6 wins and a bowl bid?

[Terry Blue]

Can you imagine what a positive jolt it would be for our program if we could achieve this for the 2014 season?! It would do wonders for our already strong recruiting, would give us an invaluable extra 30 days practice, and would energize a fanbase going into the 8 home game 2015 season in a renovated CWS! That said, doubt I'll predict more than 4 wins, but programs often make a big jump their second seasons under a new staff

[Doc]

I predict 5 wins and would not be shocked with 6

[Terry Blue]

C'mon guys, let's get some discussion on football going. It's only 6 weeks till practice starts. I can't believe everyone here is basketball only. The board is beginning to be where football posts come to die.

[dan_bgblue]

I doubt that many are willing to rehash their posts from previous threads trying to predict whether the Cats will win 6 games and get to a bowl or not win any SEC games and not go to a bowl.

[Padukacat]

I think for uk to make a jump to the upper echelon of the sec it's gonna take some kind of big splash, I doubt it's next yr but it'd be nice!

[Padukacat]

I predict 4-5 wins

[TRUCKERCATFAN]

It's all about the QB play. Sustain drives, keep the defense off the field and we will definitely be better. More points scored, less points allowed. Does it mean 6 wins? Idk but 4-5 is more likely.

[Terry Blue]

Obviously, folks here can discuss or not discuss what they want to. But we discuss a lot of basketball topics every way from Sunday that are a lot less important than discussing how many games we'll win this year in football

[Darrell KSR]

4.

[BigBlue92]

I am optimistic about 6. Just don't ask me which ones.

Here is why. We have been a QB short of a couple wins for the last few years. The team was not good, but was leaderless and that made them awful. That part is over.

SEC D-line. Can compete in the trenches, and with depth.

Upgraded talent and speed in the D. Still young, but no longer HS. Have a year or two exp.

Coaching way upgraded.

S&C way upgraded.

Winnable home games. UL last on schedule.

We can do this.

[Padukacat]

^ I tend to agree I think we are set up to steal a few and start the train

[anderwt]

If we have a legit QB, UK could win 6 games. Until we build up the talent, which the staff is, if you have a really good QB, it can make a HUGE difference. Ask Hal Mumme and Rich Brooks.

[suncat05]

Realistically, there may only be 4 or 5 wins there. But there are 3 or 4 other games on the schedule that I think we can win, with the better talent that we have. I do believe 6 wins is attainable, but we seriously need some positive calls from the zebras, the ball to bounce or tip our way for a change, and then we just need to start making our own breaks. But it's a long season, so we'll just have to sit back and see how it plays out for us.
I am excited about Kentucky football for a change. I see very good things on the horizon. And 6 wins is possible this year. Not probable, but possible.

[HCCATFAN]

Can you imagine what a positive jolt it would be for our program if we could achieve this for the 2014 season?! It would do wonders for our already strong recruiting, would give us an invaluable extra 30 days practice, and would energize a fanbase going into the 8 home game 2015 season in a renovated CWS! That said, doubt I'll predict more than 4 wins, but programs often make a big jump their second seasons under a new staff

I think you only get 15 extra practices for a bowl game.

[MickintheHam]

I doubt that many are willing to rehash their posts from previous threads trying to predict whether the Cats will win 6 games and get to a bowl or not win any SEC games and not go to a bowl.

+1

[Terry Blue]

Think you're right on the 15 practices but they're spread out over about a month. How many times did we rehash the Harrison's to the NBA or not story, LOL!!

[BigBlue92]

Terry, how about a recruiting recap? Football recruiting is just too much for me to follow, but that doesnt mean I am not interseted. How does the current effort look? Who should I be getting excited about? What should I be depressed about? WHo should be on my radar?

[Darrell KSR]

For better or worse, the start of football season to me has always been SEC Media Days. I will be slow to discuss it until then, but glad to see it anytime. And I don't refrain from it before then, either. Just seems natural around July 17ish.

[Terry Blue]

We've got 9 committments to date, but been about a month since the last one. I would project that by that first game, we'd have 5-10 more. We're recruiting a higher level of athlete so sometimes they don't make their decisions early. Seems we've got a lot of guys interested and some are projected to make their decisions by late June. It would not hurt at all if we can show some improvement on the field this year

[BigBlue92]

Too early for any rankings? Other than Damien Harris, is there a Drew Barker or Matt Elam in this class that we are after?

