Having trouble getting registered or subscribing? Email us at info@kysportsreport.com or Private Message CitizenBBN and we'll get you set up!

  • Stoops: Kentucky getting better

    By: LARRY VAUGHT

    LEXINGTON — All Kentucky had to do was win one of its final six games to become bowl eligible, but coach Mark Stoops’ team could not do that.

    Instead, last week’s 44-40 loss at Louisville ended a 5-7 season in Stoops’ second year and has the coach thinking about what lies ahead.

    “As you look at the season I never hid from the fact that it was important to win one of these games down the stretch and we didn't get that done,” said Stoops after the loss. “We'll continue to work. We'll reset ourselves and go back to work.”

    Yet Stoops said he was “proud” of his team for what it did do.

    “I know we've improved. If you look at the season in its entirety, I think it's hard for a team to play 12 weeks at their best. We certainly didn't do that but I think if you look at the maybe nine or so of the games, I felt our team competed and tried - played at a level that is acceptable,” he said. “We're never going to accept losing but I think if we give it our very best, and play with an attitude, and continue to improve, then you can live with the results as long as you give it everything you have/

    “We're coaching as hard as we can, and players are doing everything they can — then you have to live with the results. I think I can live with the results on certain games because I know we left it on the field. There are things that I wish we can do over and have over today absolutely. They will hurt but they got to motivate us to execute under pressure as we move forward."

    Kentucky won just two games in both 2012 and 2013. This year the Wildcats averaged 29.2 points per game — or about nine points higher than last year. They also averaged 384.3 yards per contest, 40 more than in 2013.

    Offensive coordinator Neal Brown came to UK from Texas Tech to work for Stoops, but now he has left to become the head coach at Troy. However, he left behind sophomore quarterback Patrick Towles, who completed 57 percent of his passes for 2,718 yards and 14 touchdowns with nine interceptions. He also ran for 303 yards and six scores.

    But he will face competition on the spring from backup Reese Phillips and Drew Barker, who was redshirted, just to maintain his starting job under a new offensive coordinator that Stoops is searching for now.

    The offense will also return Boom Williams, who ran for 488 yards and had a team-best 1,161 all-purpose yards.

    Kentucky’s defense improved dramatically in interceptions as it picked off 15 passes after getting just three in 2013. However, UK allowed 40 or more points and 400 or more yards in five of the final six games.

    "We have some matchup problems that we need to address,” Stoops said.

    It won’t help that his two best players, ends Alvin "Bud" Dupree and Za'darius Smith, both graduate.

    "Yes, those are tough guys to replace — very good football players. They were very mature in their approach coming to practice every day to prepare. They kind of set the tone. Like a year ago Avery Wiliamson kind of set the tone and I think that is a good thing,” Stoops said.

    “ In terms of helping our younger players and the way they need to approach practice and approach games. We are going to miss them. I appreciate all of the work they have done. We will be recruiting and developing our players and getting better, but we will certainly miss the experience with those guys. But I think there are other issues, defense we definitely need to continue to work on.”

    Stoops said he never worried that fan expectations got out of hand when UK opened 5-1 with the only defeat a triple overtime loss at Florida.

    "We don't ever really worry about that, as far as what the expectations are. I think we wanted to start fast and we did. I think we played some good football teams down the stretch and we were not perfect,” the UK coach said. “I think if we looked at the season, I think there are two or three games where I was really disappointed in the way we played. We just weren't equipped to handle it for whatever reason."

    But he said there is no doubt UK improved.

    “I told them that at the end of this week that we did that. We did get better. There is no denying that. Are we where we want to be, no. Everybody wants to be better,” he said. “We are all going to work towards that. Like I said I really like this group and I really like coaching them. They have kind of set the tone for where we are going."
  • KSR Twitter Feed

  • Recent Forum Posts

    Harlow

    Re: Oakland v UK hall of fame

    See ya next guys with a new coach

    Harlow 03-22-2024, 08:36 AM Go to last post