talent, where is all this talent at UK? Good coaches take the talent they have and make it better, where is that happening? So we have a great recruiter that cant recruit talent and a coach and staff that cant make its players any better.

I think you're being WAY too pessimistic. In the real world' date=' NOBODY improves 1000%. Improvement is gradual, most of the time. It's possible to make big strides, but even those are usually not by doubling effort. Often times, a mere improvement in technique, or placement on the field can yield big dividends. I believe those are possible. "The coaching staff has done a horrible job with recruiting" Ground control to Major Plantman: What planet are you on?[/quote']

 

His opinion is never a good one due to his inability to be objective. Clearly demonstrates a huge bias against UK.

We look like Bama in recruiting compared to where we were under Joker. Lots of people, me included, miss Rich Brooks. That guy could coach them up.

 

I just checked out his last four seasons. Pretty impressive to think they beat Clemson and FSU in back to back bowl games. Those are probably "glory days" of UK football.

Back to Elam. IF he can indeed take up 2 blockers, then it's our 10 vs. their 9.

 

If Westry & Baity (plus our safeties) are as good at coverage as we hear, then that should free up one of the safeties to either blitz, or cover for a linebacker while they blitz. I think that might create some favorable defensive matchups.

 

Am I thinking this through correctly?

One thing for sure, Matt is as big as two other guys. Have you seen him? He makes me look little.

I think Elam should just continue eating so he can take on three offensive linemen. I want to see him on the show "My 600 pound life" one day getting gastric bypass surgery.

Reminds me of the sumo guy on the 'Replacements' movie eating hard boiled eggs before a game.

Golly, this Wildcat KoolAid has been tasty in the pre-season for, too, many years now. Time for it to be sweet at the end of the season, too. Still on the train, but finding it bumpier than comfortable. Might need seat belts to keep me on board, if Stoops doesn't get us on the right tracks this year. Fan loyalty is being stretched to the max, and downright insulted when you market last year's offense as "Air Raid". Loved UC's aggressive approach, now Stoop's need to empower those coaches to replicate it and we might see a 7-5, bowl eligible season.