Mark Stoops: "Not sure I've been a part of one quite like that"

Where do you even begin to describe a game like that? As good as Kentucky’s offense was in the 45-42 loss to Tennessee, the defense was bad. The dichotomy between the two sides of the ball is truly remarkable. Rare is the game where a team puts up over 600 yards, 42 points, 35 first downs, doesn’t punt, and loses. Even Mark Stoops had to shake his head afterward.

“Absolutely incredible football game,” Stoops said to start his press conference. “Extremely disappointed for our players and our fans. Very difficult loss. Not sure I’ve been a part of one quite like that where we’re so good in so many ways and absolutely not good enough in so many different ways as well.”

“Haven’t had production like that for some time”

Kentucky ran 99 offensive plays tonight, a school record for a regulation-length game. The Cats’ 35 first downs are the third-most in school history and the 612 yards of total offense are the most since 635 vs. Tennessee in 2016. Will Levis had 419 yards total offense and five touchdowns. Chris Rodriguez notched his fifth 100-yard game of the season with 22 carries for 109 yards. Wan’Dale Robinson set career highs with 13 receptions for 166 yards, including a touchdown.

“A lot of great things to build on offensively,” Stoops said. “Haven’t had production like that for some time. And it was so good to see.”

Sadly, the offense’s superb performance was all for naught because of the defense. Tennessee burned Kentucky with 12 “big plays” for 388 yards: five passing (gains of 15+) and seven rushing (gains of 10+). Two of the biggest came right at the start: a 75-yard touchdown throw from Hendon Hooker to JaVonta Payton on the first play and a 72-yard touchdown toss from Hooker to Velus Jones Jr. on the Vols’ next possession. I don’t need to tell you the hits just kept on coming.

“Defensively, obviously, we have some struggles,” Stoops said. “And we’ve got to get some things fixed. We are being put on an island in certain situations that we’re not winning enough. We’re not winning enough battles. You heard me talk about that for years.

“And a team like that puts an awful lot of stress on you sideline to sideline and then obviously with the vertical passing game. And we didn’t keep up with them. We didn’t tackle very good in space. And we didn’t cover very good.”

“I loved the fact that our team responded”

After watching his team fold last week in Starkville, Stoops praised their resilience tonight. After so many whiffs, the defense did band together at the end to help keep Kentucky’s hopes for a win alive.

“What I did like about our team as compared to last week when we traded jabs or shots or whatever you want to call it, when we took a punch, I loved the fact that our team responded and came right back. And defensively did come up with some stops. That gave us a chance. And we came up a few yards short again.”