Mark Stoops reveals passionate half-time advice following win over Iowa

On3 imageby:Ashton Pollard01/01/22

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In his first ever game against his alma mater, Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops had a day to remember.

In a 20-17 comeback victory over Iowa in the Citrus Bowl, Kentucky earned their 10th win. It is just the fourth time in school history the Wildcats have earned double-digit wins.

Following the win, Stoops took a moment on the sideline with ESPN’s Tom Luginbill to reflect on his team’s performance.

“You know when you’re playing Iowa, it’s going to be a game like that,” Stoops said. “It’s one of the last things I said walking out of halftime was ‘this is going 60 minutes.’ I said to them ‘They’re not going anywhere. I know them; however, we’re not either. So proud of this group. Very hard fought game.”

Kentucky had a 13-3 lead midway through the third quarter before Iowa scored a couple of unanswered touchdowns. They took the lead on a Chris Rodriguez touchdown run with 1:48 left in the game, and they subsequently picked off Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras to seal the victory. The Hawkeyes finished the year 10-4.

Stoops’ season closed the way any coach’s should when they end on a win: with a Gatorade bath.

“Look like some of kind of blue, smells like blue — Kentucky blue,” Stoops said when asked what color was poured on him by his excited players.

Robinson caps off elite season

Wideout Wan’Dale Robinson transferred from Nebraska to Kentucky, and the Wildcats reaped major benefits from it. Saturday’s Citrus Bowl was no exception. Robinson had 10 catches for 170 yards and was the MVP of the game.

“It just says an awful lot about him…so tough,” Stoops added. “The third-down catch he made in the first-half set us up for some points. I have a lot of love and respect for him.”

The postseason performance was his sixth game this year with over 100 yards. His last three triple-digit games exceeded 165 receiving yards.

The junior has yet to make a decision about the NFL Draft, but it is expected he will move on to the next level and forgo his remaining college eligibility.