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Georgia’s pass rush does not worry Kentucky coach Mark Stoops. That’s because he knows UK’s offensive line protection problems that surfaced at South Carolina have to get fixed no matter who the Cats are playing.
Kentucky quarterback Cutter Boley was sacked six times in the loss at South Carolina and hit a lot more times. Some of the hits were not baby taps, either. Boley got rocked at times because of UK’s porous pass protection.
“We’re worried about ourselves, protecting. I think you know that coming off a game where pressure just hurts us. We just try to go out there each and every week and improve and get better,” Stoops said.
Sounds good but that doesn’t mean UK can do it with an offensive line that includes three transfer portal starters. South Carolina had enormous success getting past UK’s offensive tackles to pressure Boley.
“We struggled at times, technique-wise. Assignment-wise, we were pretty good, for the majority of the night, you have to be at 100 percent though. We weren’t that. Technique-wise, some guys were fighting it a bit, and a bit off, and can play better and we need them to,” Stoops said.
South Carolina tried numerous defensive stunts/shifts but Stoops said it was not anything UK had not prepared for.
“Doesn’t make it easier, but there’s things that we were working and doing with that and the couple that stick out to myself were big plays. That’s why I say the vast majority of the night we were on point there with our assignments,” Stoops said. “Technique, you’re going to get beat once in a while but our technique could be better and assignment-wise, there could be no time for that.
“I think experience does matter and with Cutter (Boley)getting his reps, and seeing that, there are times we could get rid of the ball as well. We had one where we had LaNorris (South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers) and we twisted and it came completely scot-free, but he kind of took the shot and delivered a completed pass. Those are things that we have to be able to do.”
5 Responses
Hey Larry, how about South Carolinas offensive line? Coming into the game they were considered the worse line in the SEC. With 2 starters out of a terrible offensive line, how many sacks did Kentucky have vs South Carolina….1. they had 6 with our starters. It's the same song different year. He's the coach. His Youngstown buddy recruited everyone on the offensive line. Especially every starter. I thought Wolford was one of the best in the business. No he's not. He is from Youngstown which gives him a leg up on the rest of the USA. It's like Stoops does anything he can to make Youngstown look like Chicago or New York City. I'm sure there are men in Lexington and Louisville that could do just as good if not better than Wolford and Stoops. We need Sumrall. Nowwwww!1
If he "knows" these things, then why are these things as they have been and are?
It is all on Stoops. He is one that rehired a guy that stabbed him in the back and could not cut it at Alabama. That is the sign of a desperate, non thinking man.
Exactly. WOLFORD Coaches the same way Stoops does. You break a player down the build them back up. I'm sorry but this style is dead. Ask Pope about that style of coaching and he will tell you it went out the window when you can transfer every year. Im not saying bow down to the kids. I'm saying kids to today are horrible when under pressure and distress. You have to be a players coach. Stoops needs to follow Pope around for a week. See how embraces his players. Loves his players. Stoops acts like they are his step children. This style doesn't work anymore . You have to be with the times. You have to evolve with the game. It has passed Stoops by. I don't know why he just doesn't coach a team like Youngstown state. Heck if a kid can run and chew gum at the same time and he's from Youngstown he plays for Kentucky. Look at Stoops staff Mark Stoops his brother from Youngstown. Offensive line coach a family friend from Youngstown. There are other cities with valid coaches. How about Washington the wide receivers coach. Has been terrible everywhere he's went. The offensive coordinator Hamden in his one year calling plays for Boise State they have there worst year in 25 years. When he leaves to Kentucky, Boise dominates again. Where is the research on these coaches. It's all On MARK STOOPS. You think Marrow left because he didn't like Stoops and liked Brohm more? No. It's because he saw a sinking ship and knew it was getting worse and did the right thing and left. I'm also convinced if he didnt have Marrow he wouldnt have lasted 4 years at Kentucky. Marrow brought us the Will Levis The Dane Key The Wandale Robinson The Lynn Bowden the Barion Brown all the stars we've had Marrow recruited. Then all of a sudden he has no say so much n recruiting at Kentucky. I would haveleft too. Louisville has a way better chance to win a championship in football then Kentucky they play in a watered down conference. All the great teams Stoops had that Marrow built would have won ACC championships and possibly national championships. It was a smart move on marrows part I dont blame him a bit. I would fire Stoops now and go all in on Sumrall. I would let Eddie Gran finish the year out. I actually think Gran is a better coach then Stoops. He has saved 2-3 seasons for Stoops as well.
The Youngstown Ohio connection sucks!