Mark Stoops (Vicky Graff Photo)
Before UK pulled off its highest ranked road win by beating No. 6 Ole Miss 20-17 last week, SEC Nation co-host Paul Finebaum offered a brutally honest assessment of UK’s season.
“Kentucky, to me, is a one-hit wonder. They put it together against Georgia, and they were brilliant. Everybody has made that point, but I also saw them against South Carolina and they flat-out sucked. They can’t be like that,” Finebaum said.
A few hours later Finebaum and the nation knew Kentucky might be for real after all because it went back to playing the brand of football Stoops knows best and coaches best. He called it “dirty, tough, hard yards” with Kentucky always being the aggressor.
“This is our style. Dirty, hard nosed, tough, gritty,” Stoops said after the win. “I love these players. We had a game (South Carolina) earlier not to be proud of. I thought they didn’t respond but they did. We played hard as hell but we just played stupid.
“Since then our team has learned. We made critical plays today when it mattered and that is the difference in winning and losing against good teams.”
Stoops understands the fast, high-paced offense like Ole Miss uses is popular with fans. He’s tried to adjust and be a more offensive-minded coach but that’s not his DNA.
“Everybody wants to be pretty. That wasn’t pretty but the result was,” Stoops said after the Ole Miss win. “It is tough and dirty and hard and gritty. It is defense playing effectively and the offense making plays. We talk about being fearless. I wanted to go after it. I wanted to be relentless.
“We have been concentrating on playing with an attitude and edge but also talking about executing better.”
12 Responses
Balance makes winners.
One side of the ball is not enough.
Rushing 80% of the time will not win games
Passing 80% of the time will not win games.
Stoops squashed any QB who was a good passer for most of a decade.
Liam Coen, Levis, Robinson & the BBWall and a very good D led UK to its peak – the first peak in over 4 decades!
Stoops will only win if he leaves the OC alone. He is CLUELESS about the offense.
He agreed on ONE call (Brock to Brown) that led to beating #5 Ole Miss. One call does not mean he has learned anything or will do better. Hands off the offense will let UK WIN!
Coach Stoops keep making whatever call your making… You have turned the corner my friend so keep the pedal pushed down.. I have been a Ky fan for 50 years and I have seen anything like like it in the past so keep it going..
OK. You’re right. The Stoops era has built a solid foundation on which an annual SEC COMPETITIVE program can be established.
He has done wonders. I want him to go to the next level to make UK relevant in every season which means mentally & physically prepared for every game
Stoops has had the best decade of football that Kentucky has ever seen. We’ve won 10 games twice been to 8 straight bowl games won the most games against non conference opponents in the regular season. Yes stoops pisses me off sometimes but nobody could have done what he has done. No-one would have stayed this long if they would have had his success. He’s one of the best defensive minds in the game. His problem has been offense. If he even has a average offense we do really well. I think he should stay here as long as he’s making bowl games. Look at florida. They’ve been missing bowl games and they recruit much better than we do. Which tells me Mark does great for what he can get in the best conference in football. We used to be the doormat in the sec everyone walked on us. Whenever I get mad I just remember I grew up in the 80s and 90s so I seen the low of lows with Curry.
And joker at kentucky
👍
We better not be sleeping when Vandy comes to town fresh off of their upset win over Alabama.
Wow the only thing that could have made is sweeter is if Saban was still the Coach.
I agree Little Baron
This is not your typical Vanderbilt team. They have a talented quarterback and a solid run game. The days of getting easy wins in the SEC are over.
IMO Vandy comes in with the Big Mo and they have had success recently with UK. Will the SC Cats show or the Ole Miss Cats? Vandy appears to have better OL, OC, and maybe even better QB, and HC. He has done more with less. A loss here will definitely be season deflating and defeating.
This is a strange season. We get bitchslapped by South Carolina, play Georgia to a one point loss…this was the year to beat Georgia and we had a shot and didn’t take it, beat Ole Miss on the road, and now Vandy beats Alabama and Arkansas beats Tennessee…not to mention the whooping that A&M laid on Missouri and Ole Miss put a thumping on the Gamecocks in Columbia. Wins against Vandy, Florida, and Auburn are a must if we are to go bowling this year. Mike asks a pertinent question…which Kentucky team will show up against Vandy and the remainder of the season.