Kentucky's defense made four red zone stops against Georgia on Saturday. (Vicky Graff Photo)
A loss is a loss but not all losses are alike.
Kentucky lost 16-6 to No. 1 Georgia on Saturday but while it was far from a perfect game at least the effort was far better than it was a week earlier when Vanderbilt rallied to beat the Cats.
Against Georgia, the Kentucky defense got four stops in the red zone without giving up a touchdown to one of the nation’s best and most explosive offenses.
“I really appreciate them digging in like that, because it’s hard,” Stoops said. “I thought the guys really competed and played hard. When it comes down to it, yeah, there was good coaching and good scheme by Brad (White) and the defensive staff, but ultimately the players showed some guts and determination in some critical short yardage plays against one of the most physical teams in the country.”
What Stoops didn’t say was that “guts and determination” seemed to be missing against Vanderbilt when UK just didn’t seem to have its heart in the game. That was not the case against Georgia.
“I don’t need to take a shot for a moral victory, but we all know the difference between putting something where you prepare and play and compete compared to not,” Stoops said.
“The results are the results sometimes. We compete in a very difficult conference against some of the best, if not — I believe the best team in the country right there. So, it’s about how you prepare, how you play, how you compete, what we do to put them in position.”
Stoops said he was “proud” of his team’s effort during the week to prepare for Georgia coming off the loss to Vanderbilt that demoralized much of the UK fan base.
“It’s very easy to cave,” Stoops said.
Instead, theCats responded like Stoops’ teams normally have during his tenure at UK.
“That’s the kind of response I would expect. That’s the kind of response when we’re competing against guys like (Georgia coach) Kirby who has competed against me for years and years, he would expect from our team,” Stoops said.
“Our team needs to understand that’s what people expect from our team, that we don’t cave. We have done some things right, we have done some things wrong, but that’s the way this team, this program plays. We got to get back to being that all the time, competing like that all the time.”
4 Responses
I agree I don’t like the phrase moral victory. The fourth quarter shows what the offense is capable of. The defense kept it within striking distance. I know what needs to be done at the end of the season but easy said, hard to accomplish. I am surprised at the extension at this point and the length. Go Cats
UK played with some guts and pride against No. 1. That was good to see after the USC and Vandy messes. The UK defense on their own goal line was very impressive. Where has that grit and determination been all year? The offense again was better, but still not very effective. It is still 13 in a row for Georgia, and UK finishes at 3-5 in the SEC in 2022. Not nearly up to all the talk we heard before the season started. UK special teams not able to convert kicks is becoming a regular thing also.
One thing I can’t believe anymore is what these universities are stepping up and paying these coaches now. It’s insanity. Stoops just increased to 8.6 million a year. UK will get itself in a position someday that it would cost more to fire him than retain him. Is he really worth that? I just don’t see it. Not now anyway after what we have just witnessed this year, so far. All these big name coaches are like that though. Look west to Texas A&M and Fisher’s contract. All I can say is the money must be flowing in like a raging river to these big time universities today based on big time sports revenue. I’m about through with college sports. All this crazy NIL money today with no real control or rules. This one and done crazy world we endure at UK year in and year out from Calipari, with no national title since 2012. A basically new team of freshmen super stars every year, this year being somewhat a change. Then we seem to watch them go through the motions and lose to veteran teams when the season is on the line come NCAA time.
I don’t think I will ever see in my lifetime a UK football team play for a national championship or SEC championship. It is a hill too steep to climb for UK. It is proven every year no matter who they have calling the plays, calling the signals, or running the football. How does USC give Tennessee a old fashion butt whipping, and Vandy beat both UK and Florida in back to back games with the talent UK is supposed to have now. Maybe coaching? I guess Beamer is the man now and has figured out how to win against the UT Orange in a big time way. A team UK trembles in fear of every time they face them on the gridiron, it seems. I hope Stoops has UK ready for Louisville, they will come to Lexington on a mission. He needs to earn that pay raise by putting a real whipping on the Cards. We shall see. I hope the Cats go to 7-5 Saturday.
Pup, when you’re right…you’re right. I am getting too old for this. I didn’t even watch the game last night because I knew how it was going to play out. When 80 year old widows in Ukraine are having to figure out how to survive zero degree Winters with no electricity or water and bombs falling all around them…maybe it’s time that I found a more meaning way to spend what time I have left.
God bless you my friend.
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