Mark Stoops Press Conference
Mark Stoops
Nov. 16, 2020
Media Conference
Opening Statement
“Happy to come away with the ‘W’ (against Vanderbilt). Felt like we did some really good things and improved offensively. Defensively, terribly inconsistent again. Wasn’t real happy with the overall result. Felt like we did some good things at times but then late in the game got extremely sloppy and gave them some late scores that let it become closer than it should have been. Once again, part of it is on me. We could have gone into four-minute mode and tried to kill the clock but I felt like it was important to give Beau (Allen) some reps, throw the football and try to get better. There aren’t many SEC games where we have that type of lead where we can try to improve upon ourselves. Again, it’s been an emotional week and it’ll be an emotional day again today. We’ll get through this as a team and as an organization.
“We are working extremely hard to get ready for an unbelievable opponent in Alabama. We all know what they are this year and what they’ve been for quite a few years. Nick (Saban) does a remarkable job of reloading. They are an extremely football team, very well coached. Offensively, maybe as good an offensive team as I’ve seen since I’ve been a head coach and a coordinator. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen someone as explosive as they are offensively because they’re so balanced. They’re extremely physical when they want to be and create unbelievable big plays with the talent and receivers they have. (QB) Mac (Jones) is playing at an extremely high level. Very, very dangerous. Defensively, they are always good. They’ve had a few games that were a little bit rough for them for their standards early but they’re putting it together. They do a remarkable job defensively, always have. I mentioned Nick and they job he’s done for so many years is absolutely one of the best, if not the best, to ever coach the game. Very talented coordinators, Pete Golding on the defensive side of the ball, does a remarkable job, very well coached. And (offensive coordinator) Steve Sarkisian, I’ve known Steve for a long time. Those guys do a great job. We have a lot of work to do.
“It’ll be a short week for us because of what we’re doing today to honor John (Schlarman). We had the funeral this morning and we will the memorial this afternoon.”
On offense and defense not having clicked in same game…
“If I had the answer to that I’d have a lot less stress on me, that’s for sure. It’s been hard to put my finger on it. Again, I really love our players. I think it’s a different year and I’m not giving them any excuse at all. There’s no excuse. We need to put it together. We need to play as a team. We need to play the very best we can on all sides and it doesn’t seem like we’re doing that and that’s very frustrating to me. That’s not the way it’s been for us for years but it is this year. Terribly inconsistent on one side or the other. We have not put it all together and for a coach, that’s very frustrating. You have to look at yourself, whatever I’m doing or not doing, to motivate them and put them in a situation to be successful. It’s frustrating. I can promise you this, it’s not for a lack of effort on our players. I think the urgency needs to be greater. The attention to detail for an entire game needs to be greater. I know defensively, for me, there’s no excuse. I sit there and watch us and at times I see a group of young men that just wants somebody else to make the play. They want some miraculous call to stop the play. ‘Coach, you call something good so we can stop this play because I don’t want to stop it, I’m not going to make a play. I want my neighbor to make a play but I don’t want to make a play, or I want to do my own thing. I don’t want to execute the defense, I just want to do my own thing so I can get a stat.’ That’s what I see. It’s pissing me off, to be honest with you.”
On recruiting Mac Jones and recognizing his potential …
“Well without a doubt we did recognize Mac early on in the process and Coach (Darin) Hinshaw and all of us watched him early and we were impressed. We felt like there was a bright future for him and he certainly has proven us right. I wish he was here but we still really love Mac and his family. Great young man and it’s really good to see him doing so well and playing at such a high level. He’s been so accurate, so wish he was here but I am happy for Mac.”
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On helping Schlarman’s family and coaching football at the same time …
“It’s very difficult, you know it’s tough because the personal relationships are strong. You know within this building we don’t just say that, it’s not just lip service to say that we’re all a family. We are, we spend an enormous amount of time together. (Stoops’ wife) Chantel and LeeAnne (Schlarman) spend an awful lot of time together and our boys. It’s difficult, it’s a tough time for everybody and we just want to be supportive and be there and during this time but also for years to come. As I’ve mentioned, John’s legacy will live on for a long time because that’s the type of man he was.”
