Mark Stoops Talks About Kentucky's Disappointing 31-6 Loss Against South Carolina

you know last week after a game I sat here and said I hadn't been through anything like that in my time here and this week I could kind of feel the exact same way uh you know we've been beaten you know pretty badly by some really good football teams and uh but I felt like our team always fought back you know always you know we talk about it all the time you get you know you get punched you get hit you know you you you swing back and uh very disappointed and uh you know that not happy uh with us our coaching our response the way we played um you know last week I thought you know under all those chaotic circumstances you know we played relatively clean like like we've we've coached them and uh today it didn't look like we're a very well- coached team and it didn't look like a team that that really uh wanted to respond and uh uh you know no coach speak care that's that's you know 100% on me you know and on us uh no excuses they uh you know they beat us in every facet and and uh we didn't respond we didn't play very good we didn't coach very good and uh we have a lot of work to do and uh it's up to to our team how we respond and uh how we mounce back so I know uh the coaches will uh clearly uh put a lot of this on our shoulders it's on us uh to get our team to compete at a higher level to execute with with with focus and have some some disciplined execution because there wasn't a lot of that today and uh need to get need to get back to work I mean you know there's no again there's no there's no way to sugar coat it we got we got our butts beat and uh and we'll keep on uh swinging back Mark I have want to put words in your mouth are you saying felt like they quit today I didn't say that Mark obviously you had injuries on the offensive line but really even before that seemed like you were getting whipped up front what what do you think was happening there yeah greed we we talked about it early and we knew you know we watched their game last week and you know we know they have some guys up front that could wreck you know some plays and so um you know we were you know we were concerned about that going into it knowing that we need to Chip and you know protect our tackles you know from time to time and uh you know so there's things you know we could do better with that there's you know we have to play better I thought you know full disclosure like some calls I wish we could do over again as well some reads you know we talked about not getting the ball in the perimeter early and letting those guys get up the field and and uh you know hit big tackles for loss I think you know that's you know on me again I got to reemphasize that when we run it for nine yards on first down on second and one I'd like to go that way again you know I'd like to go forward and not sideways and uh you know we go backwards and lose seven yards and there goes a possession just things of that nature that really you know that that's on me and I got to do a better job I'm sorry I was going to ask was getting down in there when that when he when he did was that more about giving the offense a spark or just trying to take hits off of Brock yeah I think uh both Brock took a shot uh on the shoulder down there on on one of those plays and then just just trying to get Gap and some reps we wanted to get him last week as well and and uh just just get him in there I mean clearly we are having a hard time with pass protection and so Gavin could uh scramble a little bit as well and uh and be dual threat so could you could you see Brock kind of shaken up by that pressure and have you try to real I don't know if I don't know if it just shaken up but they clearly affected the quarterback and that's a good job by them you know and and not good enough by us so I wouldn't put it on him personally but I would credit them they certainly disrupted uh him and his comfort level and uh that's what you're looking for on defense is is affecting the quarterback whether it's multiple looks certainly pressure and mixing things up and uh you know they they they affected them Mark was there any common threat on the lawn coverages on this passes yeah uh there was there was uh you know two two of them uh the the second W late no excuse cuz we already seen it and corrected it and uh didn't get it done and uh you know that that's the only complete blown coverage other ones that the seam rods they they they drained us out of some zones and uh you know just didn't play very good there seemed to be a lot of optimism in the preseason about the offensive line was there a disconnect between what you all saw ahead of the season and what what happened today we we did we didn't play good enough today period you know and I'm not going to put it all on the offensive line but they didn't they didn't play good enough and uh and I could probably say that about about every group you know so we are in this together and every group uh you know needs to play at a higher level and they certainly do Mark considering what everybody saw today do you believe all of these problems are fixable going forward they're going to have to be I mean you know we're going to we're going to get it fixed you know I told the team that you know we're going to have total Buy in uh guys are going to get to work and and they they better come Monday you know ready to to to compete and uh and and fight and get better and pay attention to details and little things and uh you know if if you continue to strain and work then then good things will happen you know I I did not see that um you know effort like that and I I didn't like our response and uh you know certainly we got to do our part on the coaching and to put him in a position to be more successful Mark the decision to go for it on that fourth down what went into your fall process how do you think that impacted yeah I think that was a bad bad decision you know obviously you know when it doesn't work it's a it's a real bad decision and it probably pressed a little bit there you know honestly just a little frustrated you know we weren't moving the ball very good um but