Ron Caragher thinks Kentucky can compete
San Diego’s Ron Caragher, one of the “second tier” UK coaching candidates, thinks Kentucky can compete in the SEC. The former UK assistant coach under Rich Brooks recently spoke to Larry Vaught about what it would take for Kentucky’s next coach to be successful and he believes the opportunity to win is there.
From Vaught’s Views:
“I think (Kentucky) should compete for a SEC championship on an annual basis. It will be a challenge because of good teams in the SEC. But you want to embrace that and attract young men who want to be challenged daily,” Caragher said. “I think those facilties are all nice, but that is never a reason not to succeed. They are all nice. Not an excuse. Facilties can become an arms race in the SEC. But look at the things at Kentucky. Great indoor facility. Three practice fields, two grass and one turf as good as you will find in the country. We practiced at the Carolina Panthers facility and Kentucky’s practice facility is just as nice. Commonwealth Stadium is nice. I know some stadiums are bigger, but you’ve got the main things you need to win. It’s about having a culture of excellence for the new coach to embrace.”
Caragher thinks UK can find recruiting success in Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania by pitching the challenges of the SEC and Lexington’s close-to-home location. He also thinks an entertaining offense is the key to turning things around. “That means an offense that can throw the ball around and make big plays and creat oohs and aahs in the crowd,” Caragher said. ” I am not a fan of just running.”
46 Comments for Ron Caragher thinks Kentucky can compete
I’m coming n m j on Es will have to eat crow
Ron sounds like a winner! Just the type coach we need! Understands it is about entertainment and inning!
Matt is quoted on another site saying our ‘second tier’ of candidates has already turned us down.
Um, when can you start?
#1 – and when will this NEWS of Petrino become official?
I he thinks UK can compete for the championship every year, he is too stupi to be a serious candidate.
Lame. Hire Bobby!
I’ll buy that. Sign him up.
Why the heck would you want BP when you could have me or any number of coaches who have been out of the game for a decade or more?
Maybe, Matt should give him his “Not Knute Rocke” speech about UK football, we do not want anyone thinking UK football can succeed.
7. Easterling. You’re a loser. Calling some stupid, but you can’t spell stupid correctly? UK should be competitive every year in the SEC East.
#9)LOL
Knute Rockne for #10 ^^^
Does anyone know anything about these BP rumors, starting to see them pop up everywhere, Mitch was supposedly backed into a corner from the big dawgs and forced to make the hire (cause as everyone knows he is to incompetent to make a good hire on his own) hope this sh!t is true and I’m sure 75 percent of the fan base is also( 50/50 according to KSR)
At the outset, I was very against Petrino as our next football coach. But as time has gone on, and I have read a lot
on this site and others, and thought about what I’ve read, I hope he does become our coach. I think his knowledge
and name would be good for us, even if he leaves soon. The marketing of Kentucky being a school of Second
Chances could be a very good thing for all of us. A lesson in humility and also one in striving for excellence
even after mistakes. A lot of us are going to have to STFU about Rick Pitino and judge Louisville on
performance alone, and on the general uppity “better than thou” ridiculousnes of their fans… not on
the personal life of Rick Pitino. So, it will require some work on ALL our parts for Petrino to be our coach,
but dear God, how wonderful it would be to be competitive in the conference. If Gruden goes to UT and
Petrino comes to UK, oh wow, it is ON in the SEC! Next season will be an AMAZING football season,
and that would truly be a thing to celebrate. Can you imagine the dominance that would make other
schools just SHUDDER
Steve Kragthorpe is interviewing with Mitch now.
Solid Hire.
Stop saying second chances. This would be a FOURTH chance at least to show any kind of character and integrity.
Caragher wouldn’t be my first choice, but he was an impact recruiter during his time at UK and I think he gets it. Instead of embracing the negatives, he seems to have a very positive outlook about what UK football could be.
I also happen to agree with him 100% on where we should recruit. Everyone knows that we have to recruit out of state because there is not enough in-state talent to be competitive. Instead of going south and taking the leftovers from other SEC schools, I don’t know why we don’t take more advantage of Ohio. We are right down the road for a lot of Ohio kids and if we could clean up on Ohio State’s leftovers than we could really change the talent level at UK. I also agree about Pennsylvania.
Cool. Bobby deserves a fourth chance in Lexington. Better Mal?
GUY SOUNDS GOOD,LOOKS LIKE THE KIND OF COACH ANY PROGRAM WOULD BE HAPPY TO HAVE, I STILL LIKE BP & KLINGSBURY
#9) If Phat Phil is hired, Mitch would have people jumping off a cliff! A retread that hasnt coached in several years and a coach that UT got the same rep as UK got with “Tubby” plus the fan base will be destroyed,
Just what we need a second tier coach.
Maybe UT will get Gruden, Auburn Petrino, Ark Strong, we will get a second tier, maybe Dooley or Kragthorpe
Kragthorpe second tier. Do you watch college football?
Bring on Petrino….the man wud get my vote in a heartbeat.
“Ron Caragher thinks Kentucky can compete” and Petrino could make Kentucky compete
If that dude is stupid enough to leave beautiful, sunny San Diego for Kentucky, we don’t want him.
