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Did Joker gain any ground tonight?

  • Realisticly if you're Mitch Barnhart who has to take everything into consideration before making a decision on Joker's future did Joker make up some lost ground? Obviously knee jerk reaction is no, in the end we got mopped. However that's a top 10 team out there and UK played some good football against them before we were overpowered. Not to mention we lost our starting QB and our back up looked good.(till pass rush ate him alive) if we want to crush Joker for not having Newton prepared last week, I feel we have credit him with having Whitlow ready and a gameplan he could execute this week. If he did win back any front office support it has to be minimal but last week I felt he was out and now I think maybe he at least positioned himself to have a chance if Cats can win some SEC games. Vandy, Miss State, and UT still seem like long shots but not impossible after watching Cats inspired first half.

    Shamisoshea23

  • No, he needs wins at this point. But the defensive coaching staff has show improvement over the last 2 games.

    This post was edited by Big Sarge on 9/29/2012 at 10:31 PM

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    Big Sarge

  • There was some awful coaching on exhibit tonight at the end of each half. Just pitiful. I don' think this game helped Joker at all.

    zcats

  • #BBN, Thanks for your support tonight. The enthusiasm of our crowd made a huge difference in the first half. Keep believing in us. #WeAreUK - Mitch Barnhart

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    Chris Fisher

  • I would hope not. If anything, Joker's mismanagement of the game clock at the end of the first half and some real questions about why Whitlow didn't play earlier against Florida really comes to a head after this game.

    WildcatBelle

  • No. I was proud of the crowd.

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    CarlLexington

  • Bottom line 1-4 overall 0-1 SEC Lost to Western,

    Now does that a record of a coach who looked like a coach who helped himself tonight?

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    The meanest dog in Taiwan.

    mrhotdice

  • mrhotdice said...

    Bottom line 1-4 overall 0-1 SEC Lost to Western,

    Now does that a record of a coach who looked like a coach who helped himself tonight?

    No. If season ends today he'd be toast. I'm saying with the team improving and if UK were to beat Samford, Arkansas, Vandy, and upset UGA( highly doubtful), Miss State(doubtful), or Missouri (possible), don't we think about keeping the guy? I'm just speaking hypothetically here because a week ago I thought he was done for sure but now I see at least a theoretically possible scenario he could be back next year. I realize how unlikely it is but just something to talk about.

    Shamisoshea23

  • Big IF at this point.

    tWhit

  • They are improving, and will have a legit shot in the rest of the games, all this, while the team is down to their 3rd string back and qb...? I think they just need to win 3 more games, but that's jmo

    shepp2700

  • He didn't help himself but he certainly didn't hurt himself. The team has come out ready to play in both SEC games. Against Fla we had zero chance with Newton at QB but I thought both sides of the ball played really hard. Last night, we simply got worn down by a better, more experienced team.

    The flip side to that is if we had zero chance with Newton why he is on the field? Also, why are we so inexperienced (rhetorical question as this has all been discussed, ad nauseum).

    My personal opinion is Joker has done a really poor job of managing the program through 2.5 years. I think we finally have the right staff in place and alot of really good, young talent in the program but we shouldn't be in this spot 3 years into the "seamless transition" of HCIW.

    I guess the question to ask is do you think Joker can keep and develop the young talent on this team or do you see us in the same spot 2 years from now with a bunch of excuses for why 75% of the team is underclassmen. I'm not sure where I stand with that right now but in my mind alot will depend on if these kids keep fighting and if the coaching staff develops some gameplans that allow them to compete to the best of their ability...JMO

    jacksoncat

  • I think the cake is baked. It's all about attendance not how good they played in one half of football against a team that was sleep walking through the first half.

    Kentucky's young team is improving, give them credit for that.

    "Ignorance is constricted awareness" - Deepak Chopra

    Deeeefense

  • Do we not have anyone better than Kevin Mitchell to play on the O line? He has been there for 7 yrs and doesnt look any bigger and is very slow..
    O line recruiting must get better and apparently our strength program needs to improve as some of our guys just dont look very muscled..I wish I had
    an instant fix for this team because we just arent very good..

    wildcatdon

  • We played well in places in the game last night. In other places in the game we looked like the same 'ol Kentucky that everyone has known for eons.
    In the places in last night's game where we did play well, we played some good football. We are improving on both sides of the ball, and it is obvious. But with all of this youth, and with the never ending injuries associated with play in the SEC, we just cannot put a complete game together on both sides of the ball.
    Let's just face the fact that even if we win 3 or 4 more games, this season is a washout. Period. No sugar-coating here, we will not win 6 games and once again we will not go to a bowl.
    All that said, I still believe there is a ton of potential for next season with most of these players coming back. Most will be juniors and sophomores with lots of game experience. Although I am not really on the Joker bandwagon, I just cannot see letting him go at the end of season #3. I can see this starting to turn around, although to the casual observer it doesn't appear to be happening. These kids are playing better, just not for a complete game and because of injuries.
    I am of the opinion that Joker needs to get at least one more year to make this situation move in the right direction. JMHO.

    suncat05

  • Nice effort. Playing a true freshman at qb gives us virtually no shot in that game. We won't play a mor physical team the rest of the season. But if max smith isn't back next week we won't win.

    hoptownukfan

  • I am not sure I buy that we can't win without smith. Minus a bad break at the end of the first half, whitlow could have had us up 3 possessions. Also, if he is the starter, he may begin to gain some confidence, and the offensive package will be a different look if we know he is going to start. I think he may not give that position up if he goes out and beats state. That's a lot of motivation for a freshman that knows smith and towles could keep him from ever playing qb. Don't sleep on whitlow!!! I like his game, I hope he starts. The state game will be all about the D if we are gonna win!

    shepp2700

  • If it hadn't been for the horrendous clock management at the end of the first half, I MIGHT say yes. But that one play showed how the coaching staff cannot think quick or think on their feet. We HAD to score there. Take 3 shots at passing the ball into the endzone, if no score, take the field goal as you let the time run off.