you know cost us three points and um you know probably wasn't a very good decision um it was yeah mark this this happens early in the season this is just game two and number one team in the country is on their way in what's the message to the team to try to get them to respond better after a game Ju Just you know in so many words what I talked to you guys about then you know we we we're going to respond you know when people hit us we're going to hit back and I didn't I didn't feel uh the edge and the attitude in the in the fight that we normally play with but again all all that stuff I mean it it comes down to disciplined execution you know everybody you have to strain you have to play hard but that's during the week that's in the little details and and in doing things right and and you know being mentally strong and physically strong and and uh and and then then compete when we're out there you know you don't know what's going to happen come game time wild things happen you have to respond and uh we didn't respond very well today Mark how how surprised were you guys just the amount of penalties you guys committed today pardon me how surprised Were You by out penalties yeah again I didn't see that coming um hasn't been our nature they have that many and uh it just goes to show you how how uh how how undisciplined we were today the Holdings on the offensive line is was there disconnect with cohesion there with that unit or was that the effort that you're talking about just getting beat on I mean yeah I mean no excuses I mean we'll we'll we'll see uh exactly what it was and uh you know whoever's in there at whatever time it doesn't matter about cohesion uh you know we we have to execute better we got to block better we got to strain we got to do things better is there an update on Jagger you can share with us uh Jagger was not available and uh he he was out in this game so you know you look forward to it'll probably be tough for him to get back by next week Mark meeting South Carolina in 2014 it was kind of a win that could help build this program went on to win five straight but the last three years you all falling short what do you feel like needs to change to gain momentum back in the series um you know it's hard like I said it's always year to year with us and uh you know it's hard for me to look back to last year year before I mean you know win or lose I said that to you guys what Monday you know it's it's uh you know it's an individual basis I thought they did a nice job of responding and and you know that that they maybe didn't um you know they felt like last week they could play better they came in here and played the heck of a lot better and we need to do the same you know I thought they did a nice job of of cleaning things up and and played uh you know very good football today and beat us you have that nice sustained Drive in the first half I think he ran the ball 11 times in a row when the offense is clicking is that the type of tempo that that you had envisioned yes but we need to be you know more balanced you know at that point you know we we were running it we were running it downhill and we were getting some yards and uh and um you know but the balance wasn't there you know we we have to be able to protect and uh and throw the ball we were you know efficient doing that to this point but not today I know Brock didn't get help out by the old line but bouncing back for him what does that look like for him what does he need no I'm sure Brock will bounce back I mean he he's tough he's resilient and uh you know he'll he'll he'll compete I I know that and we have to do a good job of putting them in a position to be successful we got to give them some time we got to make sure we're doing things uh to give him an opportunity Mar the play Early where you were talking about going sideways instead of forward it looked like Brock had kept that he had so yards was that the wrong read or the wrong play call it was the wrong read I I don't want to put words in your mouth either but are are you implying that it was an effort issue today I I I you know I I don't I stand by what I said you know I don't want I don't need to put a headline out there I'm not real happy with the way we played I'm not real happy with the way we coached I'm not real happy with the way we responded you know the way we executed our effort any of it it's not good enough it's not not acceptable you put so much emphasis on how the team performs on Saturday is based on how they do during the week and hindsight is there anything looking back on the buildup that that you can really put your finger on no no that's that's what's crazy no I felt like this week was was cleaner a little more focused than last week you know but you know again no no no excuse whatsoever but th this felt like game one you know what I mean where you walk out there and you don't know what you know like there were things that happened today that that I can't explain uh despite the loss D Sumo Kong Kong Bay um had a had a pretty decent game uh rush for 70 yards so these solid runs uh what do you have to say about him and the impact he's had so far yeah Demi is a guy that that again he's been very steady he's been he's he works hard he he ran the ball very tough today and had some tough yards so um I think we were efficient at time running the ball down downhill but um we have to get the balance that I talked about you know when you drop back to pass you have to be able to protect get the ball down the field and you know when you when you can run the ball downhill it's going to open up some play action if you could get protected Mark how do you feel about your offensive line dep it felt like that driver NY was out it was particularly an issue especially Jagger can't go how do you feel yeah I mean guys are going to have to step up bottom line you know we need some guys to improve and get better I mean I think I think we all know that we need to continue to build our dep at the offensive line and uh it's a big point of emphasis for us anyone else a couple times where Brock was like throwing his hands up before the snap almost like he was kind of confused