Kentucky coach Mark Stoops says his defense has to play with more urgency against Alabama. (Vicky Graff Photo)
If you think Kentucky fans were upset about giving up 35 points and 408 total yards to Vanderbilt in last week’s 38-35 win, then take not of just how frustrated Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops is.
“We need to put it together, we need to play as a team, we need to play the best we can on all sides,” Stoops said Monday when asked about his team not being able to play superb offense and defense in the same game this year. “That’s very frustrating to me. That’s not the way it’s been for us for years, but it is this year.
“We’re terribly inconsistent on one side or the other. We’ve not put it all together. It’s frustrating. I can promise you this, it’s not for lack of effort. The sense urgency needs to be greater, the attention to detail throughout an entire game needs to be greater.”
Keep in mind Stoops was a bit emotional Monday at his press conference. He had already been to assistant coach John Schlarman’s funeral and still had a memorial service at Kroger Field where his staff, players and former players would pay tribute to Schlarman.
Stoops admitted if he knew why UK’s offense and defense could not click in the same game it would be a “lot less stress” on him and his staff.
The Kentucky coach, a former defensive coordinator, criticized his defense after the win for its lackluster play. He didn’t back off that Monday.
“I think the urgency needs to be greater, the attention to detail throughout an entire game needs to be greater. I know defensively for me, there’s no excuse. I sit there and watch us and at times I see a group of young men they want somebody else to make the play. They want some miraculous call to stop the play. ‘Coach, you call something good so we can stop this play because I don’t want to stop it. I’m not going to make a play. I want my neighbor to make a play but I don’t want to make the play. Or I want to do my own thing. I don’t want to execute the defense. I just wanna do my own thing so I can get a stat,'” Stoops said. “That’s what I see and it’s pissing me off to be honest with you.”
Keep in mind also that Kentucky has to play at No. 1 Alabama Saturday at noon. Alabama has one of the nation’s best offenses and the following week UK faces Florida, another high-powered offense better than any offense UK has faced while compiling a 3-4 mark. Stoops says the defense can be fixed — and I hope he’s right.
1″It can be fixed with an attitude, and a work ethic and a great sense of urgency and a passion to play. It can be fixed,. Believe me, the challenge is going to be great. We all understand that,” he said. “We’re probably playing one of the greatest offenses you’ve seen in a long time. Then after that we’ll see one just the same.”
