Should Stoops be on the Hot Seat?

[Tomcats1990]

Thoughts? He is the 15th highest paid Coach. Is Kentucky getting a good return on that investment? He said yesterday after the game KY doesn’t need a Special Teams Coach.

[nikeman49]

Stoops has had his chance to consistently win and failed, his offensive mentality doesn’t match well in the SEC with other proven winners . Let’s see some wide open offense and at least a little excitement for our buck.

[Tomcats1990]

Maybe should have asked should he be on the hot seat. Doubt the AD is worried. He spends all his time trying to get more checkerboards 

[John Anthony]

No.

[John Anthony]

Kentucky fans need to temper expectations.  Is Atlanta really realistic?  Stoops has turned UK into a legit program.  Kentucky could be like South Carolina, or Vandy still.

[All State Baseball]

Hes fine. Everyone was trampled by Covid this year and games were shortened. I do think he needs to stop with the conservative play calling or find another offensive coordinator. 

[PTHSalumni]

As long as UK remains near the bottom in recruiting in the SEC, seasons like this may be more common than we'd like. A 5-star running back is simply much faster than a one star or two star defensive player and will slip past them most of the time. We've seen excellent players with Stoops here, but we need to get better recruiting. He's said that himself at most press conferences.

[Kentucky Windage]

The all SEC schedule hurt the Cats this year. I somewhat expected this. UK is one of those SEC schools that need the out of conference as a "break". But to think that Stoops is on the hot seat, please. Get that talk out of here!

[futurecoach]

3 hours ago, John Anthony said:

Kentucky fans need to temper expectations.  Is Atlanta really realistic?  Stoops has turned UK into a legit program.  Kentucky could be like South Carolina, or Vandy still.

See I disagree here. That should be the goal for the program. Just look at UC should people have said to UC that making the playoffs is not a realistic goal? Yet they are right there with a very realistic chance at it. Luke Fickell showed he was going to do what he could to push them to that level. There is no reason for a program to be content just making a bowl game. 
 

Now with that said, no he should not be on the hot seat. However, he should be looking at how can he get the program to take the next step, so they can make it more realistic of having a chance to make Atlanta. Which when looking at it, he has to see the offense here under Eddie Gran is never going to be good enough to get to that level. So that is a change that needs to be made. 

[John Anthony]

46 minutes ago, futurecoach said:

See I disagree here. That should be the goal for the program. Just look at UC should people have said to UC that making the playoffs is not a realistic goal? Yet they are right there with a very realistic chance at it. Luke Fickell showed he was going to do what he could to push them to that level. There is no reason for a program to be content just making a bowl game. 
 

Now with that said, no he should not be on the hot seat. However, he should be looking at how can he get the program to take the next step, so they can make it more realistic of having a chance to make Atlanta. Which when looking at it, he has to see the offense here under Eddie Gran is never going to be good enough to get to that level. So that is a change that needs to be made. 

UC will get blasted if they get in.  It can be the goal for UK all they want, I’m sure it’s the same goal for Vandy.  If people set unrealistic expectations I wouldn’t want to coach at UK.  Stoops has done an amazing job with this program.

[cincyswords]

1 hour ago, futurecoach said:

See I disagree here. That should be the goal for the program. Just look at UC should people have said to UC that making the playoffs is not a realistic goal? Yet they are right there with a very realistic chance at it. Luke Fickell showed he was going to do what he could to push them to that level. There is no reason for a program to be content just making a bowl game. 
 

Now with that said, no he should not be on the hot seat. However, he should be looking at how can he get the program to take the next step, so they can make it more realistic of having a chance to make Atlanta. Which when looking at it, he has to see the offense here under Eddie Gran is never going to be good enough to get to that level. So that is a change that needs to be made. 

I like your thought process but lets face it, UC is in that magical "look at us we are really good" without having to play Alabama, Auburn., Florida, etc.  While I love what Fickell is doing and am a huge UC fan I can also realistically say with the schedule UK played UC would be perhaps competing better than UK for an SEC East Title but not able to go without at least 2 or 3 losses.   

[Carl Spackler]

No way Stoops should be on the hot seat.   UK was ranked in the preseason which led to a lot of unrealistic expectations by Wildcat fans in this weird season.  Even a ranked UK team is not usually going to win more than 5 SEC games in an 8 game league schedule.  If they would have played their original schedule they likely would have had their 3 bought and paid for wins that they get most seasons and I feel like they would have beaten UL.  Add the Tennessee, Vandy and Mississippi State wins off of the original schedule and they would be playing South Carolina with a chance to go 8-4 and everyone would be happy.   When the new schedule was announced I said that it would be a great season if they went 6-4, a good season at 5-5 but expected them to go 4-6.  Hopefully they get a win over South Carolina and come back next season and get to buy those 3 wins.  

[TheDeuce]

It’s not Mark Stoops’ fault that UK fans had an unrealistic, unwarranted expectation of this season. 

[Purple88]

6 hours ago, John Anthony said:

Kentucky fans need to temper expectations.  Is Atlanta really realistic?  Stoops has turned UK into a legit program.  Kentucky could be like South Carolina, or Vandy still.

This is spot on!  Many or most UK football fans are completely unrealistic.  This is like expecting Alabamas basketball team to be able to beat UK in basketball consistently.  

[futurecoach]

7 hours ago, John Anthony said:

UC will get blasted if they get in.  It can be the goal for UK all they want, I’m sure it’s the same goal for Vandy.  If people set unrealistic expectations I wouldn’t want to coach at UK.  Stoops has done an amazing job with this program.

It would have been unrealistic expectations when he first took over. The program was so low at that time, just making bowl games was a realistic expectation. However, once you consistently start doing that which they have. Then you shoot for higher, which Atlanta should be the next one and no reason it can’t be realistic. However, it starts with looking at what needs to be done to try to take that next step. Which the offense is and has been a problem with basically no passing game ever. 
 

As for UC, it is hard for you to say UC would get blasted. When a team like OSU, who probably will be in the playoffs. Literally almost got beat at home to INDIANA, yes I said INDIANA. So if Indiana can take OSU to the wire. UC who I believe is better than Indiana, could give a team a much better matchup than you seem to think.