University of Kentucky Football Media Conference
Saturday | Sept. 30, 2017
Mark Stoops
MARK STOOPS: “Certainly trying to be aggressive on the first play of the game and giving up a sack for a turnover and then giving up a one-play touchdown is not exactly how we want to start the football game. So kind of chasing it uphill from that moment on. There’s no excuses. We just need to play better than that.
“Our team, what I like about them is we did win the football game. We found ways to win the football game when we did not play our very best. That’s what I appreciate about them. We need to get — they need to get some rest tomorrow, and we need to come back in Monday focused, energized and ready to play. There’s no excuse for not playing our best at home.
“So we need to get back to work and improve. But appreciate the fact that we’re 4-1 right now, and that’s better than 3-2.”
Q. After you beat South Carolina, you said sometimes you play up to your level of opponent and down to your competition at times. Is that a fair description of this team?
MARK STOOPS: “I don’t want to believe that, but certainly I don’t think we played our best football today. You worry about that all week, and you do everything you possibly can to offset that, starting Monday. So I’ve got to do a better job, and we’ve got to be ready to play.
“The good news is we won because, if you watch college football, with these guys with what they have to do in their life and the way they play and the way they strain and what they have to do, you’re not going to play your best for 12 games. And good football teams win when they don’t play their best, and I think that’s across the board.
“The better you are, your margins are a little bigger. So we know our margins aren’t very big, and we know we have to play very good football or we could lose to anybody. The good news is we can beat anybody. So we just have to be more consistent, and you have to play a cleaner version of football, and that certainly wasn’t very clean today.”
Q. Mark, can you comment. Stephen (Johnson) got sacked five times, and I can’t count how many other times — he seemed to get hit a lot.
MARK STOOPS: “Not very good. Not very good protection. That’s the bottom line. So we need to protect better.”
Q. On the flip side, you guys put a lot of pressure on them. Their rushing yards were nothing.
MARK STOOPS: Yeah, that’s a good thing. I thought defensively we gave up some explosives again, and that’s never a good situation. I think the second half we played very good football until that late drive. Unfortunately, we’re not getting any first downs, and we’re on the field quite a bit, and field position was an issue, and they found a few plays and created a drive there. Outside of that, I thought we played some very good football in the second half.
“First half was pretty good as well. There was a couple plays, the one double pass that we need to improve our awareness and play that a little better. And I forget, there was a couple plays in the first half that we knew we could get some things fixed at halftime and go out there and play sound football in the second half, and that’s what we did.”
Q. Mark, every game so far this year has been sort of low scoring, really physical, a tight game throughout much of the season in every game. Do you take that as a positive takeaway, or does it kind of wear on you a little bit?
MARK STOOPS: “Well, it’s hard on the players, that’s for sure. These guys are out there battling. They have to put a lot into it, and they do. They work extremely hard, and they have to strain quite a bit. You know, we left a lot on the field last week right here, and we have to find ways to get them back and get them energized and get them ready to play the next week.
“So, again, that’s the good thing. We’re all in here a little disappointed because of the way we played, but you won the football game.”
Q. Do you have an update on Charles Walker?
MARK STOOPS: “He had an injury to his back, to his rib really. There was a situation with a rib that wasn’t feeling real good. So he had to go get that checked out.”
Q. Did you think, for the most part — I mean, especially at the end with those two big interceptions, and then it seemed like you guys were pressuring the quarterback for most of the night. Were you pleased with how the defense played?
MARK STOOPS: “I was for the most part. I know we can play better, but I was pleased. I thought rushing — you know, rush defense again was very good, and we said all week how well they threw the football, and they do. I thought we were in really good position and had pretty good coverage for the most part. Came up with some big sacks and had an opportunity for a few more pressures. And some things we missed, we were a little late on, but overall they played pretty solid.”
Q. Eastern Michigan had 10 tackles for a loss. Is any of that attributed to rotating in new guys? I know (Mason) Wolfe got a lot of snaps. Drake (Jackson) got some snaps, too.
MARK STOOPS: “It could be. Again, we have to play better. We played five straight weeks, and this will be six. We’ve got to find a way to — all hands on deck. And get some guys healthy. And we’ve got to really grind through this week, and then the guys can get a little time to heal up a little bit, both mentally and physically.”
