Translating Mark Stoops' Fiery Spring Practice Critique

Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops does not script or pre-plan critiques of his team to the media; that I know for a fact. The Wildcats’ leader was not pleased with his squad after Saturday’s practice. His anger was mostly directed at missing player-driven leadership, entitlement, and a lack of physicality that he so dearly covets and that have been the staple of Kentucky Football in his tenure. Stoops pulled no punches. 

“Guys right now, I don’t know if they think they can just roll out of bed and be good or whatever, but it’s not the same. We need to get back and play the way our brand was made and that’s by being tough and being physical on both sides of the line of scrimmage, being able to run the football. Grateful for what we have but I just feel like we got a bunch of guys that are entitled and don’t work extremely hard. They think it’s going to happen and are waiting for the next guy to make it happen. I’m not real pleased.”

Ouch. Let’s unpack his opening statement.

“Tough” and “Physical”

Stoops first dives into physicality. Most likely, this referenced the Cats’ lack of execution along the lines, more accurately, in the offensive run game. Kentucky has been a blue-collar program since the advent of John Schlarman’s Big Blue Wall. The offensive line took a step backward in 2022 and is a focal point for improvement under coordinator Liam Coen.

The lack of toughness, in my estimation, and Kentucky’s inability to run the football was a point of frustration for Stoops last season. Thus, the emphasis is there to return to playing bully ball or fist fighting in a phone booth. This is especially important since Kentucky will not have the services of Benny Snell or Chris Rodriguez Jr. for the first time in nearly eight seasons. 

“Entitled”

The “entitled” reference is also a dire warning and the most serious in my estimation. What was Stoops referencing here? I don’t think we’ll ever get the answer, but his frustration was clear. In country vernacular, this is a “Too big for your own britches” proclamation. Perhaps there are individual players that needed to be brought back down to earth through a call for humility. Stoops’ most successful teams have been selfless in nature; I felt that the 2022 squad didn’t quite have that same quality. A disappointing 7-6 record happened. 

Is this a reference to the current NIL, corporate world of college football? I don’t know. Full disclosure: I’ve not talked to Stoops or anyone within the organization regarding the matter. But, there are more outside influences than ever before in modern-day college football. I’m all for NIL and players financially benefiting from their name, image, and likeness. It makes sense and it’s about time. But, outside advisors are becoming a common practice. Trainers, specialty coaches, and so forth mainly construct this group. I can’t speak for Stoops, but that would frustrate me. Kentucky provides the best of everything for its players. I don’t see the need for outside help, but that’s just me and I’m old, so my viewpoint is antiquated. 

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“Don’t work extremely hard”

The last set of words was damning: “Don’t work extremely hard.” This is the most telling. Mark Stoops has risen to his place in college football through hard work and perseverance. He does not have the stomach for anything less with himself or his teams.

Again, this is an indication of the Cats doing a 180 from the roots or culture of his program. Throughout Stoops’ tenure, the sayings of “Lunch pail” and “Putting our heads down and going back to work” have been staples in the head coach’s vocabulary. Any variation from that will not be tolerated. 

“We got no leaders right now”

Now, let’s get into the following statement. 

“We got no leaders right now. I’m not going to single out anybody right now while I’m pissed, because I don’t want everybody to read between the lines like it’s not just them. It’s the whole group.”

Whew. Powerful words. Very strong words. I can’t recall Stoops being this adamant about leadership, or lack thereof, in previous teams. Normally, opposing language was utilized to describe his teams. “We got no leaders right now” is a shot across the bow, or a wakeup, for veteran players that think they’re leading, but not doing a good enough job in the head coach’s opinion. Additionally, he went further to say, “It’s the whole group.” Dang. Nobody was spared. 

I do think there are leaders on the roster. In fact, there are players that have proven to be quality leaders in the past. Maybe their approach has dampened or they have lost focus on the standards established by Josh Allen, Bunchy Stallings, Luke Fortner, and so forth. Current leaders such as Kenneth Horsey and JJ Weaver are more than capable and I do expect them to step up. The same is expected from Devin Leary, Eli Cox, Octavious Oxendine, and more. Again, the Cats need their best players to become leaders. 

Player-led vs. Coach-led

The final expression is where the focus of Stoops’ ire was directed. 

“I like to be a player-led team, but we’re not. So we gotta step in. We as a coaching staff better lead, because this group can’t.”

There is a difference between the two. Coaches want their teams to be player-led. Stoops’ best teams have certainly had this quality. Players police each other up; you may have heard that phrase before. Player conduct off the field and in meetings, walk-throughs, practice, and even games are enforced by peers, not coaches or those in authority. Words of inspiration and correction should come from within the locker room, not the coaches’ offices. 

The old adage affirms this assessment: “If a coach has to correct a teammate, then leaders are not doing their jobs.” Additionally, captains, or non-designated leaders should take younger teammates under their wings in order to teach the program’s culture. “Lead from the front” is a military term that translates well to football. The best teams have the best players as leaders which makes the coaches’ jobs much easier. I again refer to Josh Allen or going further back, Jacob Tamme, Wesley Woodyard, and even Bill Ransdell. 

This point will be made one way or the other. A “Coach-led” team is not fun. Being micromanaged is less attractive than being a peer-led group. In my estimation, Stoops is giving his team an ultimatum, do it yourselves or we’ll (coaches) will do it for you. That latter is less fun, trust me. 

What Does All This Mean? 

Let’s go back to 1987. Why not? I was a true freshman at UK. I had knee surgery and was recovering as I thought was the right way to do so. My surgery was by scope, and not deemed as a major procedure. Three days after the operation I was walking from the dining facility to the Nutter Training Center. I was still on crutches. A grizzly, fifth-year veteran and multi-year starter on the offensive line saw me and said with a corrective voice, “We don’t do that here. Throw the damn crutches down. You walk the next day after a scope here.”

I was floored yet humbled to respond. I was also introduced to the expectation and culture of the Kentucky program. I threw the crutches down that day after that “spirited” one-way exchange.

I do think that Mark Stoops has leaders on his roster. I do agree that those so-called leaders needed a wake-up call. Stoops did so in public. This tells me that he had tried to make corrections within the confines of the facility, but his curative words had not been received or put into action. 

Player-led teams have leaders at varying levels. Let me explain. First, the best players need to be the best leaders. Just makes sense. Younger squad members listen to those that impact games. Football is a team sport that is compartmental in nature. For example, the defense is constructed by three levels: Defensive line, linebackers, and secondary. These groups meet, walkthrough, practice, and play together. There must be leaders at all three levels. The on-field director normally comes from the linebackers. 

The offense is the same but with more levels. They are quarterback, running back, offensive line, tight ends, and receiver. The obvious leader of the entire unit and the overall team is the quarterback. The offense goes and stops with the signal caller. However, leaders at all levels are necessary. An example is, if a rookie receiver is late for a position meeting or walk-through, a fellow WR needs to make the on-spot correction, not the position coach. This is applicable to all levels and position groupings. 

Mark Stoops certainly got my attention with his remarks on Saturday. My hope is that leaders on the 2023 team also heeded his words. It is also obvious that whatever happened in 2022 cannot happen again. I’m not only referencing the win/loss column. Stoops’ aim is for a return to the proven culture that has produced new program heights. It all starts with player-driven leadership. It’s time for the Cats to wake up.