Mark Stoops Says Players Need to be Critical of Themselves

Vicky Graff Photo

Kentucky has won all three games it has played this season and after every game coach Mark Stoops has been unhappy.

Mistakes have led to inefficient offense and the defense has not always been able to get off the field in a timely fashion.

Stoops doesn’t think his team needs to be frustrated going into Saturday’s game at Vanderbilt.

“They need to be critical of themselves and handle things like a pro and look at all the things and why are we having success. You cannot grow weary in that success,” said Stoops.

“You have to continue to stay diligent in your preparation and areas where individually they’re falling short we have to handle that in a professional manner and take the coaching and work at it and get better.”

Has Stoops learned anything about his team the first three games that he did not know going into the season?

“I don’t know that I can define it exactly like that. I haven’t put any thought into that. We work together every day and grow each and every day. I know this team is taking coaching, they’re eager to improve and have addressed things each and every week to improve,” Stoops said.

“They have worked hard. Any time that your team plays extremely hard and has great work ethic and continues to be coachable and learn, then you have an opportunity.”

Stoops has tried not to be overly critical of his team and to also point out things the team has done well.

How do you balance being positive but also make sure your players know what’s going on?

“It is a fine line because you really have a tendency as a coach to hang onto the stuff that’s pissing you off. That’s going to be there and we need to get it fixed but you have to, again, look at the positive side, even myself,” Stoops said.

“You can’t grow weary or tired of doing the right, of doing the good things. That’s hard. It’s challenging. It’s monotonous. We have to do that. Certain areas, after three games, you want to get corrected, just like fans and everybody else. I get it, so do we.

“We all know there is more out there. We all know we can play better and nobody knows (that) more than the people in that building.”