Mark Stoops Made No Excuses After Alabama Butt Kicking Because There Were None

Vicky Graff Photo

What do you say after your team got behind 21-0 in less than 10 minutes and once again was no match for one of the nation’s top 10 teams?

Kentucky coach Mark Stoops watched his team falter on defense and offense in Saturday’s 49-21 loss to No. 8 Alabama much like it had earlier this season in a one-sided loss at No. 1 Georgia.

Stoops didn’t mince words. He didn’t make excuses. Of course, there really was not an excuse other than Alabama had better players and UK had no answer for Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe who threw for three touchdowns in the first quarter and then ran for three touchdowns.

Here is what Stoops said before even taking a question as his postgame press conference:

“Obviously that is a good football team. We didn’t match up very well today. We didn’t get off to a very good start, and we didn’t get much better after that start. So, again, give them credit. I think that’s a football team that is getting better and better, getting stronger and stronger as the year goes on, and I think they are going to make a strong push here late, very impressive win by them.

“I wish we would have executed better. I think it was disappointing, really third downs, both sides. They converted an extremely high percentage of third downs. We didn’t get very good pressure. We tried blitzing, coverage, a little bit of everything. And to their credit, they made plays. I think they protected when they needed to.

“I think when — Milroe, he does a phenomenal job of buying time in the pocket and hurting you. It is a threat to run it. He bought the time and hit the receivers down the field.

“We didn’t convert very well on third down and move the ball consistently enough. So, again, I think it is  pretty cut and dry, took care of business, and I think we need to play a little better. And it is a tough matchup. It is a tough matchup for anybody.”