The House of Blue

For years, UKAD was able to keep this info under wraps from the fans. In today's day and age of immediate information availability, fans and media that follow UK now have the ability to completley digest UK's stance on the financial commitment to the football program.

I truly think this has played a role in some of the former long time season ticket holders deciding to bail. At the end of the day, I think this very issue and the transparency of the issue will become a MAJOR hurdle for UK's efforts to lure a highly regarded football coach.

"The job is set up for the coach to fail."

Unless there is an overall systemic culture change with UK's financial capability or lack thereof for football, then yes, you're opinion looks to be quite true moving forward.

I'm afraid you may be right re this issue hurting UK in its quest for a new coach, assuming this season plays out as it's looking right now. Of course, if people in the right places took action, it could help spur change that could help UK attract a higher caliber coach. But I'm not holding my breath on that given how screwed up Kentucky politics are.

Our facilities are better than most outside of the SEC. I think that will probably not be as big of an issue as you would think. Honestly, we need a dynamic personality as our head coach. A guy that's going to rally the troops and the fans.

This is the problem Josh.

We shouldn't be competing with those "outside the SEC." Because we (despite all outwards appearances) are in the SEC.

We have circumstantial evidence from Rich Brooks (get with the 21st century) and hard evidence from a current player (Justin Taylor) that our facilities are not up to par with our conference opponents. We (and recruits and analysts and coaching candidates) can extrapolate from spending comparisons that UK is at the very bottom in administrative support/approval for future projects.

We all want a competitive SEC program. To have that, we have to have competitive SEC talent. To get commitments from (and development of) competitive SEC talent, we need a competitive SEC coach. To attract the competitive SEC coach, we need competitive SEC facilities.

It does UK absolutely no good to have better facilities than (to make up a number) 75% of all college football programs when we are currently dead last in the conference in current/future facilities spending/budgeting/planning and our facilities are already in the bottom 2-3 of the conference.

Which good coaches are going to say "this isn't as bad as it was made out to be?"

They will be comparing UK's facilities with their former program's facilities, not with the public perception. Even worse, we will likely be competing with several teams with better facilities and/or current plans to renovate those facilities. So, on the balance scale of job consideration by those candidates, UK will be found sorely wanting.

What will ultimately kill our chances to make an impact hire is the lack of current infrastructure in comparison to our peers and lack of plan to make any headway in the considerable (and widening) rift.

Unless a drastic shift in administrative/legislative attitudes happens between now and December, the next hire will be roundly criticized as uninspired, the blame for the floundering program will be placed first at the feet of the AD, and then the coach, and ultimately the players, despite the root cause of the problem being firmly planted many, many steps up the administrative and political chain.

Yes, but unless they are coming from an SEC school (which is possible), our facilities should be better if not comparable. If you're coming from an SEC school then you are an assistant and if it matters that much to you - stay an assistant.

The state of Kentucky is loaded with Div. 1 talent this year.We have one verbal. There is a reason we can"t keep our talent in state. All issues need addressed. The facilities,coaching whatever it may be. We need to see a better product on the field.

This article just brings to light that which "most" of us already knew.

Great find, thanks for sharing.

Indeed. Very brave of the Kernel to report some information that ought to be uncomfortable for higher ups around campus.

One could get a pretty good road map of how to fix things by first talking to Rich Brooks and second talking to South Carolina about what they did to get Spurrier and keep him. It is not a mystery. You upgrade men's basketball by giving up control and money. You upgrade women's basketball with money. You upgrade everything else with money taken from football. If you want a football program you give up a considerable amount of control of revenue to football and pay the coaches very well. The facilities will follow the wins.

And as you have been saying, you have absolutely 0% grasp of the facts surrounding the funding issues of football.