Mark Stoops Isn’t Ready to Anoint Defense as Best He’s Had

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How good is the Kentucky defense?

Kentucky coaches have not been shy touting the depth, experience and talent on this year’s defense. The Cats have a defensive stopper/intimidator in all-American defensive lineman Deone Walker. They have a linebacker, Jamon Dumas-Johnson, who was on two national championship teams at Georgia. Cornerback Maxwell Hairston is a rising star.

Many already believed this was the best defense coach Mark Stoops has had at Kentucky even before the shutout of Southern Mississippi in the opening game.

So what does Stoops think? Is this his best, or one of his best, defenses?

“I don’t know, that’s to be determined. I’m not ready to anoint them yet. I don’t want any of that,” Stoops said this week. “There’s things that we need to improve on a great deal from this game. I

“I just want to see us stay in the daily focus and handle the things we need to do daily to help us today, improve on some of the things and the mistakes we’ve made, this week with our short-term goals of taking care of business here with our next game.”

That next game is Saturday against South Carolina, a must-win for UK to stay in position for a special season like coaches and players believe the Cats can have.

Stoops hopes to have Michigan transfer cornerback DJ Waller healthy and able to play at the corner opposite Hairston this week.

“We’re trying to get DJ back and healthy, I think that could help us bring some depth,” Stoops said. “Nasir (Addison) was about to go in (against Southern Mississippi) and get some reps as well (when the game was stopped), and I would have liked to have seen that, but JQ (Hardaway) did a nice job and Jantzen Dunn is a guy that we can play on the inside a little bit but also at corner and is coming along, So, both guys I think will get better as they continue to get some reps under their belt.”

Alex Afari’s versatility has helped make UK’s linebackers even better.

“I thought those guys popped as well, I thought the top four linebackers inside really played well. D-Jack (D’Eryk Jackson) on the interception really made that interception (by tipping the ball), he’s a steady guy, he’s played a lot for us,” Stoops said. “Dumas-Johnson always plays well, I think you see him turn it, when the game comes on he can turn it up another notch, he packs a big punch.

“With (Daveren) Rayner, you see him, he has good instincts and is very fast, very sudden, and I thought Alex also showed up and there’s things he could be better at. It’s his first time really playing in there, and again he could put a little inside, a little outside, but he definitely showed some pop, or some athleticism, some suddenness, and I think he’s going to get better.”