Mark Stoops stays humble after program-defining win: 'We've got to go back to work'

Mark Stoops and the Kentucky Wildcats did far more than advance to 5-0 on the 2021 campaign, move up to No. 16 on the AP poll and defeat the No. 9 Florida Gators at home. Kentucky did what seemed like a far-fetched, impossible conclusion not too long ago — in beating the Florida Gators at home, Stoops picked up the program’s first such win since the Wildcats last beat the Gators at home in 1986.

In truth, Kentucky picked up what could very well be a signature win in the Stoops era. Stoops, midway through his ninth season as Kentucky’s head coach, has turned around the program and has it off to its best start in a long time. The Wildcats went just 2-10 in his first season, 2013, and followed it up with back-to-back 5-7 seasons. Stoops’ best performance prior to 2021 was in 2018, when Kentucky finished 10-3 and beat Penn State in the Citrus Bowl — but this season, Kentucky has yet to lose and is 3-0 in conference play.

“I just hope it propels us, that’s all,” Stoops said, when asked what a big win over a top-10 conference opponent in front of a sold-out crowd might do for Kentucky’s program. “Just take the next step. I mean, we’re doing a lot of good things, we’ve got to continue to do things and that’s what I told the players: remember how we got here, stay humble, stay hungry, enjoy it but go back to work. We’ve got to go back to work.”

Kentucky quarterback Will Levis had a quiet game, completing just seven of 17 passing attempts for 87 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception, while also rushing for 21 yards. The majority of Kentucky’s offense — which, as Stoops would admit, wasn’t the story of Saturday’s win — went through the running game, as Chris Rodriguez Jr. had 19 carries for 99 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.

The story on Saturday, however, was the defense. Stoops’ defensive unit played a near-perfect game against Florida. They allowed the No. 9 Gators to convert on just four of 13 third-down conversion attempts, forced them to throw an interception and was able to withhold Florida from scoring, despite the fact that the Gators held possession for over 36 minutes of game clock.

“I told them that the last two or three weeks, when we felt like our performance was good or bad or ugly or whatever everyone thought,” Stoops continued, “I said, ‘just go back to work. Never apologize for a win. Look at the areas where we can improve, and continue to cultivate the good things we’re doing and move on.’ That’s what we’ll do. I look forward to another incredible atmosphere next week.”