Everything Mark Stoops said after Kentucky's loss to South Carolina

Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops spoke to the media after the Wildcats’ 35-13 loss to South Carolina on Saturday night.

Here is everything he had to say:

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Opening Statement

“Alright, A frustrating loss, tough loss. I really appreciate our players and the work that they put in. They worked hard and did a lot of good things in that game. Got off to the start we wanted to, just couldn’t sustain it.”

“We did things in this game that we knew we could not do, and that’s giving up a punt block, or a punt return, or a defensive score and we gave up two. So, I think, you know, obviously, it’s a critical momentum shift when we’re moving the ball, playing physical, playing a close game, driving it, and get the sack fumble, you know, return for a touchdown, followed up with a tip-pick six. You know, those are just things that you’re going to just completely, you know, take you right out of the game plan in a place like this, and put us in some predictable spots that’s not good for us.”

What’s your message to Cutter (Boley)?

“We’re a better football team. And you know, Cutter is a very good quarterback that’s going to have a very bright future. That you guys know when you start on the road, you know, for the first time in the SEC, take some lumps. We have to be good enough around him and as a team to overcome that; we weren’t tonight. And so, you know, we took some lumps, and there’s some things to learn from, but he did some good things as well.”

How do you think your team responded when you were in a 28-10 hole?

I thought the guys were fighting. They were trying. We weren’t good enough. You know, the bad thing is, like, certain situations, the execution of whether we defensively or offensively, we fell short when we were trying to come back. We weren’t good enough.

What do you tell fans who don’t see a reason to be optimistic about the offense?

“Yeah, I think you know, I understand the frustration. I really do. You know I know our team is a
good group of guys that work really hard, and we’re a better football team. I know it doesn’t always show up, and I know that doesn’t mean a whole lot. Bottom line is winning, and we’re falling short of that. That’s frustrating for all of us.”

Defensively, you guys got a lot of pressures, but sellers had an incredible ability, kind of run by how frustrating it was getting real close, and maybe he breaks off for a gain.

“Yeah, he did a couple times there late when we’re trying to get him off the field. And, you know, he’s a tremendous athlete. He has a great knack for that. You know, just the way he can feel the pressure when you lose it, and then his strength. He’s a very good player.”

Can you take any positives from coming out fast?

“Like I said, it’s not just coming out fast, it’s just the execution of things, you know, the way we were playing. You know, I thought we did some good things. We did. And you can’t do the things that I’ve talked about. You cannot let them score returns, any special teams place, or defensive scores. We gave them two.”

What’s the message to the team when you have so many ranked matchups coming up?

“That was the message. Basically, what I told them was the same thing I told you, was that we did a lot of good things. I’m proud of them. I’m proud of their effort. You know, they’re want to, they’re a good team. They care about each other.”

“We didn’t execute the critical moments, and that’s on all of us. That’s on our coaches, and that’s on the players, critical third downs, critical situations, you know, we have to execute better. That’s on all of
us.”

How do you balance Cutter taking his lumps without hurting his confidence?

“It’s hard because this league is unrelenting, you know that. He has to learn by playing, and he will. He’ll take the coaching and look at things, and it’s not all on him.”

On six sacks between OL performance and Cutter holding the ball too long:

“Yeah, I think that’s a balance there. Because I thought, you know, they really set the precedent with the run game early. We were physical and able to, you know, really have some pretty good balance in the first half. And, you know, I’m not sure where it was at, where it was 10-7 or the drive where we get the strip sack, and I thought we were doing some good things. You know, later on that play, particularly, where we gave up with sack, I think he was holding it a little bit. We need to look at some things and make sure we get the ball out of his hands quicker, or at least just protect him at that point.

“You know, one thing was, the way we were driving right there, even if he takes the sack right there if we punt the ball and pin them, we were playing pretty good defense at that point as well. I also didn’t like, it was frustrating for us. The third downs, we had our opportunities to get off the field early when we go down and go up 7-nothing, and we let them go down and tie it at 7-7. That takes a little air out of us. We need to be better and get those stops.”

It seemed like Seth (McGowan) was another bright spot tonight with the way he played.

“Yeah. He’s a good football player, he really is. He was a little banged up and fought through it, but he’s a really tough player. You know, a lot of our guys really fought through some things tonight, and I really appreciate their effort, but we all got to be better.”

Where is that room for growth in the passing game?

“We talked a lot about starting fast, but we also talked about being in a hostile environment, the precision and the execution, and that wasn’t there. Even later in the game, in the pass game, we get a 1-on-1 in the press game, we beat them, and we miss the throw. We just got to make those plays, you know, we have to make those plays. And it’s all moments, there’s things we need to do better to make sure we’re putting them in a position to be successful as well. Getting attack, getting the protection, guys getting open, making contested catches.”

Why are you confident that you’re a better team?

“Well, I think you could look at it, and for us, I’m with them every day, and I definitely know that. I like the way our guys have a great mentality; they’re playing tough, they’re playing physical. We need to execute better, we need to coach better, and we’re all in this together. But I know it can turn at any time. And listen, nobody’s going to be sorry for us, we just got to get our butts back to work and get back at it and keep the same mentality that we’ve had.”

How can you prevent things from snowballing?

“I think that it’s a fine line with developing guys, too, and bringing them along. Even in that game, we’re bringing players in and letting them get quality snaps to get better. The more depth we have, I think, can help in a lot of ways as well. We just got to keep the attitude and edge realistic.”

How can you keep confidence they won’t let go of the rope with SEC losses piling up?

“I really trust these guys and their mentality and their attitude. And that’s what matters to me, you know, is getting back to work. And, you know, we can’t look at it like that. We don’t have the luxury of a schedule, all that stuff. We have to get it one week at a time. And you know, we had our opportunities in the past. We had our opportunities through the years. For us, it’s one week at a time.”

What happened at the end of the first half?

“Well again, I mean, early in the second period, in the second quarter there, the momentum shift with the fumble. The fumble and the pick six back to back. It’s not good.”

I’m talking mainly (about the scuffle at the end of the half).

“I really didn’t see it. It’d be negligent of me to really call out somebody, you know. I know the officials talked to both sides, and I know they called a penalty on them later in the second half.”

You know, you get up, you’re winning and all that. And if you’re on the wrong side of it, you’d better just get up with your chin strap. Get back in the huddle and play the next play.”

Looks like Zach (Calzada) did a little more reps in warmups today, but still not a ton. What did you see there?

“Yeah, he did more. He was, you know, great in his attitude again. And, you know, really, it’s frustrating for him. He’s doing everything he can, really trying to get out there this week. And he was close, and he was doing things, and he told me that he was available in an emergency situation, you know, but he hadn’t had a lot of snaps, and he had not thrown the ball downfield much.”

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