I don't think there is any reason why UK couldn't add Indiana to the schedule at the expense of Akron or somebody.

I don't think you get my point. Every school out there has at least 2 or 3 easy games including UK. Why should they load up when everyone else doesn't do it?

 

UK shouldn't if the status quo of Wildcat fans freezing their fannies off in Nashville or Memphis as a nightcap to a 2-win conference season sounds peachy.

 

UK can't get away with the same stuff Florida does. Why? Because UK ain't Florida, even though UK likes to think that shared conference affiliation equates to a comparable national profile, it ain't so.

 

As Scribe and I have noted, ad infinitum, UK must take drastic steps to bust out of its current reality of middle-of-the-pack SEC program teetering on the brink of reclaiming conference dreg status.

Joker Phillips met the media on Monday to discuss the University of Kentucky’s fifth-straight bowl appearance.

 

This time next year, the Wildcats’ head coach would like to talk about something more significant.

 

“Next year, or period, we don’t want to be just going to bowl games,” Phillips said. “We want to fight for titles. We do. The sixth-straight bowl game, I want to be fighting for a title, where that’s not an issue, where you’re not talking about a sixth-straight bowl game, you’re talking about a title.”

 

Then stop scheduling Central Michigan and Jacksonville State.

Then stop scheduling Central Michigan and Jacksonville State.

Since you have all the answers to make UK an above middle of the pack team. Who would you put on their schedule?

Louisville is a given. In the few years they are up, it really strengthens UK's schedule.

 

Get rid of the week #2 MAC team here. Why not a Missouri, Purdue, Duke -- a mid-level team from a BCS conference instead of the bottom of the MAC barrel.

 

I have no problem with a FCS school on the schedule. But with Western KY in it's D-1 infancy, this game should take the place of the Charleston Southerns and Eastern Kentuckys.

 

I dont have the answers to make UK better. But when the coach says its time to move past getting to a bowl and to challenge for the SEC, then schedule like it.

 

I've read the argument that every other SEC team schedules down. But Louisville is the only non-conference BCS team on Kentucky's schedule each year they have been bowl eligible. No other SEC team has fewer BCS schools on their schedule than UK. So that argument doesn't fly with me.

 

If Joker says the goal of the program is to win 6-7 games a year and make a mid-level bowl, then I don't even start this thread. But when you continue to say that UK is ready to move to the next level of the SEC or that it's time for UK to make that move and then keep a schedule that does nothing to prepare them for that improvement, it tells me they aren't serious.

Since you have all the answers to make UK an above middle of the pack team. Who would you put on their schedule?

That has already been discussed. Replacing a gimme game with a school like Indiana, Missouri, Illinois, Wake Forrest, etc. will send them to the next level.

 

I still contend UK has a lot more issues than who their opponents will be.

I think you guys really expect too much out of UK football at this time.

 

And I'll never see how scheduling a team like Indiana helps UK for the SEC. If UK is going to schedule a BCS team OOC at least make it a real team and not some soft power-puff team. Wake Forest or Duke are going to help UK? If this UK team had scheduled a tough OOC team they wouldn't be bowling IMO.

I think Joker really expects too much out of UK football at this time.

 

And I'll never see how scheduling a team like Indiana helps UK for the SEC. If UK is going to schedule a BCS team OOC at least make it a real team and not some soft power-puff team. Wake Forest or Duke are going to help UK? If this UK team had scheduled a tough OOC team they wouldn't be bowling IMO.

I fixed your quote.

 

Is the program's goal to just go bowling or to be a mid to upper level SEC team? They can't have it both ways

IMO the bottom line is players. It doesn't matter who you schedule if you don't have good players. I think UK is improving with their quality if players but they will never get the top of the line players that the other big football sec teams get. It's a long and slow process to improve the quality of the players you get in football. Now basketball is a different animal.

I fixed your quote.

 

Is the program's goal to just go bowling or to be a mid to upper level SEC team? They can't have it both ways

 

I've said it many times, I think UK had to go bowling this season no matter the costs. Without it alot of UK followers would have already turned on Joker.

Given the home attendance the last few games, I'd say the fans are already turning on him

I fixed your quote.

 

Is the program's goal to just go bowling or to be a mid to upper level SEC team? They can't have it both ways

 

:lol:

I'm content with 7-5 seasons and Music City Bowl appearances. Keep in mind, not too long ago UK couldn't even smell a bowl game, and now we've gone to four straight. What you say is correct in theory, but right now UK doesn't have the personnel to win enough games to become bowl-eligible without scheduling teams like Akron and WKU. Maybe if UK continues having winning seasons and making/winning bowl games they will improve in their recruiting to the point of being able to do this, but I don't think the program is in a position to do this now.

 

I respectfully diasagree. 7-5 is not good enough anymore. Mediocrity is getting old. Joker needs to take this program to another level. Schedule some games that will get more national exposure and get kids noticing UK who not have had before. I agree with the original thread.

That has already been discussed. Replacing a gimme game with a school like Indiana, Missouri, Illinois, Wake Forrest, etc. will send them to the next level.

 

I still contend UK has a lot more issues than who their opponents will be.

 

I agree. But, I also believe UK should replace at least one of the small schools with one of the teams Scribe suggests. I don't think that is in any way some magic pill to prepare them for the SEC. I just think it would be a good move. Even if the teams aren't that great (like IU or Duke as mentioned), it is still more intriguing that Hazard Community College.

 

I'll tell you what concerns me the most after watching Joker's first season. It seemed to me that some of the old UK re-surfaced. It seemed to me that Rich Brooks had really instilled a new attitude in his UK teams. They started to win some of the games that they always found a way to lose...and they didn't make the same old UK mistakes that always snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. But, this year, I saw some of that again. It could be coincidence, and I'm certainly not down on Joker. I like him and I think he deserves a fair chance to lead the program. And, I think 6-6 was a solid job for year one. Maybe not what some were expecting, or what he expected, but a losing season could have been a big blow to him going forward.

 

If UK has improved its recruiting and talent level, then it needs some of those guys to step up next season.