When things go bad, the head coach gets the heat; plus more notes
Random notes:
▪ The interesting part of Monday’s news that freshman Cam’Ron Fletcher has been asked to “step away” from the Kentucky basketball program was the negative reaction, at least on social media, directed not at Fletcher, but at John Calipari.
Most of the critics didn’t like Calipari calling Fletcher out publicly with a series of tweets — repeated on Facebook — that fans thought looked like a coach throwing his player under the bus, as some put it. “What happens in the locker room should stay in the locker room,” said others.
Of course, part of the Fletcher saga was in public for all to see near the end of Kentucky’s 75-63 loss to North Carolina in last Saturday’s CBS Sports Classic. Fletcher was obviously emotional on the bench, upset over a lack of playing time. He could be seen being consoled by teammates and a coach. Calipari said Fletcher apologized in the locker room after the game. Fletcher issued a public apology via Twitter on Sunday, only to be gone Monday.
As for the heat directed at Calipari, such is life when you’re 1-5, the school’s worst start in its most popular sport since 1926-27.
▪ The feedback I’ve received post-Saturday is what you might expect: The philosophy of relying heavily on one-and-done talent was popular when the Cats were making regular trips to the Final Four. Now, not so much. Many of the e-mails in my in-box start with “I’m tired of the freshmen.”
Fact is not all freshmen groups are alike. Some are more talented than others. Some are more mature than others. Given this unusual season, with COVID-19 restrictions and the difficulty of trying to play basketball in a pandemic, would you be surprised if there are more departures at UK? Not saying there will be. Just saying, this season, nothing will surprise me.
▪ Kentucky’s Gator Bowl matchup with North Carolina State won’t garner any national headlines, but it appears to be a pretty even matchup. N.C. State is 8-3, having won its last four games. Kentucky finished 4-6 against an All-SEC schedule, but if you take out the two conference games added (Alabama and Ole Miss), and stick to the schedule the Cats were supposed to have played, there’s a good chance Mark Stoops’ team would be headed to Jacksonville at 8-4.
▪ UK’s players are getting a kick out of recruiting coordinator Vince Marrow calling the offensive plays for the bowl game. New offensive coordinator Liam Coen won’t be on board until his current employer, the Los Angeles Rams, finish their season. Marrow also coaches the tight ends. Look for that position to figure heavily in Marrow’s game plan.
▪ How about them Bengals? Monday night’s 27-17 victory over the rival Steelers proved the Bengals are still playing hard for Coach Zac Taylor, despite his 5-24-1 overall record. Cincinnati’s defense capitalized on three Pittsburgh turnovers, but Taylor orchestrated an effective game plan for backup quarterback Ryan Finley.
▪ Speaking of the Steelers, don’t blame Monday’s loss — Pittsburgh’s third straight — on Benny Snell. The former UK back ran hard in place of the injured James Conner. Snell did so without much help from the Steelers’ offensive line, which has had a hard time getting much push of late.
▪ While Kentucky basketball has gone five straight games without hitting the 70-point mark, SEC rival Tennessee has scored 100 points in back-to-back games. But while the eighth-ranked Vols played Tennessee Tech and Saint Joseph’s, Kentucky played Richmond, Kansas, Georgia Tech, Notre Dame and North Carolina.
▪ Computer whiz Jeff Sagarin has Kentucky basketball’s schedule ranked currently as the nation’s 25th toughest. Ken Pomeroy’s numbers say Kentucky has played the 35th toughest schedule.
▪ Last question: How many of these bowl games will actually be played? Tennessee has already dropped out of the Liberty Bowl and South Carolina out of the Gasparilla Bowl because of COVID-19 issues. Army will now be West Virginia’s opponent in Memphis. No word yet on who, if anyone, UAB will face in the Gasparilla. Iowa announced Monday it is on pause, but still hopes to play Missouri in the Music City Bowl.
