Mark Stoops Press Conference
Mark Stoops
Nov. 23, 2020
Media Conference
Opening Statement
“Obviously, a very difficult week last week for us, start to finish. Certainly wish we had played better and we know we needed to go down there and play a very good football game, a very clean game against a very talented Alabama team, did not do that. Again, just very difficult start to finish of the entire week. Hopefully we will bounce back and respond, we need to. Did not want to go (to Alabama) and play the way we did but the outcome was what it was and we need to change that outcome this week with our preparation and the way we play. Hopefully we will respond better and we need to (against) a very, very talented Florida team. We need to improve in a lot of areas and excited to get back on the practice field this week and get going.”
On any additional information from Sunday’s Covid-19 testing…
“We have. It is what it is and I really don’t want to get into detail with that. At this point it’s the same…you know, we want to play the game. We’re not going to run and hide around here, we’re going to play if we can. Obviously, we are going to put our players’ safety first but we’re also not going to look for an excuse not to play. So, we’ll be there.”
On the difficulty of motivating players and navigating the unique circumstances this season…
“It doesn’t matter what it means to me personally because I’m paid to handle this and to run the program. That’s for darn sure, nobody is going to feel sorry about me and I’m not worried about that. But it is difficult for the players. There’s no getting around that. (Last week was a) Very, very difficult and trying week, trying year. It is what it is, no excuses. We need to play better than we did. The players, I do feel for them. They’ve had to deal with a lot, no question. I’ve been down coaches, down to two or three offensive coaches since the Tennessee game. We’re down players, we practice all week with certain players and then find out on Friday they can’t play. It’s difficult. It’s difficult on them. They’ve had to deal with a lot. (Coach) John Schlarman was close to everybody on this team and I think our team did the best they could in responding to difficult times. I finally have somebody in there to help with the offensive line. Hopefully that will help those guys and give them some input. There is no replacing John Schlarman, that’s for sure, but I needed to have somebody in there to give them some eyes and help them through the practices and help them through the week. We’ve got coaches down for other issues that are out of our control.”
On changes to the depth chart this week…
“I think J.J. (Weaver moving up) has to do with his play and Jordan (Wright) not being 100 percent. J.J. certainly is playing very, very well. Some of the changes of the defensive line have to do with performance. Others have to do with other issues.”
On the hit WR DeMarcus Harris took in the Alabama game…
“It certainly looked like targeting to me. Not only did it look like targeting, and I don’t think it was intentional, but he got sandwiched between two defenders’ heads — his head actually got sandwiched — so it was a rough hit on him. He is out with a head injury.”
On getting his team’s attention by playing Florida…
“We definitely need to hit the reset button. There were things about of our control last week, again, absolutely no excuses. As far as our players’ mentalities, we have to reset and get back to playing the way we are capable of. And yes, we’re excited about us, and our play, and hopefully we can have a normal week and get back on track.”
On the season and how you motivate players to remain engaged…
“It’s a difficult question. I really don’t know how to answer your question, to be totally honest with you. There are nine teams in our league with three wins or less. I mean it’s…what’s that word you put in front of show? It’s a blank show. I don’t have coaches…you know…whatever. I don’t even want to say it because I don’t want anyone attacking me for excuses. It sucks. You know? It’s very difficult. It’s very difficult to pick your players up each and every day but we’re going to try our best and we’re going to continue to fight. Again, we will be there (at Florida) and we’ll play. There are issues we are dealing with but we’ll be there.”
On importance of running the football this week…
“It’s always important to us, as you well know. We need to continue to run the ball and do what we do well. We need to try and keep some balance and I know it’s not there and certainly the second half (vs. Alabama) is not how we want to play. It got away from us very, very quickly. Again, in the first half I thought we did some good things. We need to get the ball in the end zone. We moved it well (early) and if we can capitalize, one of them being a touchdown, or even getting the field goals, you are at least keeping the momentum, you’re keeping your players engaged. Because, again, things can get away from you very, very quickly there, as they did. We’ve got to get back to having some balance but the running game is hugely important to us, as you know.”
On if playing Florida in November makes up for losing a rivalry game (Louisville) because the all-SEC schedule…
“Yeah, I don’t know again the answer to that because I have no idea, you know, what week it is to be totally honest with you. It’s just middle of the season for us, just trying to get a win and do the things necessary this week to put ourselves in position. As far as we normally play is totally out of our mind at this point.”
On what was the offense doing well and what the offense wasn’t doing well vs. Alabama…
“A little bit of each. We did some good things early. We were throwing the ball efficiently. We were running it. We were keeping them off balance. After that, to answer your question, Alabama did make some good adjustments that you anticipate but then there was also some things that we were doing that just fundamentally you cannot do. There were some plays there. There was some plays in the pass game there that we missed and we can’t do that. Even early in the drives that you were referring to when we were moving the ball, had the ball in position. We missed a throw on first down that would have been possibly another first down or at least second and short. We just flat missed it. You know we should have come off the running back and come back to our second read which we have run 30 times the last three weeks and I’ve watched the quarterback hit it and we missed it. Just didn’t do that and those are things that you can’t do against a good team. We end with zero, I believe, on that drive.”
