NCAA: Bluegrass nightmare in Kentucky

By Lance Mills Sportsuperstarz.com Columnist

Five years ago, Hal Mumme came to the mostly basketball obsessed Kentucky campus. He brought with him a unique approach to football and an attitude that he could bring winning to the Kentucky campus. He also brought with him the state’s star recruit, quarterback Tim Couch. He walked into a desolate football wasteland with all the tools to change things.

And he did.

Mumme took the Wildcats into contention in the SEC and back to back bowl games for the first time in school history. However, Couch took the early road to the NFL and Kentucky fell to 2-9 last season. In the wake of that and an NCAA investigation, Mumme resigned. With that, the direction of Kentucky football is now in a dark state.

“This is a tough situation,” said a Kentucky administrator who spoke with Sportsuperstarz.com on condition he not be identified. “No one wanted to see him leave. The guy did more in four years for this program than a dozen coaches ever had. The man was great. It is a shame.”

Mumme went 20-26 in four years and annually had one of the best passing attacks in college football. With him gone, the state of Kentucky football is now in flux, with Guy Morriss as head coach. “It is a change we never wanted to make,” said the administrator. “No one wanted to see Hal leave and I doubt that someone will be in here to replace him. We are in trouble as a program.”

The Wildcats have been undergoing an NCAA investigation for various rules infractions. According to the administrator we spoke to, pressure came from within for Mumme to resign. “Hal was a convenient scapegoat,” said the source. “People saw the NCAA snooping around and it was really time to CYA. It is really sad that he got flushed out as a result of that.”

According to the source, many people blame Mumme for the recent investigation. Although no one blames him directly for any violations, according to the administrator, people had to blame someone. “Yes it is someone’s fault, obviously it is. People had to find somewhere to stick their blame. Hal was the guy it got lumped onto.”

And as the sun sets on the Kentucky blue grass one thing is for sure. Kentucky football will never be the same.

Article courtesy of Sportsuperstarz.com