[Terry Blue]

Last I looked we're around #20 in rivals. Damien Harris is that type of course, but so I think is George Brown Jr, a 4 star OL from Ohio, with a raft of offers. He won't be making a decision till his birthday in Oct and Harris could go all the way to Signing Day or perhaps the Army Game. Our 4 star TE committ, Conrad from Ohio, is recruiting ala Barker last year

[millsforthree]

Don't expect a bowl bid this year, still going to be hard using all Fr, R. Fr, and So. I am thinking we win 5, which is optimistic since Vegas has us at 3.5.

[Terry Blue]

I would pick 4 or 5, but I'd hate to win 5 because we'd all be analyzing all winter on how we could have won one more game and gotten to a bowl. Right now we're at #25 in rivals on 2015 recruiting. This with just 9 committs, making us one of only 4 of those 25 teams with less than double figure committs.

[Darrell KSR]

I'm thinking it will be 2015 when we really start to see the fruits of the labor. And grow from there.

[KentuckyWildcat]

If we can over-achieve this year it will take a little bit of pressure off of next season.

[millsforthree]

I think the schedule makers did us no favor giving UK Bama and LSU and Bama next year if I remember correctly as our rotating western division opponent. Would have been a good year to have caught Arkansas or TXAM actually. The strength of this team looks to be the d line and running backs, two things that win you games in this conference. However we are painfully short in the middle. I am scared teams are going to be able to line up and run it up our gut. If we are able to hold the run, then Elliots bunch certainly looks strong enough to bring the heat on 3rd and passing. Linebacker play will be our come to Jesus position, as goes Kentuckys linebackers so does this defense.

Stoops and Brown have both lamented qb play is much better than all of last year...Not an option whoever wins the position must be stronger. I don't think 4 years ago I would be praising Hartline, but if you put him on this team I think they are challenging for double digit wins. It is going to be nice to see wide open wide outs actually catching the ball, which is what the staff is putting out there. If the air raid is grounded another year it's going to be very tough off season, because heat to win will be there next year. Winning a conference game or two has to be this year's goal with VU and UT being the Cats best chances IMO. I think 4 wins will be great, but 5 with wins over a conference for and Ville being super sweet.

[Rock Hard Ten]

Chemistry - Towles/Barker

The 2015 basketball team's largest challenge will likely be team chemistry since we are 11-12 deep

Will a major challenge for the football team be…..how the 2nd string QB handles not starting…….If the 2nd stringer is Towles, how will he handle it given all of the effort he has invested during this past year

If the 2nd stringer is Drew Barker, how will he and his classmates handle it, given how he has been the Chairman of theta Class's recruiting efforts and it is assumed he has built a terrific rapport with his classmates……will he be willing to be 2nd fiddle for 2 years?

[millsforthree]

Talked to some folks and hearing that current group has the "look" of an SEC team. Have heard lots of praise for Korem's off season training program. Sounds like some guys are really putting the effort in, in the weight room. Depth has been a major problem with our team in the past, but sounding like our second and thirds are getting there. Also in the past we have had either a good offense or a good defense, but never at the same time--my buddy insists this is the best "overall" team he has seen at UK since the 2007/2008 teams. Everyone says we look night and day difference between this year and last. Eventually Stoops is going to get us playing like Oklahoma, and we are going to win some games.

[truecatsfan]

We will win 5 or 6 this year, if we had any qb last year we would have won 4.

[Jelleyjr]

4. 6 would be cherry on top!

[Kacat]

I won't make any predictions on the season. There are things to be excited about and certainly many to be worried about. This team needs to learn how to win and that will take leadership. In football that starts with the QB which has to be improved in a big way. I think it will be a season with some fun games to watch.

[Darrell KSR]

I won't make any predictions on the season. There are things to be excited about and certainly many to be worried about. This team needs to learn how to win and that will take leadership. In football that starts with the QB which has to be improved in a big way. I think it will be a season with some fun games to watch.

That's the culture of change that Mark Stoops has mentioned, and you guys could not be more right. It's beyond Jimmie's and Joe's, and X's and O's.

Plenty of reason to be optimistic about UK's future, both long-term and even this year. But there's learning to do before we get too excited. Maybe it happens now. Why not?