On Isaiah Epps …
“I think Isaiah coming back gives us some fresh legs and he is doing some really good things and helping us. I want to say, the entire receiver corps, especially the first unit that play quite a bit for us really competed and worked hard and fought to get open. I thought we had some opportunities. We need to put the ball in a place where we at least give them an opportunity for a competitive catch. So, they are continuing to work and grow and did some good things. Hopefully, we will put it on them here this week and give them some opportunities.”
On Keaton Upshaw …
“Keaton is definitely growing, that is for sure. He is getting better and we had high expectations for Keaton the entire year and I finally feel like he is taking steps, I agree. Keaton is a big target and we like that and feel like he is working harder in practice and working harder in games, He is getting open and can be a weapon for us and we need to continue to look at him. It really hurt us not having Justin (Rigg). 12 personnel (one running back and two tight ends in the formation) was a big, big piece of our game plan going into the game, probably 60 percent of the game plan, and that did not help, not having him at all.”
On if Kentucky could add a game to the end of the schedule …
“Not to my knowledge. I have been zeroed in on getting ready for the games that we have. No, I have not heard anything else.”
On having some help offensively in the coaching room …
“Yeah, Jeff Jagodzinski came in to help us with the offensive line. He has been around a long time. He has been a head coach and offensive coordinator in the NFL and been an O-line coach in the NFL. Most recently, he was working with my brother with the (XFL Dallas) Renegades. So, he was available and willing to come in and help us through the end of the year until I have time to evaluate the entire situation and see what is going on with the entire staff. Once he is in our program, then we have the ability to move him up because of the situation with John (Schlarman, so he is coaching the offensive line.”
On the team’s pass rush …
“We have some guys that, No. 1, I think we are not giving ourselves the opportunity to get sacks as well this year, by being ahead and having leads and putting guys in predictable pass situations. That is a combination of things. That is on us as a defense. You have to earn the right to be a pass rusher and that is getting them in predictable pass with third and longs, second and longs, things of that nature. We haven’t done that. They are still working hard and they are close. I feel pretty good about the front-line guys but we need to continue to develop some depth behind them. We can still create some pressure it is just the matter of earning that right and getting them in predictable pass.”
Given the circumstances of last week, what the team needs to do this weekend …
“We have to go out and play better. It is what it is. There is nobody that really cares about the extenuating circumstances. And we don’t as a staff either. It is what it is. We have to go out and do a better job and we will. I anticipate that our players will respond. We will have a good week of practice and go out and play hard. There were a lot of players that played extremely hard against a very, very talented team. I appreciate the effort of certain guys, that is for sure. There is nobody giving up around here. There are going to be guys that go out there and play extremely hard, and we are going to coach extremely hard, and we are going to get better. We will get through this. We have been through difficult times before and we will get through it again. Just like Josh or somebody brought up earlier, we are not alone. There are nine teams in our league that have the same win total. So I don’t think their fanbase cares either.”
On Florida QB Kyle Trask …
“Just a guy that is getting more and more comfortable with reps. I knew watching him last year against us that he was a special talent. He certainly has gotten better with every opportunity. He is really, really confident, what he is doing and how he is throwing the ball. He has a lot of weapons to get the ball to. He is playing at a really high level.”
On how he is going to manage the quarterback reps the last couple of games …
“Yeah, I think we just have to continue to look at it and evaluate and see who is playing well. I thought that Terry did some really good things early. He missed some as well and that is going to happen. As I told him, during the game, I am not taking him out because of the one pick. At that point, you know it was going to be very, very difficult (to come back) against that team on the road and I did want to see if one of the other quarterbacks could give us a spark. We will just evaluate it game-by-game.”
On Clevan Thomas …
“He is still out there practicing with us and getting better. You know, we are giving some other guys an opportunity.”
On Florida’s defense …
“It doesn’t surprise me that they are improving and getting better each and every week. Todd Grantham, I have known him for a long time and he does a fantastic job. He is going to get those guys to play hard. He can be elaborate at times with exotics and sometimes that can take some games and some practices to get under your belt to get it all worked out. They are certainly playing better and better each week and always have talented guys that play hard. It is always a compliment to Todd, the way he gets them to play and how hard they play. It is a good group.”
On cornerback Carrington Valentine’s play …
“Carrington, I like, I really do. The biggest thing that I like about him, or the best quality that he has, is his competitive nature. He is just a competitive kid and I like that. He is always working hard, he’s dialed in, he takes things serious. Sometimes freshmen are just freshmen and it doesn’t sink in, or they don’t take the coaching, the medicine the way they need to, but Carrington does. He does not waste a rep. It is paying off and it is going to pay off for him in the future. Years down the road it is going to pay off for him because of the way he attacks practice, because of his approach. He is super-competitive and I like that about him.”
On the win at Florida two years ago and if you can use that towards your advantage this year …
“The only way you can use it – and you are correct and you know I am going to answer it the same way, the past has no bearing on what we are going to do right now – but the only way you can use it is if the plays are similar. Certain defenses that they were playing then that they play now. Certain offensive plays that they did then, what they do now or how they present it, different ways and different packages. Florida’s offense looks a bit different this year, but it is still Dan Mullen. He still wants to run the football and you can see the growth in their offensive line. You can see them getting the way Dan wants to be and be very physical. Obviously, they are throwing the heck out of the football with their quarterback and the weapons that they have. But it also comes from a balanced approach as well. To answer your question, you can use bits and pieces of it, show them clips and hopefully that will spark our guys and pick up their confidence again and get them back to the level that we know we can play.”
