futurecoach

I don’t think Bilas was adamant that it should be on Sheppard. He was just adamant that it shouldn’t have been an offensive foul either. Basically to me it seemed like he was suggesting it should have been a no call.

Is there things Cal can do better at? Absolutely. Is Cal a lot better of a coach than you all like to give credit for? Absolutely. He must be have been doing a lot more right than you all ever like to acknowledge. Considering he was on his way to a Hall of Fame type career long before he ever got to UK and consistently had top talent. Before UK he didn’t always consistently have stacked teams with talent. Yet he still had over 400 wins, and was twice the Naismith national coach of the year before he even came to UK. Including multiple deep tournament runs, final fours, etc. People always seem to forget that Cal was a great college coach long before he came to UK and consistently has loaded rosters. So he must know more about how to coach than what you all seem to think, because you all with your comments at times seem to act like high school coaches could be as successful as him.

Taylor for Texas A&M going off wasnt that big of a surprise and he always has that capability. He went for over 30 earlier this year against the best defensive team in the country in Houston. The one that hurt was Radford going off. Him being in his 6th year in college, simply just bullied his way to the basketball against the freshman players of UK. It sucks that they lost, but this team showed again even in this loss that they are a different team this year. On the road in a tough environment against a desperate team, they battled all game. Just unfortunately went cold in OT.

I agree the defense has to be better. With that said going into this game UK ranked 53rd in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency according to kenpom rankings. While that is not great, considering UK plays so many freshman, that’s also not horrible. Defense is the one of the last things top high school players have coming into college. So yes a lot of room to improve still, but being as young as they are and the constant roster change with guys out at the beginning of the year with Bradshaw and Ugo, and now Theiro who is their best defender does play a role.

Weren’t NCC and Brossart in the same district in 2A for the few years Brossart was in 2A? So they would have had to play those years.

To me he reminds me a lot of Urban Meyer when he was making his way up. Meyer had only been a head coach for 4 years before he landed the Florida gig. Deboer has been successful every year he has been a head coach except one. Which was his first year at Fresno, which happened to be the Covid year. Other than that he has won titles at the lower level, and turned Fresno around in year two. Then took Washington to the National Championship in year 2. So I think it is a great hire and very similar to how Urban was coming up. Now he will need to make sure he does good job adding assistants that have connections in the South though.

Curious on why you think this hire is a mistake?

I think Buffalo wins it all this year.

Good post. I would say Beechwood being in the same district doesn’t hurt as much as it once use to in regards to making a playoff run. With how the playoffs are set up now with playing sister districts and then RPI starting in round 3. You may not even see a Beechwood until late in the playoffs. The last two years in a row we have seen that play out. Two years ago Beechwood and Lloyd were in same district, and ended up meeting in the state semi finals. Then last year Cooper and Highlands were in the same district and didn’t see each other until the state semifinals. It’s even possible for two teams in the same district to not even see each other until the state finals. So a team like St. Henry could build it up and make deep playoff runs and not have to worry about Beechwood being in the same district.

I don’t think it has passed him by at all. He is simply having the same issues almost every coach has when they don’t have a good QB. Which even finding those guys that slipped through the cracks only worked because he had the greatest QB of all time. Without him, those same guys would have never been heard of much. Which is why those players never did much if they left the Patriots. If he goes to say San Diego where they have a stud QB in Herbert. He would be able to focus on the defense like he did when he had Brady.

Yeah now that the news came out today that Bill is leaving. You are most likely correct on that.

Dabo would be the favorite IMO. I think the fact that Clemson hasn’t been as good last few years, actually increases the chances. If Clemson was still competing for titles and always in the playoffs, then I don’t think he would leave. Mike Vrabel is a person that could be a surprise hire for the job. He has some experience coaching in college, players like him. Could be an interesting fit.

Sheppard got the start vs. UNCW and played 39 minutes, and ended up being the worse game UK played all year and lost. Sheppard had a great game, but him starting and playing 35 plus minutes has happened and they lost that game. Right now how they are using him is working best for this team, and he is also in during the crucial minutes of the game.

This is a hard season to really put in perspective. Missed the playoffs, horrible against their own division. With that said the Bengals finished with a winning record, while going against one of the top 10 hardest schedules in NFL history I read last week. They did this while only having a fully healthy Burrow for maybe 4 games. Then also had other key starters miss games. So while missing the playoffs sucks, I don’t think this off season should be a panic mode and blow it up situation as I have seen some say on twitter and facebook. IMO you franchise tag Tee and try to trade him. If you can’t get good value for him, then you play this season out and get your comp pick for him in two years. You don’t sign back Boyd, cut Mixon, let Jonah walk because I think his price tag will be to expensive. Use some of that money to try to get better on their interior of the DL, and also another OL. They need to find a speed WR in the draft, and other than that they need to look for adding tough athletic players on both sides of the line in the draft.

