Mark Stoops was not happy with some calls against Youngstown State but he’s a lot more upset with the undisciplined play he saw from his team. (Vicky Graff Photo)
It’s time to quit celebrating being 3-0 and No. 8 in the country.
Kentucky coach Mark Stoops was not a happy man after he reviewed film of his team’s 31-0 win over Youngstown State Saturday and made that clear Monday. Most of his criticism was directed at the offense which was expected to be far more productive than it has been so far.
“Offensively, there are some things that we have to get ironed out. It just felt like there was a person here, a person there, just undisciplined play. Anytime you have 10 penalties, three turnovers, four fumbles, and you do that at home, it just shows you that that attention to detail was not there,” Stoops said Monday.
“We go on the road a week before, play in a hostile environment, and we only have two penalties and play relatively clean. We play at home against Youngstown and put that kind of play out there, it’s not very good. There are so many things we need to improve on.”
Stoops said two of UK’s four sacks were on quarterback Will Levis but said the two interceptions were “not all on him.” He emphasized again that UK had to play better around him.
“It’s not a matter of are we able to do it or are we talented enough to do it. There are no excuses. We’ve just got to play better, we’ve got to be more disciplined, but again, pay attention to detail,” Stoops said. “The little things. It’s always a person here or a person there that is throwing us off offensively, and we need to put that together.”
That’s not because Stoops fears losing to Northern Illinois, a team that lost to Vanderbilt last week after blowing a big lead when its starting quarterback got hurt. UK is a 25 1/2 point favorite in the game.
But after Northern Illinois comes a stretch with Ole Miss, South Carolina and Mississippi State. Win those games and UK is 7-0 and in position for a great season. Stoops knows even with the win at Florida, UK has to play better to win three straight games like that.
Stoops didn’t mince words about anyone, especially on the offense:
— Left tackle Kenneth Horsey: “I’m not going to put it all on him, but not as good as we need to this game. He comes out in the Florida game and the whole left side, we bragged on the left side with him and Jager (Burton) after that game. We didn’t play to our standard this week on that side at all.”
— Blocking by his young receivers: “There’s one play with a missed assignment, it goes for negative four yards and everybody is going to say it was on the offensive line. We have it all sealed up if we do what we’re supposed to do. It’s probably a 20-yard gain instead of a four-yard loss. That’s not on the offensive line, that’s on a wide receiver completely whiffing.”
— Tight end play in game three: “Sure, there is some good things they are doing, but again I think they are too inconsistent as well. I think they could be a really strong point for us and I don’t think they are as strong at the point of attack as they can be as well, in the run game. They could help us and do more. As a group, they have done some good things, but like most of our team we could be better.”
— Improving in the red zone: “Everything tightens up in there. Things happen quicker. The decisions have to be quick, by the quarterback, play calls, putting them in good position, executing at a higher level. The one late in the game in particular, first-and-goal on the three, we’ve got to be able to punch that in.”
— Overall offensive line play: “There’s a few plays here and there, with the outsize zone, that we have to iron out. With our targets, there’s things, where we are running it, coupled with just the movement up front that we should be able to handle. We didn’t play our best up front with the offensive line. We have to continue to improve.”
So my guess is that Kentucky is going to have its most difficult week of practice this week to try and fine tune things that might not be vitally important to winning this week but will be in October and November.
8 Responses
It is reassuring to hear Coach Stoops publicly state what we have all seen.
The offense was going to be this team’s strength, and questions loomed all through the off season about the defense. The defense has answered its questions, and the offense has been a shadow of the expectations.
Go get ’em Coach!!!!
All starts with blocking – if you can run it sure makes the passing game easier !
You guys are right. But, there is a big elephant hiding over in the corner and it is not the Crimson Tide. It’s the possibility of multiple suspensions looming that will involve several of KY’s best players. The team has to get better to shore up the current glaring weaknesses. If the wrong 3 or 4 guys get suspended, it may all be for naught anyway. "hope for the best plan for the worst".
I don’t think that is going to happen RJohn. Not sure what you are basing that on
"Possibility of multiple suspensions looming…." If so when would it be expected. Maybe like U of L – in four or five years?
Well two have already happened, C-Rod and Wright.
I really don’t think there are multiple suspensions coming. I saw that internet headline but think it is wrong
UK’s offense needs some fine tuning fast with the SEC talent they will soon face. UK has no rushing attack to speak of because they can’t drive people off the ball. UK’s OL should be dominating these teams now, it ain’t happening. Levis is getting hurried and sacked way to often in these early games. He almost got killed in Gainesville on a play that should have been called targeting.
I also think the exchange between Levis and his tailback is far to deep behind the LOS. Smoke is getting smothered often by defenders much to quickly, and deep in the backfield at times on inside designed runs. I also thought we would see UK RB’s catching passes out of the backfield more too. Run more outside, attack the edge more! Smoke seems to have more success there.
I am worried about this UK offense if the rushing stats don’t start to improve fast, like this week! If the blocking up front don’t improve, UK is going to be in deep trouble with the coming schedule they face. The defense can’t carry this team every game. This won’t cut it in Oxford on Oct. 1, or in Knoxville. Coach is right.