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By: LARRY VAUGHT
LEXINGTON — When his name surfaced as a possible coaching candidate at Michigan, Mark Stoops wasn’t sure what to think other than he knew he wasn’t leaving Kentucky after two years.
“I wasn't concerned at all because I knew what I was doing here and what I wanted to do and will continue to do,” said Stoops Monday. “I hope that's an issue as we move forward because we want to win a bunch of games here. We all do.
“I made some pretty strong statements when I was awarded that contract extension, and I don't say those things lightly. But I also see some of these old vets and how they handle that situation (about being named in a coaching search). Let's hope I have to deal with that as we move forward. I'm just going to talk about this job. I don't know what else you can do.
“I'm very committed. I'm very appreciative, and I'm very loyal. I've said those things before, and everybody has been so good to me and what we're doing here and this whole program and very committed. I really am excited about continuing to build this program and really move it forward.”
Stoops was awarded a contract extension midway of last season. He went 2-10 in 2013 in his first year at UK and 5-7 in 2014.
No rush: Stoops said he would be in no hurry to name a new special teams coach to replace Craig Naviar who took a job at Houston. Stoops said that is where Naviar’s roots are from and he has “a great reputation as a recruiter in the Houston area.”
Naviar came under fire during the season for the play of UK’s special teams, but freshman returner Boom Williams and freshman kicker Austin MacGinnis both received postseason honors for their play.
“I'm taking my time. There's no rush on that. As the dust settles throughout college football and pro football and things like that, there's a lot of movement, and I'm just taking my time,” Stoops said Monday. “Once again, there's an awful lot of qualified people that are interested in that position, and I'll take my time and do a lot of research and find the right person to help us move forward here in the program.”
Injury update: Receiver Ryan Timmons should be good to go for spring practice despite already having ankle surgery and then shoulder surgery since the season ended.
“He had his ankle done first, and then he had to have his shoulder. We don't sit there and make excuses, but Ryan was playing very banged up, and I appreciate his effort. We all know there's things that he can do better and will do better, but he really competed all year through some pretty major injuries, so I appreciate his effort,” Stoops said.
Stoops also revealed Monday that cornerback Fred Tiller, defensive lineman Reggie Meant and receiver Charles Walker all had shoulder surgeries and would miss spring practice.
He said freshman safety Mike Edwards, who did not practice during the season because of an injury, will be “good to go” but he’s not sure if he’ll practice in the spring or not.
“But he's in our program. He's working, and he had a good semester academically, and he'll be good to go. Let me get some more information on spring,” Stoops said.
He also said there had not been any players to confirm with him that they planned to transfer.
Upswing: Even though UK lost its final game at Louisville, Stoops said the way UK played will help in the offseason.
Stoops again said he was concerned about his team after it got routed at Tennessee in the previous game.
“Physically, mentally we were trying, we just weren't very good down the stretch there. And once we did have that opportunity to get some rest (during the open date), to get a little bit healed up, and that's just — once again, that's just where we were at,” Stoops said. “We weren't quite good enough. We weren't quite physical enough. We weren't prepared enough mentally and physically to endure that type of season against the opponents that we play. That's where we're at.
“That's going to make us that much better as we move forward and tougher and deeper and all the things we need to be, but it was important (to play well at Louisville). It was because it was a tough stretch down there, and we weren't — it wasn't our best football. To come out in that game and to play with that type of passion, that type of energy, and to be as committed as we were, it was fun to be a part of it. It was fun to bring some attitude and some competitiveness to a rivalry, so hopefully that'll help us as we move forward.”
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