Vicky Graff Photo
By LARRY VAUGHT
Kentucky is coming off a 4-8 season to end its bowl streak under coach Mark Stoops so it is no surprise that the roster has undergone a major turnover.
Stoops met with media members Tuesday before 31 mid-year enrollees — 21 transfers, 10 high school players — did the same thing.
Stoops was asked if still enjoyed coaching as much now as he did years ago.
“I enjoy it right now as much as I ever have. And, you know, maybe — I shouldn’t say it was good. It is what it is, right? Last year, you know, it was not what I wanted. It was not what anybody wanted,” Stoops said. “That falls squarely on me and I know people, you get tired.
“There are a lot of things that you have to adapt to and one way or another it ties back directly to me. It is a big organization, it is a big department. And there are a lot of areas that we have to all adapt to and do it at a high level.
“With that being said, with the situation the way it was I could not be more energized and focused and determined to get this thing back and to keep rolling the program like we once did as well as anybody with the sustained success that we had for a long period.”
The problem is sustaining success in the SEC continues to get more difficult and Kentucky will once again face one of the nation’s best schedules. Kentucky has to retool its offense but also lost marquee players on defense.
“We’re highly motivated to get back on track and to get going and I think there is great energy and great juice in our building. I like the focus and the energy of our staff. I think we had to be very strategic in defining exactly what we want to do,” Stoops said “Then teaching that to the players and then having them. I like the way they have accepted that, the way they have accepted the coaching.
“They understand very clearly what is expected of them, they are working very hard and that feels very good. Nobody likes the year that we had but I like where we are at right now. And we’re aiming to push forward and to aim for the future. It is fun coming in early in the spring and attacking the day and getting around these players and getting them better.”
3 Responses
$2,250,000 GIFT PER WIN !!
That is energizing!!!
Coach Stoops: I’m running out of "next years" Get it going.
I absolutely love the transfers we have coming in more this year than last year! Last year we had alot of transfers that were highly recruited but never played any meaning minutes besides Pop on defense at a SEC level but we went after backup SEC guys. This year we brought in starters Whether its Braun on the o line from Arkansas or Wibberly from Western Kentucky to a pair of Tackles all the kids were All confrence in there respected confrence. I like the size of our o oline.I like the experience. I would rather have a all conference guy from the Mac conference rather than a third string SEC guy. Plus to me we also got our two best o lineman back Jager Burton and Jalen Farmer. That’s 7 offensive tackle who can really play the position and if were going more to a running style we have the perfect lineman and every o line we have also can move much better than the last couple years line. I think our Tight ends will be better. Our receiving Corp looks like a SEC receiving corp. They aren’t 6’1 170 pounds. They are all around the 200 pound mark with some even bigger. They will win the one on one balls and I think Maclin will be much better. I really like the Clemson slot receiver as well. Clemson was 11 deep at receiver with all 4* and 5* blue chip recruits and this guy one the starting job the last 2 years. He will even make catches over the middle. Our running back room will be much stronger and athletic. Now to the defense. Our d line will be much better next year our linebackers will be about on the same level probably better with all the injuries we had last year and last but not least our secondary will be incredible next year. With the guys we brought in a our returnees who started all year gained valuable experience by Hairston missing most of the year. I look for DJ Waller and JQ Hardaway to both have very big years and I also thinks Ty Bryant becomes a star next year those 3 guys and Jordan Lovett who has started for the last 3 years will be much better and we have some great young talent to play behind them. I also like the transfer guy we got in the secondary we finally have experience in the secondary. I think Calzada will be a huge step forward from Brock V. And Cutter will be much better in year 2 the game will start slowing down to him just in case Calzada gets hurt. I still think Cutter should play as much as he can if we get up on a team by 3-4 touchdowns and I would also like to see Beau Allen get a couple throws in live action. Stone Saunders If he doesn’t transfer out might just beat Cutter out for the starting job in 2026. I’m calling that one now!