Aren’t they going back to 4 year cycles after this next realignment happens next year?

Nice win in their first true road game of the season. I don’t count the Louisville game as a true road game, since there was more UK fans that day. Lots to improve still, but I thought overall good coaching and toughness by the team in this game. They kept their composure and kept battling, even though Florida kept pulling back ahead anytime it got close most of the second half. Then found a way to make the plays and shots at the end when they had to have them. While it was stupid for Sheppard to even try to attempt to block that last shot, I honestly do think he got it cleanly. He is so dang good at timing that and getting his hand where the ball is at the release point.

That was kind of Dillingham’s reputation coming in. He is going to be someone you love, but also someone that drives you crazy lol.

The Browns are locked in as the 5 seed no matter if they win or lose. So they won’t be playing many starters at all. With that said I hope the Bengals don’t play many of their top guys either. No reason for a Chase, Higgins, Hendrickson, etc to possibly get a long term injury in a meaningless game.

Very surprised by this.

I definitely would sit Tee, Chase, and even Boyd. Let Yoshi, Charlie Jones, etc get the reps in this one. Let Murphy and Ossai start at DE on the DL. Then let Chase Brown also get the majority of the carries run the ball. As you mentioned let some of these guys play, because this game means nothing in the grand scheme of things. If they win every team in the division would finish above .500 which is great and everything. However, I would much rather get a higher draft pick.

As I have stated I am not a fan of Taylor the play caller and I agree they were more out coached at times this year, especially in division. The division teams figured them out. All I’m saying is let’s not act like that has always been the case. The post I replied to acts like they have always been out coached. Which simply isn’t true. As states before this year, the bengals coaching staff was actually one of the best one in the NFL with in game and half time adjustments. Which were huge parts in them being successful and making playoff runs. This year they simply didn’t make it because I do agree they were out coached in the division. I do feel like this staff has shown they are willing to make adjustments when needed. So I do think they also see they have to be better in the division and should trust that they make the right changes in the off season to address that. To add to that Harbaugh wasn’t getting it done when his QB was getting hurt at the end of the year last two years. McVay on offense does have the weapons on offense that is comparable to the Bengals with Kupp and Puka at WR and Williams at RB. Tomlin looks like had what may have been his best QB on the team in Rudolph as his 3rd string QB all year. So it was more dumb luck now that Rudolph is even getting to play and jump starting that offense.

Secondary as you mentioned Hill and Battle at safeties. A rookie in Battle and a second year guy in Dax getting his first play time after not getting to play really as a rookie. At corner DJ Turner a rookie has been basically a starter at corner for a lot of this season, and CTB in his second year. So 4 guys in the secondary that were either a rookie or a second year player. Awuzie and Hilton both played too obviously, but Awuzie seems to have lost a step after his ACL and won’t be back next year. So yeah like it or not the young secondary from safety to corners did play a big role in all of a sudden giving up many big plays this year. Now completely agree with you on the D line. They must get better up front. Besides Hendrickson they don’t have anyone who can get after the passer, and no one on the interior of the DL besides Reader was really good against the run. Hill was ok, but he needs to be more of a rotational piece guy at the 3T. Linebacker player wasn’t great either, but I contribute that some to the d line not being good and given driven back in the run game. Both sides of the ball they got to get better up front. Then try to add some more speed at WR. I would not sign Boyd back, and I would franchise tag Higgins and try to get a first for him if possible. Focus on the line on both sides and adding some speed at WR. That is the areas at least where I would focus on this off season.

The last two years no one was saying they were out . In fact the bengals coached last two years was one of the best with in game and halftime adjustments. This year no so much. I’m not a fan of Taylor the play caller, but as a head coach I am fine with. Which while people will say it’s just excuses, it’s also facts. Defensively they were very young in the secondary, which showed. I expect that to be much better next year. D line needs work though. Then offensively when you maybe only had a healthy Burrow for maybe 4 games, it does make a difference. This year was very disappointing, but let’s not overreact and act these coaches didn’t do a good job and our coach many other last two years. Teams started to figure them out this year, and now they need to show they can answer and put the right pieces together to bounce back.

Can’t disagree there. This young secondary has given up many explosive plays this year. Unfortunately this could be a good get right game for the Chiefs offense. Hopefully Chase plays and the Bengals offense does well.

A couple weeks ago I looked at schools current enrollment numbers, and compared that to the realignment cutoffs from last time. If the cutoffs are similar to last time in regards to schools enrollments. Then very well could see Highlands back down to 4A with CovCath, snd Dixie back to 6A. With Cooper and Conner still barely being able to stay in 5A. So could end up being a 5A district of Cooper, Conner, Scott, and Boone with this next realignment.