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Kentucky does not play football this weekend but that doesn’t mean that there’s not plenty for the Cats to get done this week.
After dropping consecutive games at Georgia and against Missouri, UK is 5-2 on the season with nationally-ranked Tennessee on the schedule next Saturday. Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops and his team were on the practice field on Wednesday and the head coach liked what he saw from his team.
“Good to get back out here today,” Stoops said. “We did a lot of good-on-good today. Just needed to get better as a football team. Guys put in a lot of effort. Had a good, physical practice. I feel like we got better today.”
Stoops and his staff spent time working on particular situations on Wednesday, something that the Cats have struggled with at times this season.
“We worked on a lot of that today,” Stoops said. “That’s something we have to look at. Like penalties. We have to execute and keep our composure. Situations, same thing. You could play 95 percent of the game well but any situation could lose you the game. We’re working some situational football this week as well. Trying to improve.”
In addition to practice, Stoops and his team are hoping to get a few other items handled during the open date week.
“Hopefully, number one, we’ll get healthy,” Stoops said. “There’s a number of guys, a long list of players that are injured. That’s the biggest thing. For us, we really have to work on ourselves. We just have to become better in certain areas.”
The other portion of the open date week is to do some self examination and to try to get a jump on some future preparations.
“We always look at the things we’re doing well, how do we continue to do that, how do we build off that, what are teams going to counter that,” Stoops said. “Then areas where we’re falling short, why? Is it us, is it coaching, is it personnel, whatever it is you’ve got to look at the areas where you’re falling short and get those corrected. Also, develop young players and get ahead on future opponents.”
One of the things that Stoops mentioned was the punt game, which struggled especially against Missouri last Saturday. The UK head coach knows that punting had an impact in the Cats’ loss to the Tigers. When asked what the team could do about that, the UK coach put it simply.
“Punt the ball further. That will help,” Stoops said. “There’s a lot of things we’re doing well in the coverage game. The special teams have been really good in certain areas but it really has hurt us.”
One Response
I would suspect everybody in this league is banged up now Coach. The thing that hurts UK’s chances for a win right now IMO is just poor, and downright sorry play, silly mistakes, and seemingly no pride, and things that don’t get fixed. There are exceptions when considering certain players on offense and defense for sure, but this is a team sport. These coaches have had over 7 weeks to fix issues, and it didn’t happen. I don’t think Kentucky will be ready for UT, and I sincerely hope I’m wrong, I do. But I have seen this picture before, year after year, come Tennessee week. The Vols are up by 13 on the Tide at the half right now, uh oh!!! The schedule just ahead has become murderers row for Kentucky as I look at it and ponder today. Kentucky needs to just shut up, get ready, and go kick some Orange A$$ when the Vols come strutting in here next Saturday. How about arriving focused, mad as hell, and ready to play football Cats at your house! Kroger field has to be so loud it makes the Florida game sound quiet. All that said, I think we are going to have to see a modern day miracle for this football team to beat Tennessee come October 28 based on what I have seen thus far. The Cats must help my unbelief. This is a good test, and big time game for all of BBN to see if Coach Stoops can get his team ready for Kentucky’s biggest rival. The loud mouthed Volunteers. Go Cats!!!!!
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