UK Fans of the Day Want Two Quick Afternoon Thoughts
It’s Thanksgiving so I am going to make this quick, but two big pieces of news came out this afternoon that have been lingering around KSR-ville for a while:
— First, FootballScoop.com reports that UK Offensive Coordinator Neal Brown is a finalist for the Troy head coaching job. This rumor has been making its way around Lexington for a few weeks and has been a story we have been chasing for the past few days. I couldn’t get confirmation that he is taking the job (apparently the new coach will be named next week) but I know there is interest there. Football Scoop is talking to folks on the Troy side and says a decision has nearly been made with an announcement next week. We shall see what happens but Brown has coached there before and they love him. If he is offered it, I would be shocked if he doesn’t take it. Brown is a head coach in waiting and Troy is a good starter job. If he gets its, I expect him to go. It would be a bump in the road, but not necessarily a crushing blow if UK can continue its progress. The key would be to find someone who can still do the Air Raid (or the version we run) so that one doesn’t have to completely re-tool with Towles, etc starting over. Watch for East Carolina Offensive Coordinator Lincoln Riley to be at least one of the candidates.
— Second, Andy Katz reports what we hinted at on radio last week, that UK and UCLA are likely to begin a 2 year home and home series next season. UK would first go to LA and then UCLA would come to Lexington in 2016. I am told that this series will replace the UNC series for two years (although UK will play UNC in 2016 as part of whatever that UNC/Ohio St/UCLA round robin thing is called) and give the Cats a marquee home and home for fans. It will also allow me (selfishly) to travel to the one great college basketball home court I have never been in, Pauley Pavilion.
With that announcement, UK’s non-conference schedule next year would look like this:
Duke (in Chicago)
Ohio State (in Brooklyn)
at UCLA
Louisville in Rupp
South Florida (in Miami)
Big 12 True Road Game
The final of those games is likely to be Kansas, which could put UK in Phog Allen Fieldhouse for the first time in a number of years. If that happens, the return game would be in 2016 in Rupp (UK would not agree to playing a true road game there without the same team playing in Rupp Arena). That would mean UCLA/Kansas in Rupp in the same year…get those tickets now.
For traveling UK fans, that means trips next year to New York, LA, Chicago and Miami…plus possibly Kansas. That is a heck of a road trip (Drew, I hope you are ready for lots of Conway Twitty).
With that, enjoy your holiday…we will be back on radio on Friday. I leave you with young Calipari and his daughters on an early Throwback Thursday:
8 Comments for UK Fans of the Day Want Two Quick Afternoon Thoughts
Would love to see Lincon Riley here. Love what he has done at ECU.
Bizzaro picture! What exactly is on that guy’s head?
Is Hal Mumme still alive? Be nice to bring him back as offensive coordinator. That’s one of the few times in my lifetime that I ever found UK fun to watch. The losses were the same…but it sure was fun to watch!
why would we want to start a series with ucla? it would only be beneficial to them by putting them in the national spotlight and strengthening their recruiting efforts. it wouldn’t matter so much if ucla didn’t have 11 national championships. i’d rather see a home and home with somebody like zona or even uconn.
For recruiting of west coast players. I’m sure Zimmerman has been told of the series.
blubo – I agree! The less I hear about ucla, the better …. at least until we get #12!
I want to see Uconn on the schedule. They have become the new Duke as of recently beating superior UK teams in the Tournament twice in the Calipari era. Would like to beat them.
Absolutely insane amount of talent in our OOC schedules.
Great Job Calipari!!!!