Q. Drake Jackson played center quite a bit. What did you think of his performance?
MARK STOOPS: “I couldn’t tell. I’ll have to watch the film and see exactly how many snaps when he was in there and what he was doing.”
Q. You all were really good at grinding out wins last year down the stretch.
MARK STOOPS: “Again, we’re still not where we need to be as far as that consistency with running the football. So we need to get better. I thought too many times tonight we got behind the chains, and we’re getting too many negative plays, like you guys just pointed out, whether it be sacks or tackles for loss and all that.
“And I want to give Eastern credit, because we knew that going into it. They had given up two touchdowns in regulation all year. So we knew they’re a very good, sound football team and make you earn your yards. So they do a nice job.”
Q. Mark, this is a positive question about special teams. You made a lot of good plays.
MARK STOOPS: “Yeah, I think we’ve been solid all year really for the most part. The punt block was huge. Dean (Hood) asked me whether — you know, to go after him or to get the possession, and I first said to get the ball back, and then I told him to go after it, and I’m glad I did. So we went after it and got the block, and that was a big play in the game.
“So Dean’s done an excellent job. He really has. Our guys are playing hard, and they’re in position. We’re not perfect, but I appreciate Dean and the work of all those guys because you’ve got to be very unselfish. These guys practice a lot, they meet extra and they do a lot of things. They’ve done a really nice job.”
Q. On that punt block, did you guys overload that right side because he always drifted?
MARK STOOPS: “We felt like we had an opportunity to get it at some point, and that’s always a double-edged sword because you’re starting to play really good defense, but you’re not moving the ball. So if you rough him, that’s a bad possession there if you rough him. So you’ve got to pick your spots when you come after him.”
Q. Did you guys expect this level of production for (Joshua) Paschal this early in the season?
MARK STOOPS: “Yeah, we did. We really did. We really felt like he was a difference maker and a guy that was going to be an impact player, and he’s getting better with every opportunity. He’s making some mistakes, but he’s talented. He’s a different kind of guy with his size and his versatility.”
Q. What did you tell them out on the timeout before the Hail Mary?
MARK STOOPS: “Oh, we just wanted to get their formation and get it cleaned up and make sure we were exactly where we needed to be. So we put our guys in spots where we wanted to. There’s always a double-edged sword there whether to rush three or rush four or five and not give him the time to set up, but we felt like they were going to sprint out and dash a little bit and buy some time. So we set up a pressure with at least four.
“But he got off a pretty good throw. He’s a good quarterback, but we wanted to get in position with guys under and guys over.”
Q. At this point last season, I think you all were minus-five in turnovers. You’re now plus-seven. What’s been the biggest contributor to that?
MARK STOOPS: “I don’t know if there’s any one exact reason. I mean, obviously, we stress that, but we always have. I think the offense has done a really nice job of protecting the football. Stephen’s done a good job. I’m not positive if Tony’s (Neely) in here, but it may be his first fumble of the year. It is? Yeah. So that’s a big deal. That wasn’t his fault, I don’t think. I’ve got to see it.
“But I think Stephen’s done a nice job of protecting the football. Our ball security is the first thing we do offensively and defensively. In our circuits, we try to create turnovers, and guys are making plays.”
UK Student-Athletes
#85, Greg Hart, TE
On scoring a touchdown …
“When your number’s called and the opportunity’s there, you have to execute. Our team needed that, obviously, looking back at how that game finished out. That was points that we needed and that’s an opportunity that we needed to execute on and make happen so that we could win the game. So, I’m proud.”
On coaches calling on him during a key situation …
“I’m proud, for sure. Being that I’m blocking a lot and doing what I do, I’ve never really cared or thought about catching a bunch of balls. That’s not what I was doing when I was in there the whole time. I’m just happy that my number was called and I was able to make a play and execute to win the game.”
On winning this game although the team wasn’t at its best …
“(Coach) Stoops said it best. We’re not going to apologize for a win; obviously we need to button up some things just like everybody does. The fact that we were able to finish the game and stay locked in was good. There are some things that we need to clean up just like any other game, but we came out with a win and that’s the direction that our program is going – winning games. So it’s just exciting to see that finally happen.”
