After a "Very Good" Monday, Stoops will be More Involved with the Defense

On the Mark Stoops Show UK's head coach was much chipper after making changes during Cats' first day of week three practice. "We got better today.  There's no doubt about it," he said. The typical Monday routine was different.  They began as usual, by watching film from the last game, but instead of watching film for the next opponent, they went straight to the practice field.  The team went back to basics, working on fundamentals and football IQ while emphasizing "we gotta quit beating ourselves." In addition to improving physically, schematically the coaches want to make it simple.  When guys are thinking too much, they don't appear to be playing as hard. "It's unacceptable when you see your guys hesitant.  Sometimes that happens when they're thinking too much, that's not what you want.  That's our jobs as coaches to put them in a position to be successful.  That's their jobs as players: to play." Stoops will be taking a hands-on approach to fixing the problem.  After sitting in the defensive backs room for a meeting, he told Tom that he will be "more involved" with the defense but would not elaborate on the specifics. Even though he'll be more involved with the defense, a call will not change it all. "Don't look to me for a magical call," he tells his players.  "Sure there are schemes involved but it comes down to playing.  We gotta instill confidence in them that they're in a spot to play their best." "There's no doubt we'll get that out of them."