PETRINO OR BUST.. POINT BLANK, PERIOD.
This guy can’t win at San Diego!! How’s he gonna win in the SEC.?? The fact that he says we don’t need to update facilities shows he’s not the right choice! We need a guy to come in here and put pressure on the athletic department to make changes and make this a winning program, not someone who will sit back and act like everything’s ok! Ask Rich Brooks! That’s why he left!
The answer is “no” that 75% of the fan base wants Bobby Petrino. Check his record against ranked teams……several games under .500. His best win at Louisville……Wake Forest. 32 three star players in 4 seasons at Louisville. By the way nice job getting a Brohm to go to Louisville. 15 of those 32 players came in his 4th and final class. 21 players from that final group never played for Louisviile. Only one or two played Division 1 football. Louisville suffered because of the mess he left (see Arkansas 2012).
Just noticed that Kent State is ranked 23rd. There is something seriously wrong with the rankings if a team that KY crushed is ranked 23rd. Just say’n
Ron is a first-class individual. I got to know him and his family when he coached under Brooks. His character is second to none. I would love to see him coach the Cats.
You couldn’t depend on Petrino to even finish out one year
KSR: Why don’t you stop floating candidates for Barnhart and start publishing articles about the travesty of this coaching search. Stop worrying about losing your press credentials to cover UK sports and put pressure on Barnhart to hire the best candidate — Bobby Petrino. You guys are doing the university and fans a disservice by pandering to Barnhart.
I’m convinced many of the posters here are 8 years old. Pizza for lunch? NO, PETRINO! Harrow coming back? WHO CARES, PETRINO! Have a good Thanksgiving? NOTHING TO BE THANKFUL FOR, MITCH IS STUPID AND ME WANT PETRINO!! If I never see Bobby Petrino’s name again, it will be too soon.
What??…KENTUCKY compete in the SEC…Sounds like this guy has had his 20 minutes with HS…BUT not with Matt Jones…Matt would set him straight…
26
Agree. Kentucky can compete – Kentucky will compete – If we hire Petrino.
BOOK IT! BOOBY PETRINO WILL BE UK’S NEXT COACH!!!
Petrino will be announced next week!!
If you know about Petrino coming, please enlighten everyone.
If Petrino was Ethiopian, would “saint” Mitch think that he was worthy of his chance for redemption? With “saint” Mitch’s guidance, UK can be Petrino’s “born again” momment.
34 – Pressure on Mitch??? Do you even know how stubborn this guy is? He would rather be fired for hiring “his guy” than hire someone he is told to hire.
Also, if Petrino is hired than I think it has more to do with Mitch coming to this conclusion on his own than anything from the fans. I think the biggest myth out there is that “Mitch won’t hire Bobby” and the reason why is because Mitch knows the significance of this hire. Also, he could have had conversations with Bobby Petrino everyday for the past week and there are still fans posting things like “why won’t he talk to Petrino”…….Mitch isn’t going to tweet, blog, or do interviews giving updates on the hiring process. The reality is that the first real info that comes from Mitch or UK won’t happen until a candidate has officially accepted.
Mitch if you hire Petrino you will regret it before the Spring game. The guy has less class than IU fans and will not be able to recruit here. We will still be hoping our recruite choose UK over Ball St and N Illinois. Petrino is a wasre of a season and a half before we have another coaching search.
43, morons like you are the reason UK has been the SEC doormat for so long.
1. Year 4 Petrino takes Louisville to the Orange Bowl and wins it, Gets the call to Coach a PRO TEAM, sorta like a promotion, more money greener pastures,..Dream Fulfilled
2. AS CONFIRMED BY MR KENTUCKY HIMSELF(JoeB) Cannot finish out his first NFL season because of internal problems in which management basically wont allow him to COACH and discipline his players, because “THEY ARE STARS”, realizes maybe Pastures aren’t so green, and Literally gets the locks changed on him JUST for trying to BE THE HEAD COACH
3. Begins to bring Arkansas from #3 SEC West(at best) to a legitimate National Championship Contender, while in the mean time decides to cheat on his wife(for reasons unbeknownst to ANYONE of you Holier than Thou Bible thumpin so called Fans,…I am so sure his wife played no role in what could have been a problem relationship.)Decides to give his mistress a job, and than gets fired after he gets caught.
I am sorry but NONE OF THIS seems worthy of HALF of the bulls#@! that SOME in this Fan-base has scrutinized him for. Hardly the work of a sleazy, slimy, untrustworthy, hardened criminal! GTFO!!! Kentucky could ONLY BE SO LUCKY to have a coach of this caliber! Wake up people, this is a chance of a lifetime for this Program. And your right
#35 ChiddarCheddar,..I am sure you are tired of seeing myself and AT LEAST 65% of the BBN post about Petrino,…We shouldn’t have to this deal should have ALREADY been DONE,..we just cant seem to figure out WTF the holdup is! To anyone who wants to win and win NOW, this is an ABSOLUTE…NO BRAINER. GET YOUR SH!% Together Mitch!
SammyB for AD and Petrino as Coach