Mark Stoops urges Kentucky to 'settle down' against Toledo: 'We're our own worst enemy'

Kentucky football led Toledo 10-2 at the end of the first half of UK’s season opener on Saturday. The Wildcats led by one score despite turning the ball over twice and allowing a safety in the first half.

Head coach Mark Stoops did not appear thrilled with his team’s performance during the opening two quarters. He criticized his team’s efforts heading into the locker room.

“We’ve got to settle down,” Stoops said. “We’re our own worst enemy. The safety was a bad decision, and if the fumble, obviously we were in great field position, got things going. (It’s the) first game. Everybody wants to make a lot of things happen, and we’re making some mistakes. We’ve just got to settle in and play.”

Kentucky totaled 103 yards of offense during the first half against Toledo, finishing the first two quarters with just 43 passing yards. The Wildcats started transfer Zach Calzada, a college football journeyman who’s played at Texas A&M, Auburn and Incarnate Word, struggled to get the Wildcats offense moving in the first half.

In the end, UK’s offense was responsible for every point that was scored in the first half. Kentucky struck first on a one-yard quarterback sneak by Calzada in the first quarter. During UK’s first drive of the second, Calzada gave up a safety on an option play deep in his own end zone. UK ended the half with a 45-yard field goal by Jacob Kauwe, the first of his career.

However, the Wildcats defense was terrific through two quarters. They held Toledo to less than 100 yards of total offense and keeping them scoreless while also holding them to less than three yards per play. While their offensive counterparts turned the ball over twice, Kentucky’s defense turned Toledo over via interception near the end of the first quarter.

Kentucky went on to double its total yardage in the third quarter, though the failed to add to the scoreboard. The Wildcats will look to finish strong against the Rockets in the fourth quarter live on the SEC Network.

If Kentucky can hold on, they’ll enter their Week 2 SEC opener against Ole Miss with some confidence. Last season, the Wildcats pulled off the improbable upset in Oxford and will look to do the same on their home turf during Week 2.