#15, Stephen Johnson, QB
On winning a close game …
“It was tough. We have a lot of stuff to fix. We can never argue about a win and we can never be mad about a win. We definitely know we have a lot of stuff to fix, so we cannot put ourselves in those situations when it comes down to it.”
On not having an edge on offense today …
“At times it felt like we weren’t really prepared to be in that game. I have to pick (it) up. I have to get the guys more involved, and we need to play the whole 60 minutes.”
#52, Drake Jackson, C
On what it was like playing in this game …
“It was a lot of fun; something I’ve been looking forward to for a long time. It was really just fun. Every time coming off the sidelines, and especially after we scored, that was a great feeling. There are a lot of things I could do better and we could do better, but at the end of the day we won and it’s a good feeling.”
On putting a lot of focus on pistol snapping today …
“Yeah, I don’t think we had any bad snaps today, so that’s something we gotta continue to do the rest of the year.”
On what Coach Stoops will see when he looks at the film …
“I think he’s going to see a lot of good. There are some things I need to fix; just some minor things. Mainly my first series, there were some jitters and I missed a block.”
On how it felt to be out there today after redshirting last year …
“I hated not having a dirty jersey, so I made sure I fell once or twice during the game. It was a good feeling. You know, you come here to play football, and that’s something I took more serious than a lot of people. I really care about the game. Growing up here and all, it means a lot.”
#41, Josh Allen, LB
On if the close games wear down the players …
“Nah, we love them. We win to win. I don’t care how we get them as long as we come out with a W.”
On setting goals for himself and if he is playing the way he is wanting to right now …
“I am, I guess. I can always do better. I missed that one in the end zone, so I told them I would make it up to them. So I have to give them one or two the next game. I do what I can.”
On the offense stalling in the second half and if they felt pressured to make plays …
“No. You know, the offense knows we have their back. And when we’re not doing good, we know the offense has our backs. So, I feel like we just need to keep playing. Don’t get like, they aren’t scoring they aren’t touching the ball. We can’t get frustrated. We just have to keep going.”
#26, Benny Snell Jr., RB
On struggling to get the running game going and if it is frustrating …
“It gets pretty frustrating. It doesn’t get to me that much because I know teams watch film and I know teams are going to prepare. Like I always say, I feel like I have the best line in the country and they can get it done. They make errors just like I make errors. Sometimes I don’t see it and that’s on me and that’s on the line. We are always going to get better. It’s not really a problem that’s getting to me, but it’s something in my mind and I’m going to achieve it. I’m going to overcome any of them trying to stop the run. I’m overcoming it. That’s nothing.”
On grinding out games late in the fourth quarter and what the problem is …
“I just feel like we’re doing things on our own. We’re hurting ourselves. I feel like this team has grown and has taken way bigger steps to overcome worse situations than this. But, you know, we just have to get better. (Coach) Stoops after the game told us he’s going to be much harder on us because this shouldn’t have been how it was. That shouldn’t have been how it was at all. We’re going to get better. But, we’re just looking ahead now.”
On what he said to Nate Northington after the game …
“I looked him in the eyes like a man and said, ‘You’re a hero. I’m not here without you. Majority of the team, players on other teams, are not here without you.’ So, he gives me so much hope. He influences a lot of guys on the team, in the locker room. Just guys are thankful. I am beyond thankful that I especially get to meet him and be in his presence. He’s a hero in my eyes all day.”
#7, Mike Edwards, Safety
On the team being thankful for the defense tonight …
“I mean, we try to balance it out. You know, we try to pick up each other’s slack. If the offense needs us then we’ll try to help the offense out. So I feel like all in all we’re a great team. Try and pick it up more, and you know we try to help the offense out. That’s what we need to do.”
On if this was a game a couple of years ago that the the team probably would’ve lost …
“I mean, a couple years ago – it’s a different team now. You know, we try and change our game; change the way we play. I feel like maybe some of the games we won now we wouldn’t have won a couple years ago. This is how we play now, it’s a different team. So this team is coming on the rise.”