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On Saturday’s performance building confidence with the offense …
“I just, again, appreciate the hard work. As I mentioned I felt like offensively when we had the bye week we went back and looked at some things, looked at some of the basics and some concepts that were comfortable for the guys that we can execute. I thought offensively they all played hard and they played united and really had a lot more opportunities out there, had we been able to play better defense. We would have had more stops and not allow them to have 80 plays. I think it really could have been a big day offensively.”
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On his longevity (eighth season) at Kentucky …
“I always appreciate the job that I have and I’m going to concentrate on this job and I have a lot on my plate. I don’t mean to be disrespectful to the answer because there will be a time when you can look back on some good things. I appreciate the players that have helped us rebuild this. I appreciate the coaches, including Coach John Schlarman who has been here with me since day one, but I’m really just focused on what we can do to improve our team today and to get through and find the right words of motivation through a difficult time within our family. So, that’s what my concentration is and not trying to be disrespectful to the answer but there will be time for that later. I’m grateful to this place and the support and the players and coaches but we’re focused on what we can do and really not in a very good mood as far as that’s concerned as far as our play. What we’re dealing with is a part of life and we’ll try to find the right words and lead through that the right way. But as far as improving our football team I need to continue to concentrate on that.”
On guards Luke Fortner and Kenneth Horsey being back this week and Quintin Wilson’s game on Sunday.?
?“I thought Quinton did a nice job, he played hard and did some good things. As far as Luke and Kenneth back, we will see. Luke tried to go, he wanted so desperately to play this the past week. He went in there and just played one snap, wasn’t able to do it, so we’ll have to wait and see how the week goes.”?
On being frustrated with the defense
?“It can be fixed. It can be fixed with an attitude and work ethic and a great sense of urgency and a passion to play. It can be fixed. Believe me, the challenge is going to be great. We all understand that, we are probably playing as one of the greatest offenses you’ve seen in a long time. And after that, you’re going to see one just the same.”?
?On Alabama’s offense and Coach Sarkisian…
?“I think he does a really nice job of just adapting to the personnel that he has. He’s always had a physical presence about him. I can go back to the days of competing and playing against them when he was calling plays at USC and I was defensive coordinator at Arizona. He’s going to be physical and have play-action in there. He’s going to get the ball down the field, and he has some dynamic playmakers to get the ball down the field. As a defensive coach, any time you play somebody that has that physical presence and can run the ball, and be as physical as they want to be, but also have dynamic playmakers outside, that’s where it puts enormous stress on you.”?
?On Terry Wilson being number one on the depth chart…?
?”You never know how things are going to go. I talked to him last week and alluded to it on Thursday’s press conference that Terry was going to start and that he is the starting quarterback. I expect him to play well but again I told you that. I want to see all three guys. I was very pleased with Terry, the way he responded and the way he came out and started the game. It was very hard to take him out and even let some other guys get some reps because he was playing so effective early in that game and really for the most part of that game Terry really played exceptionally well. I thought he was on time with the ball, he was effective throwing the ball, very efficient and was dynamic and decisive in his decision-making in the run game as well. There are things he can improve on but that’s every player. We’ll watch the film and take a look at some of the reads and a couple things he can do better. But overall, I was pleased with his effort, so we’ll see how it goes and I’m glad I got the other guys in. I put Beau in at that time because it’s hard to get opportunities throughout this season to get guys reps. I think both Joey and Beau deserved opportunities. So, I put Beau in there, and I thought he looked very comfortable and it was good to get his feet wet and get him some reps. I thought he looked good and looked comfortable. That was good to see for us as well and I’ve been talking about the confidence I have in Joey and what he can do. The defense makes me regret not getting into our typical grind-it-out, four-minute offense and killing time. I didn’t want them to go score two touchdowns under five minutes or whatever it was. That’s displeasing there.”?
