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  • Stoops: Frustration, but "zero" problem in the locker room

    by
    Darrell KSR
    Published on 11-10-2015 10:34 AM
    9 Comments Comments
    By: LARRY VAUGHT

    A four-game Southeastern Conference losing streak has some Kentucky fans questioning everything from the direction of coach Mark Stoops’ program to the lack of a special teams coordinator to changing quarterbacks.

    Kentucky has gone from 4-1 to 4-5 going into Saturday’s game at Vanderbilt. Last year UK started 5-1 and then lost six straight games to finish 5-7 in Stoops’ second season.

    “I can’t control whether they (UK fans) jump ship or not. That’s up to them. Everybody has a choice and I certainly understand that. I think frustration is a word you’ve heard me use a little bit,” said Stoops. “Of course, I’d be lying if we didn’t say there was some frustration. You’re always looking at ways to get better and eliminate mistakes and get your players to play at the highest level they possibly can.

    “That’s what I’m gonna do and that’s what we’re gonna do as an organization. Like I’ve said many times, I very clearly understand what we need to do. And there’s no panic button. Not happy. Not happy with some things and some of the results, but absolutely not panicked one second.”

    Stoops said fans asking if his team still believes it can win is a “fair question” at this point.

    “I don’t think that was the case last Saturday (at Georgia), that we did go into that game believing we could win. No. I don’t think we did. And I don’t lie to you and I ain’t gonna lie to the players. I didn’t see that belief,” Stoops said.

    He says “they better” change that attitude at Vanderbilt.

    “I haven’t seen that all year. I have no reason to believe that they would have no doubt that every time we take the field we have an opportunity to win. He asked me if I saw that last week and I didn’t,” Stoops said.

    However, he has seen it before at Kentucky.

    “In the past. Prior to this year,” Stoops admitted.

    Stoops also insisted rumors about a division in the Kentucky locker room is not true.

    “I absolutely don’t think there’s one bit of a divide. I think I just – if somebody asked me, if you asked every (one of the) 110 people in our locker room if everybody was on the exact same page, I wouldn’t’ expect them to be,” he said. “There’s 110 guys in there. They have different opinions. There’s no problem whatsoever. Zero.

    “Are there frustrations? I would hope so. I hope some guys are frustrated. That doesn’t mean you’re starting to point fingers.”
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    Comments 9 Comments
    1. Darrell KSR's Avatar
      Darrell KSR - 11-10-2015, 12:14 PM
      No reaction to Stoops saying his team didn't believe they would win against Georgia last week?

      That's a bad Georgia team. What does that say about UK?
    1. Padukacat's Avatar
      Padukacat - 11-10-2015, 12:49 PM
      The length of his answers and misdirection leads me to believe there may be more to the story
    1. jazyd's Avatar
      jazyd - 11-10-2015, 12:59 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by Darrell KSR View Post
      No reaction to Stoops saying his team didn't believe they would win against Georgia last week?

      That's a bad Georgia team. What does that say about UK?
      It says there is a problem in the locker room or coaches can't get players ready. On another board that I rarely even visity, one poster said he was behind our bench in Starkville and when the team came out he turned to his wife and said the game was over, the whole team was flat and no energy. Something is wrong somewhere. I said before barrister posted what he learned that something smelled in the locker room
    1. Darrell KSR's Avatar
      Darrell KSR - 11-10-2015, 01:25 PM
      Things aren't good. I sure hope they can turn it around Saturday. I have concerns.
    1. VirginiaCat's Avatar
      VirginiaCat - 11-10-2015, 01:42 PM
      My guess is the younger players are playing over some older players and it is not sitting well....
    1. dan_bgblue's Avatar
      dan_bgblue - 11-10-2015, 03:17 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by Darrell KSR View Post
      No reaction to Stoops saying his team didn't believe they would win against Georgia last week?

      That's a bad Georgia team. What does that say about UK?
      It says to me that the culture of UK football has not changed for the better during Coach Stoops tenure.
    1. Terry Blue's Avatar
      Terry Blue - 11-10-2015, 04:28 PM
      I think you're naive if you think 110 players are all on the same page at any time and especially not when you're in the throes of a 4 game losing streak. The fact that Stoops said he didn't think some players thought we could win in Athens shows his honesty whereas 90%+ of college coaches would just give you coach speak. If the players ever look at negativity laced message boards, they'd never go into a game thinking they could win.
    1. kingcat's Avatar
      kingcat - 11-10-2015, 04:54 PM
      I guarantee most every one of those young men think their lack of playing time is the reason for our current troubles. That's just the way kids are...especially former high school all stars.
      Every coach has to deal with that.
    1. jazyd's Avatar
      jazyd - 11-10-2015, 05:08 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by Terry Blue View Post
      I think you're naive if you think 110 players are all on the same page at any time and especially not when you're in the throes of a 4 game losing streak. The fact that Stoops said he didn't think some players thought we could win in Athens shows his honesty whereas 90%+ of college coaches would just give you coach speak. If the players ever look at negativity laced message boards, they'd never go into a game thinking they could win.
      If they wouldn't play like crap they wouldn't have to worry about message boards being negative

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