By Larry Vaught

Wildcats Have Practice Approach Mark Stoops Really Likes

Posted: September 28, 2023
Vaughts Views

Vicky Graff Photo

Kentucky coach Mark Stoops likes the practice approach his team has going into Saturday’s game against Florida that could almost be a make-or-break SEC matchup for the Wildcats.

Or at least that is what Stoops implied on the SEC coaches teleconference Wednesday.

“I just noticed the difference. I think our team early on, I think everybody wants everything to happen immediately. And now as you’re settling into the season, settling into our routine, I’ve seen our team really take the coaching and listen to us, talk about the details in the fundamentals and the basics that it takes,” Stoops said.

“You can’t grow tired of doing things right and doing the little things. If you constantly do that, good things will happen, big things will happen. When we’ve had good years before, good runs, it’s because we’ve had good days (of practice). And that’s truly the concentration, like we got to have another great day today.”

The Wildcats once lost 31 straight years to Florida before winning in 2018. Now UK has won three of the last five games, including the last two.

“If you go back and look at my quote 11 years ago, I probably said I can’t be concerned about Florida until Kentucky gets better,” Stoops said Wednesday.

“We always, and still, concentrate on ourselves. I know you listen to all these coaches every week, and you think it’s coach speak, but it’s the truth.”

Stoops knew he had to make the Wildcats better before they could beat not only Florida but other SEC teams as well.

“I still feel that way. Last year has nothing to do with this year. I do admit, and I admitted it then when we were in the midst of that (losing) streak, it does get to be a little bit problematic because that’s all everybody talks about,” the UK coach said.

“Then your players start thinking about it. So that was a hurdle we had to overcome and we have. But we did it by becoming a better football team and a better program and we’re continuing to grow and we’re continuing to get better.”