Perhaps I'm Just Nuts

[baldcat]

But after just looking over the schedule..........I don't think that 8-9 wins is really all that impossible.

Of course that's dependent on how the offense gels.

[justacatsfan]

I agree. But so is 5-6, lol. I think with the unproven QB and WR situation it is really up in the air.

AND, the fact that in truth we are not used to having a winning football program and that scary apprehension is still with us. Still that old feeling that we may regress to UK of old. I don't personally 100% feel that way but a part of you still kinda has that feeling.

I do think we have turned the corner and can expect bowl games for the foreseeable future.

I can't wait till the preseason were I don't get that scary feeling. Been waiting my whole life for that moment and it is almost near.

[Doug Hardin]

Like someone said in another thread, the Louisville and Alabama games will be the key games to this season.

Beat Louisville, and a 4-0 start is almost a certainty.

The SEC slate starts with three very winnable games, starting with the game against Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

If this team can beat Louisville and Alabama, they would be 5-0 with two more winnable SEC home games against South Carolina and Arkansas to follow.

So you're not nuts at all; a 7-0 start may not be likely, and it's very hard to predict that kind of start given the uncertainty of the passing game, but it's certainly a realistic possibility. But of course, they could also very easily lose both of these games and be 3-2 needing at least one, perhaps two wins over SC and Arkansas to have a shot at bowl eligibility.

[SBCatMan]

I think you are ALL correct. A 7-0 start is not beyond the realm of possibility, but neither is a 3-4 start. I, too, tend to get nervous and I, too, sometime tend to fall into that trap of not quite believing that we have turned the corner. What jolts me out of that kind of thinking is this coaching staff. I just really believe that Brooks and Joker and Sanders and Brown will not allow that to happen. I am not saying that they will lead us to a 7-0 start, but if we stumble, I do not think they will allow us to slide into oblivian.

[Doug Hardin]

I think you are ALL correct. A 7-0 start is not beyond the realm of possibility, but neither is a 3-4 start. I, too, tend to get nervous and I, too, sometime tend to fall into that trap of not quite believing that we have turned the corner. What jolts me out of that kind of thinking is this coaching staff. I just really believe that Brooks and Joker and Sanders and Brown will not allow that to happen. I am not saying that they will lead us to a 7-0 start, but if we stumble, I do not think they will allow us to slide into oblivian.

Definitely agreed.

Until a year or two ago, I'd watch every close game wondering not just when the proverbial other shoe would drop, but thinking things like, "I wonder how they'll botch this one: Untimely fumble? Dropped interception? Drive-killing penalty? Hail Mary?" And it wasn't just limited to what happened within a game. You could see them lose a tough game early and never seem to get over it (Louisville and South Carolina in 2000 and Florida and Arkansas in '03 immediately come to mind).

But Brooks, along with Woodson, Woodyard, and last year's senior class, have effectively killed that monster that permeated the my thoughts (and probably most of us) in close games. I have faith that they can shake off a bad loss, and I have faith that they can actually finish off quality opponents. IMO, destroying the mentality of losing is going to be the biggest part of Brooks's legacy.

[I. Melvin]

It's gonna take more than the last few years for me to not look between my fingers at the end of close games.

Btw, Vegas released the over/under for number of victories predicted today. Anybody see what they think our total will be?

Apparently, South Carolina is predicted to have nine victories (I'm sure they're including us in that gawdy total).

Nothing I'd like better than to wipe the smirk off of Superior's face and take a little Gamecock money in the process ...

[811_Storm_of_Blue]

I see it this way... If they play "game by game" and not look forward to the next game on the schedule, this is what's possible...
Louisville @ Louisville............. WIN (Cards offense will struggle)
Norfolk State @ HOME........... WIN
MTSU @ HOME..................... WIN
Western Kentucky @ HOME.... WIN
Bama @ Tuscaloosa.............. Good possible WIN (toss up)
South Carolina @ HOME......... WIN
Arkansas @ HOME................ WIN
Florida @ Swamp............... Could be a WIN if Tebow is controlled.
Mississippi State @ Starkville.. WIN... (NO FUMBLES!!!)
Georgia @ HOME.................. Good Possible WIN... (NO FUMBLES)
Vandy @ HOME.................... WIN
Tennessee @ Knoxville.......... WIN ... if we play our game and don't choke!

Note: All the games are winnable games. No games on the schedule are games that we "should lose"! As long as our players stay healthy, backfield produces and some of the younger players step up, we will be sitting in a BCS Bowl... We always let UT beat us mentally, just like last year... It's time to turn the tables in that series.

[811_Storm_of_Blue]

Besides, Louisville and LSU were both favored to beat us last year... Ask LSU if they will underestimate UK again... ;)

[BigBlue75]

The thing I'm most glad of is the program is to the point now where NO GAME on the schedule can be penciled in as a definite loss. We have the talent and the numbers to be in a position to win every game.

According to some of the pundits, eight wins have been completely out of the question the last two season, but we proved them wrong.

[811_Storm_of_Blue]

Definitely agreed.

Until a year or two ago, I'd watch every close game wondering not just when the proverbial other shoe would drop, but thinking things like, "I wonder how they'll botch this one: Untimely fumble? Dropped interception? Drive-killing penalty? Hail Mary?" And it wasn't just limited to what happened within a game. You could see them lose a tough game early and never seem to get over it (Louisville and South Carolina in 2000 and Florida and Arkansas in '03 immediately come to mind).

But Brooks, along with Woodson, Woodyard, and last year's senior class, have effectively killed that monster that permeated the my thoughts (and probably most of us) in close games. I have faith that they can shake off a bad loss, and I have faith that they can actually finish off quality opponents. IMO, destroying the mentality of losing is going to be the biggest part of Brooks's legacy.

Doug... You couldn't have said it better... I thought the same thing until last year... "HOW ARE WE GOING TO LOSE THIS GAME?" We've had too many close games that we could have won that we simply gave away. Last years Tennessee game, the Tennessee game when Lorenzen went for the TD and was stopped on the 1 yard line.. LSU's Hail Mary... so many I can't count.. Last years seniors have had a huge impact on the rest of the team and how they think. Attention to details... Don't drench your coach until the game is in the books!!!

[poodoo]

Those are excellent posts, SBCatMan and Doug Hardin, in regard to this staff's and last years' seniors helping to make the UK football players AND us fans BELIEVE Kentucky will WIN those close games. I LOVE it!

Too, baldcat, you are NOT "nuts." While I don't ever make predictions, UK's winning eight or nine games this season is certainly NOT impossible. In fact, I would say it's quite possible. As you say, though, how long it takes the offense to "gel" is the question.