Mark Story of the Herald-Leader writes today that six wins (and an accompanying bowl game) may not excite Kentucky fans, but it is a necessary step to future success.
Here’s an excerpt:
Since Jerry Claiborne’s 1984 UK team went 8-3 and then won a Hall of Fame Bowl matchup with Wisconsin, Kentucky has made eight subsequent bowl trips — four as a seven-win team and four as a six-win team.
So it’s understandable why the Big Blue Nation does not seem delirious about the likelihood that UK — with remaining games against Austin Peay and at No. 3 Louisville — will again go bowling at 6-6.
It is nevertheless an important step for Stoops at UK.
After Kentucky’s five-year bowl streak (2006-10), the Wildcats’ program essentially collapsed. When you put back-to-back 2-10, 0-8 SEC seasons on the board — which UK did in 2012 and ’13 — you have found the hard, rock bottom of the well.
For Stoops, the first goal was to get back to the “Rich Brooks Threshold.” In Brooks’ final four regular seasons (2006-09) as UK coach, the Cats went 7-5, 7-5, 6-6 and 7-5 and won three out of four minor bowls.
In my opinion, Big Blue Nation should be ecstatic to return to a bowl game, even if it ends up being in Memphis or Birmingham…or Alaska…or Tibet.
Who cares? It’s a bowl game and it’s a big step on the way to bigger bowl games in warm southern states.
