By: Spencer McCraw

What’s going on with Kentucky? Ever since Coach John Calipari took over this historic program in 2009, they have demanded a certain level of respect around the country. Those days – it seems – are fading fast.

During the COVID year of 2020, the Wildcats saw their first losing season under Coach Cal, going 9-16. In the 2021 season, there was a major improvement to 26-8, but, in a catastrophic fashion, the ‘Cats suffered a brutal loss to last year’s Cinderella – Saint Peter’s – in the first round of the tournament. 

Much of the team’s success last season can be attributed to the National Player of the Year, Oscar Tshiebwe. Statistically, Tshiebwe is having a similar effect from last season- currently averaging 16.5 points and 13.6 rebounds per game.

With the reigning National POY leading your team – playing at a similar level from the year prior – one would think that this team would be a national title contender. Cal’s group, though, has deeper problems with the way it’s constructed. 

While Kentucky was able to scrape out a two-point victory against a good LSU squad on Tuesday night, the second half of the game was a prime example of the problems with this offense. Kentucky was up by double-digits, but a stagnant offense led to the Tigers clawing their way back into the game in Rupp.

Possessions witnessed Kentucky players wasting time until a late shot clock pick-and-roll with Tshiebwe was called, ultimately leading to forced shots with seconds left. Tshiebwe almost seems like a role player. That could seem like a crazy take, but he just stands near the basket until a board comes his way.

The offense could be very simple: GET OSCAR THE BALL and let everything else work itself out.

Like Calipari, Matt Painter also has an all-world talent at the center position in Zach Edey, and he runs effective sets to get Edey the ball. I’m not sure if the problem is with Tshiebwe or Coach Cal, but there doesn’t seem to be any plays directed at getting him the ball. 

I saw a tweet mentioning that Coach Cal is still stuck in 2012, and that might not be far from the truth. Kentucky does not have the talent on the same level as the teams of old, where they were able to give the ball to players like John Wall or Anthony Davis and let them work. They have talent – yes – but not on the same level that they are used to possessing.

In the days of NIL and the transfer portal, more parity exists in college basketball. Because of this, talents like Bryce Hopkins are easily able to head to Providence and make a case for Big East Player of the Year – just a year after averaging two points per game in Lexington. 

This isn’t to say that this team doesn’t have talent. They certainly do. Oscar Tshiebwe, Jacob Toppin and freshmen Cason Wallace and Chris Livingston are all players that could get selected in this year’s NBA draft, but this wildly-talented roster has yet to fully gel. Coach Cal is a Hall of Famer, so I have faith that he will figure it out (but the SEC is deep this year, so they are going to need to pick up the slack quickly). 

High expectations surround the basketball team in Lexington, so some of the faithful in Big Blue Nation are calling for Coach Cal to be fired.

Is that an overreaction? Probably.

He has a lifetime contract, so, as Larry David says, it’ll be pretty pretty pretty expensive. Even if Kentucky loses early in the tournament again, or even if they miss the tournament, Coach Cal should still be the head coach of the Wildcats; I don’t think that’s really a question. Big Blue Nation does have a reason to be upset, however.

They have expectations to be in national title contention year-in and year-out. For the past five years, though, that has not been the case. All I can say to BBN is: have faith that your national championship-winning coach will figure out this team soon.