University of Kentucky Football: How to Right the Ship

Recently, the University of Kentucky Athletics Department announced that season ticket sales for the 2012 UK Football team was down nearly 30% from last year’s totals. And, on top of that, roughly 2,000 unsold tickets were returned to the University of Louisville for the September 2 matchup. Needless to say, the apathy amongst the Big Blue faithful toward this year’s team is high. The question in most fans’ minds: How do we fix UK Football?

First, the fans have to continue to support the team. The one selling point, the one bright spot has been the unwavering support of the fanbase through even the most lean of football times.  From the days of  Curci and Claiborne to Brooks and Joker, the fans have been able to see exciting and thrilling games. Be it the Alabama victory in 1997 or the 7 overtime game against Arkansas or the triple overtime thriller against BCS Champion LSU in 2007, the UK fans have supported the football team through thick and thin. And despite the lack of continued success, Commonwealth Stadium is usually at or near capacity. That is, until recently.

To reward the fans for their support and perseverance, the coaching staff must be bold.  Most realistic fans understand the difficulty of navigating the always tough SEC schedule. But what cannot and should not be tolerated is a sense that the coaches are comfortable with the status quo. Before Hal Mumme left UK amid scandal, his Air Raid offense and unorthodox playcalling brought a real excitement to the football team and had many people buying into what he was selling. It’s that real sense of boldness and excitement that fans are looking for and deserve.