Last year, after a season that tested the patience of Big Blue Nation, a defiant Mark Stoops stood at the podium. He promised he was getting back to work and closed his press conference with a simple, direct message to the fans: “Don’t panic." He said we will have a better football team.
That was then. Through five games of the 2025 season, that promise has failed to materialize. In fact, a statistical deep dive shows the situation hasn’t just stagnated; in many key areas, it has gotten worse.
It may be time to panic.
A look back: The 2024 baseline
To understand where the program is, we have to remember where it was. The 2024 season was a giant step back. Kentucky finished 4-8, snapping an eight-year bowl streak and managing only a single SEC win. The offense was often stagnant, averaging just 330.4 yards per game, and the team struggled mightily down the stretch.
That 4-8 record was the baseline from which Stoops promised improvement.
Has anything actually improved in 2025?
The short answer is no. Through five games, the Kentucky offense is averaging 331.6 yards per game, a statistically insignificant increase from last year’s mark. The bigger issue is the inefficiency. The Wildcats rank 102nd nationally in yards per play (4.9) and are dead last among all 131 FBS teams in completion percentage (53.28%).
While quarterback Cutter Boley showed flashes of potential against Georgia, the passing attack remains one of the worst in the country, ranked 118th in yards per game. The offense has become predictable and one-dimensional, a frustrating reality for a fan base that was promised a step forward.
The alarming defensive collapse
Perhaps the most damning evidence of regression is on the defensive side of the ball—long considered a Mark Stoops hallmark. A Stoops-coached team is expected to be disciplined, tough, and fundamentally sound. This year’s unit is none of those things.
The 2025 defense is surrendering a staggering 402.8 yards per game, a massive jump from the 345.5 yards allowed in 2024. The secondary has been particularly vulnerable, ranking 112th nationally by allowing 8.3 yards per pass attempt. Opponents are completing over 61% of their passes and moving the ball with ease.
For a defensive-minded head coach, this level of collapse is the biggest red flag of all.
When you look at they key metrics from 2024 and 2025 above, the picture becomes painfully clear. The program isn't just stuck; it's moving backward.
Fans were told that help was on the way and that the program would be better. The numbers tell a different story. The offense is just as ineffective, the defense has fallen off a cliff, only the kicking game has been good.
Mark Stoops told Big Blue Nation not to panic. But based on the evidence, it may be the only logical thing left to do.
Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time he enjoys downtime with his family and Premier League soccer. You can find him on X here. Micah 7:7. #UptheAlbion