On keeping up the support structure around the program off the field like in past years, such as the traditional Tuesday night family dinners …
“No, we haven’t. It has been a difficult year. It is just different, as it has been for everybody. But there is no way to do it safely, to get all of us here with all of our kids and all of our families, there’s no way that can be safe. We have done it with our position groups and our coaches doing it with their position groups. That has been the best way we can do it. There is no way to all be together and do it as a great big football family. There is over, I wouldn’t even know, there has to be 250 of us once you get all family and everybody and all that together. So, have not been able to do that this year, no.”
On what he admires most about Coach Saban …
“Well, you have to admire his work ethic and consistency that he has had. He has been around a long time and he does a remarkable job. The man is really like a machine, he goes at it each and every day. He is very consistent in his work and that is evident with the way they recruit and the way they play each and every year. I have known him for a long time. He actually recruited me out of high school. He has done a remarkable job and I have great admiration for what he does. You would be silly as a football coach not to look at some of the things he does and listen to him and see his approach and not try to grab a few things. You have to be yourself, you have to be authentic, but you are also stupid if you don’t look at some things. People like him and the success he has, if you don’t try to grab and learn from people like that, you are not very bright. We are all going to do things our own way and you have to be yourself and be authentic but again, you would be pretty stupid not to look at some of the things he does and try to pick up a few things here and there.”
On having limited opportunities to play young guys …
“I think it is pretty obvious that I was very disappointed and pissed off with how we played defensively. Yeah, it is not fun, because we did play good enough offensively and they deserved that opportunity and those players did. Each and every time you get on the field, I don’t care if it’s a backup or who you are, you only have so many opportunities and you gotta go out there and respect the game and play the game the way it is supposed to be played and I didn’t think we did that at times.”
On recruiting these days …
“It is different. I don’t mean to be a broken record, it is different. You have to adapt. It is the same way for everybody. We have to do the best we can at building relationships through Zoom and phone calls the best way we can. Fortunately, with this class we already had some personal relationships from the years we have been recruiting them and them being on campus maybe as freshmen and as sophomores. So, we have had to rely on that. It is what it is. I feel we are in good shape recruiting. You always want more and more players , you always want to add to the class. I feel like we have some strong class and appreciate the effort the coaches have done to this point and we have to continue to build on it the best we can to get it to the finish line.”
On the offensive line coaching responsibilities and relying on the leaders in the room …
“You definitely do. You rely on the leaders that we have and the experience that we have. I am also working on some plans to get somebody in here with some experience, just to help us and be there and be a steady force in that room. It is impossible to replace John at this point and it will be extremely hard to get caught up with everything we are doing. But I am looking to add somebody to the staff here soon to give us some experience and just to help in that offensive line room as best we can.”
On the number of plays the offense runs per game, with a goal of at least 60 plays …
“I think at times, yes, it is hard to plan for that. Obviously, you are not going to turn away touchdowns, right? You’re not going to turn away explosive plays, right? Like with Chris’ long run the other day, we will certainly take that any day. I think, to me, it is important. It is a good team statistic. Obviously, you don’t want to be out there playing defense and let them possess the ball and get first downs. For myself as a coordinator, one of the things I look at is opponent first downs and how many times we are letting them have opportunities along with possessions. Our offense does a great job, traditionally over the years, of possession and controlling the ball. Defensively, we have been pretty good. Not as consistent this year. There have been games this year that are extremely aggravating because we are not getting ourselves off the field, defensively. That is a hard question, it just depends. Going back to my comments after the game. We only had 55 plays but we had 458 yards. You will take that. More opportunities would have come from the defense getting off the field and we would have had a chance to put up more yards and more points.”