    Not a running play into the teeth of the D and then blow your time!!!

    docjmrmd ●

  • mrhotdice said...

    Bottom line 1-4 overall 0-1 SEC Lost to Western,

    Now does that a record of a coach who looked like a coach who helped himself tonight?

    Charlie Strong lost to FIU and Marshall at home last season with a freshman quarterback. If Louisville had canned him, they wouldn't be 5-0 this season.

    Yes, it's disappointing that UK lost to WKU. I get that. But it's not like Western is a bunch of chuds either.

    Sun Belt has had a lot of success against BCS teams this season:

    MTSU 49, Georgia Tech 28

    La-Monroe 34, Arkansas 31

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    Chris Fisher

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    signature image

    Chris Fisher

  • Chris Fisher said...

    Charlie Strong lost to FIU and Marshall at home last season with a freshman quarterback. If Louisville had canned him, they wouldn't be 5-0 this season.

    Yes, it's disappointing that UK lost to WKU. I get that. But it's not like Western is a bunch of chuds either.

    Sun Belt has had a lot of success against BCS teams this season:

    MTSU 49, Georgia Tech 28

    La-Monroe 34, Arkansas 31

    I agree wholeheartedly with this statement. I feel like this whole injury situation is doing Joker and the staff a huge favor, bc it is forcing them to play all these freshman, and they are responding!! When we were rolling in the first half it was Whitlow, Legree, Sweat, Collins, Robinson, and Sanders (I know he is not a frosh). If they can win a few the rest of the way, I think it is pretty obvious you don't make a change.......... JMO.

    shepp2700

  • Chris Fisher said...

    Charlie Strong lost to FIU and Marshall at home last season with a freshman quarterback. If Louisville had canned him, they wouldn't be 5-0 this season.

    Yes, it's disappointing that UK lost to WKU. I get that. But it's not like Western is a bunch of chuds either.

    Sun Belt has had a lot of success against BCS teams this season:

    MTSU 49, Georgia Tech 28

    La-Monroe 34, Arkansas 31

    Joker Phillips is no Charlie Strong. Joker overall record the last 3 season: 12-17. Strongs record the last 3 seasons 19-13. Recruiting classes: 2012 UL 44, UK 52; 2011 UL 28, UK 39(cough). Bowl games Strong 1 win, 1 loss. Joker 1 loss. Strong went 7-6, 7-6, and is 5-0 this year. If Joker had these numbers this wouldn't be a discussion. Joker went 6-7, 5-7, and is 1-4 this year. I also think it's fair to say that Joker had a huge advantage over Strong when they both were hired. Joker was the heir apparent and the team he took over was a team he was instrumental in creating. Strong didn't have that luxury. I'm just hoping Joker doesn't get a fluke win that'll save his job like the UT game did last year.

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    CarlLexington

  • CarlLexington said...

    Joker Phillips is no Charlie Strong. Joker overall record the last 3 season: 12-17. Strongs record the last 3 seasons 19-13. Recruiting classes: 2012 UL 44, UK 52; 2011 UL 28, UK 39(cough). Bowl games Strong 1 win, 1 loss. Joker 1 loss. Strong went 7-6, 7-6, and is 5-0 this year. If Joker had these numbers this wouldn't be a discussion. Joker went 6-7, 5-7, and is 1-4 this year. I also think it's fair to say that Joker had a huge advantage over Strong when they both were hired. Joker was the heir apparent and the team he took over was a team he was instrumental in creating. Strong didn't have that luxury. I'm just hoping Joker doesn't get a fluke win that'll save his job like the UT game did last year.

    Not saying Joker is a better coach than Charlie Strong but Strong also coaches in the Big East. Big difference.

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    Chris Fisher

  • Huge difference. I agree with you Chris. But, I don't want to let this thread be taken over by the same ole junk that we hear every day... We get it, joker sucks, we suck, all other coaches would have us in the top 20, lol. This thread is not a platform to spew that same old tired crap. The question was for people who support joker and the team, and have input as to whether the recent improvements and play of the youth on the team are helping buy joker time to coach his young kids after this season!?

    This post was edited by shepp2700 on 9/30/2012 at 12:05 PM

    shepp2700

  • Not saying Joker should keep his job but you can't compare him to Strong.
    Louisvilles opponents combined record 5-18. Louisville struggled against two terrible teams the past two weeks.

    bigbluerules ●

  • I really don't think he did. While I'm a big Joker supporter I don't think he helped himself at all last night. If they would have scored at the end of the first half like they should have and then getting the ball first in the second half with a chance to put real pressure on USC this could have been a different game. But they didn't. 31-0 in the second half is just awful.

    footballcat65

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