Willie Cauley-Stein gets high praise from Larry Bird

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Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports

It is the time for list making in regards to the 2015 college football season. Jason Hall ranked the SEC football coaches and the Kentucky Wildcats Mark Stoops got no respect. He came is as the #13 coach in the SEC.

"Reasoning for ranking: Stoops’ second season at Kentucky is difficult to judge. He managed to show improvement by matching the team’s win total from the past two seasons but also failed to secure bowl eligibility. The Wildcats ended their season on a six-game losing streak after opening the season at 5-1. Kentucky wasn’t a team that entered with high expectations, but winning changes everything. The Wildcats seemed to be poised for the postseason and capable of exceeding expectations before suffering a historic collapse. Stoops deserves some of the blame for the teams ineptitude down the stretch. He earned a second contact extension for the team’s hot start but failed to live up to growing expectations. The SEC is filled with talented coaches. Stoops is young and shows promise for an ailing Kentucky program. However, his short tenure has not provided enough to compare favorably to his counterparts."

Take it with a grain of salt, but Hall’s ranking seems kind of sloppy and vague. He is entitled to his opinion, of course. However, I do not trust reviews that always seem to bring up basketball.

"But Kentucky has too many unanswered questions on offense to expect much success in 2015. Stoops has the program moving in the right direction, but the Wildcats are far from being a contender. Fortunately, the fan base will have basketball to keep it satisfied from October on."

Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

One thing that could determine the success of Kentucky Wildcats football in 2015 is the play of the players from the 2014 class that redshirted last season. Look for several of the “new” players to make an impact this year.

"The star: There is no shortage of talent among the Wildcat redshirt freshmen, but outside linebacker Denzil Ware is likely the only player in the group who will face the pressure of immediately being thrust into the starting lineup. The UK coaches were up front this spring about the steep learning curve Ware faces in trying to help replace Bud Dupree, but they remained confident that his talent will help him eventually accomplish that goal. If he can provide a consistent pass-rushing threat on the edge of the Wildcat defense the ongoing worries about the cornerbacks could be lessened. The x-factor: For all the talk of C.J. Conrad’s impressive spring, Darry Long will still need to make a significant contribution at tight end. After a redshirt season in which he gained more than 20 pounds, Long is the bigger of the two Wildcat tight ends, and could provide a more physical presence when the tight end is called on to block. He’s no slouch as a receiver either, so do not be surprised if both Long and Conrad post better stats than any Kentucky tight end since Jacob Tamme."

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