On if the defense felt pressured to make some plays in the second half to put some energy back into the team …
“Definitely, because you know, we got to pick each other up. You know, the offense picks us up sometimes, so that’s when it’s our time to pick the offense up (we do it). And I think that’s what we did. We just got to overcome our struggles, and I feel like we really did pick them up. They needed that and we needed that actually.”
On the Hail Mary at the end of the game …
“I really just tried not to let them score and make the play really. I just went up and got it.”
On the overall defensive performance …
“I think we played pretty well. You know, we always got room for improvement and I feel like we kind of started pretty slow and miscommunication in different assignments, but I feel like we really picked it up this week and got to carry ourselves into next week.”
Eastern Michigan Head Coach
Opening statement …
“Obviously, big time disappointed right now. You know, we really believe in our team and in a ton of ways, I’m just super proud of the effort. We didn’t give up, you know? There’s plenty of teams that break and we didn’t break. You know, we sure didn’t play a clean game in the second half. Probably the third quarter was really frustrating with some special teams miscues. You know, we didn’t turn the ball over in the first half, but we turned it over there in the second half. And hat’s off to Kentucky. We thought in the very beginning that both teams had very disappointed losses last week and the team that was going to be able to respond was going to win the football game, and they were a little better than us today. I thought our defense played phenomenal from start to finish.”
On taking a knee in the last play of the half…
“Because there’s risk when you do that, and we had no intentions of trying to go 80 yards in a couple seconds.”
On practicing running this past week…
“Not just this week. I mean, you know, Kentucky is very good against the run and so are we. And you’re right, when you emphasize something, you usually get what you emphasize, and it’s smart football by both teams to say that our defense is going to start by defending the run and both are really playing well right now.”
On what led to the blocked punt…
“No, it was our shield. One of their guys made a nice play doing an up-and-under. So, he’s coming from the outside and then dipped underneath and made our shield redirect, and that was a great play by that kid.”
On weather being a factor in the game…
“Weather was gorgeous. You guys got it good down here. No, the weather had nothing to do with any of that. The special teams and turnovers, everybody thinks that’s coaches speech and what not. It’s not sexy, it’s not what people want to talk about, but special teams and turnovers is what wins and loses games and you know, unfortunately we weren’t sharp in the second half in the special teams and it hurt us.”
On looking ahead…
“The things that we talked about, I think you know, the special teams and turnovers. You know, a little bit more consistency moving the ball. It was a good defense; I don’t want to take anything away. We’ve played some good defenses, but we are playing really good defense right now. We need to continue to do that. We need to clean up some things on special teams and find a way to score more points and I think we could be a good football team.”
Eastern Michigan Student-Athletes
#4 Brogan Roback, QB
On defense giving them the opportunity on the last drive to win…
“The defense balled out. Like Coach (Chris) Creighton said, they played really well. That’s something they’ve been doing all year. They’ve been bailing us out at times when we’ve been slow offensively, and you know, even sudden change that he hit on, they just man up and they make plays and they give us the opportunity. They gave us the opportunity there at the end to toss one up into the end zone and try to make a play out of it. Like I said, they’ve been doing that all year and they’re a great group. We just need to offensively catch up to speed with them.”
On if he’s comfortable throwing as much as he did…
“I threw about 72 times in one game last year. No, it doesn’t wear out. My coaches have confidence in our passing game and they try to put the game in my hands. As a competitor, you love situations like that. You want the ball in your hands. We’ll get the run game figured out, it’s just something we had to do. There was times at the end we had to throw the ball quite a bit because we were trying to catch up. So the numbers are going to obviously increase because we’re throwing the ball that many times because we’re trying to play catch up.”
On if they were surprised to compete with Kentucky like they did…
“I don’t think we’re ever surprised. We had the intention coming in here that we were going to win. We knew we matched up very well and we could do things. I think that showed that. We have players just like they do. The thing is it’s SEC, so everyone expects them to roll the MAC, but the MAC is a really good (conference). You got top guys in the NFL right now that are MAC guys. So, there’s good players here. This group, we rise to challenges like this. We thrive on stuff like that. Just to be able to prove what we can do and that we do belong. So no, we weren’t surprised, to answer your question, because we fully expect to be in a game and to be in a situation similar to what we were just right there to win the game.”
