‘A tough matchup for anybody.’ Everything Mark Stoops said after UK’s loss to Alabama.

Everything University of Kentucky head football coach Mark Stoops said during his press conference following Saturday’s 49-21 loss to Southeastern Conference rival Alabama at Kroger Field:

Stoops’ opening statement:

Obviously that is a good football team. We didn’t match up very well today. We didn’t get off to a very good start, and we didn’t get much better after that start. So, again, give them credit. I think that’s a football team that is getting better and better, getting stronger and stronger as the year goes on, and I think they are going to make a strong push here late, very impressive win by them.

I wish we would have executed better. I think it was disappointing, really third downs, both sides. They converted an extremely high percentage of third downs. We didn’t get very good pressure. We tried blitzing, coverage, a little bit of everything. And to their credit, they made plays. I think, you know, they protected when they needed to. I think, you know, when — (quarterback Jalen) Milroe, he does a phenomenal job of buying time in the pocket and hurting you. It is a threat to run it. He bought the time and hit the receivers down the field.

We didn’t convert very well on third down and move the ball consistently enough. So, again, I think it is, you know, pretty cut and dry, took care of business, and I think we need to play a little better. And it is a tough matchup. It is a tough matchup for anybody.

In the first couple of series, what did you see from their kids? Because they jumped out 21 to nothing.

Well, you saw their quarterback, that is a dynamic threat to run the ball, and he bought time and found some explosive plays down the field.

What was your team’s mindset going in?

Yeah, I think when things go wrong, you would like to see, you know, dig in and make some plays. And I think, they go down, I think we settle in, the fumble puts it at a — you know, in a spot that makes it very difficult. In hindsight, if we could have kept it a little closer, probably kicked a field goal, I would like to see it 21-10, 14-10 at some point instead of pressing and going. But we had it fourth-and-2, that kind of hurts you as well.

Getting those open receivers for Alabama, is it a threat of the run or were there coverage problems on your end?

Well, both. We didn’t do a very good job. One of them we were in man and you can’t drop your man to go get Milroe. You can’t do that. We have to have some secondary support, so guys overlapping. Even if he is going to get yards, you have to give those up. But you can’t drop a man. And that was one of them. The other one was a zone coverage. But, again, you have to take it from your half, where we have split coverage and half-field guy, and he extends it so long to one side of the field you have to carry it all the way over. It is unusual. It is hard. And, but, we have got to do better.

Mark, the last 10 top teams you played, about a 28-point margin. A lot of criticism so far. How do you respond to that, your team giving up big games like this?

Our team, the ability to get up, is one thing. The ability to compete with some of the, you know, top-10 teams I think, you know, some of these teams are (ranked) one and two, you know, will be one and two; you know, that’s different than, you know, some of the average teams. But there is nothing average about that, too.

Mark, what do you think about (Alabama giving up) 37 sacks this year and you didn’t get any today?

No. I thought it was very poor, you know, at times some movement. We got negative-yardage plays, and they came back and converted and converted some third downs and third-and-long’s. It was really disappointing. We did a poor job of getting pressure, whether it was straight rushing or, you know, pressures, any of it. We did a poor job today.

Conversely, Mark, I mean, how rough was offensive line play?

You know, it is going to be tough sledding against a team like that. I think you have to be good in all areas. It can’t just be the offensive line or the running back. You have got to get open, make good decisions. We have to get rid of the ball. We can’t have as many deflected. It puts you behind the chains. You get predictable or behind the chains against that group and it is not going to look good.

What do you say about (quarterback Devin) Leary, he took shots today?

He is tough, resilient. And, you know, that’s some tough sledding out there, playing against those guys, especially when you get behind like that.

Mark, how did you feel about the team’s fight?

I mean, the fight is there. I don’t ever question that. Execution and playing better is a different story. I don’t question our team’s fight or their desire to win. You have got to compete at a different level. You have to execute and be more precise when you are playing teams like that.

You talked earlier this week about wanting to put up a better performance than you did against Georgia. How do you compare your team’s performance today?

I don’t. I can’t even think. I mean, I’m worried, thinking about this game. I have no — I can’t go back to that. Again, I think I was pretty honest and said that we need to be better. They did a great job. That’s a very good football team. I expect them to make a deep run.

Mark, you want to be a balanced team, you get down like that so early, how much does that throw your offense out of the window?

Yeah, it is really tough sledding. And in some games like that, at times you get behind like that, it is not where you want to live. You want to keep it close and, you know, give yourself a chance. And you get behind like that it definitely hurts.

Mark, I know this loss has been tough, but 8-4 can be a lot better than 7-5, 6-6. How do you regain your team’s composure and finish strong?

If they come back and focus and work like we have been doing, then we will have a great opportunity, you know. And we have to show the resolve, the toughness, and come back. Because it is not easy; you know, this schedule is not easy and the SEC is not easy. And, you know, but as I tell the team, there is not a soul feeling sorry for you. You have to buckle it up, get back to work, get some rest, and we have to have a great Monday practice. The players will be off tomorrow, coaches will be back at work, and it will be a new week, a one-week season for us. We have to get back to work.

Mark, you talked about you like your team’s fight but execution and being prepared has got to be better. Do you feel like a lot of times — like, practice is not enough, you have to watch extra film and study. Do you feel the kids are doing that throughout the course of the week to get ready?

I do. I think then there comes the disciplined execution, and those — they have a little something to do with it. You know, it is not like our guys are not trying, either. I mean, those guys are pretty good.

Mark, you mentioned a drive when you went for it on fourth-and-2, down 28-7, you had the ball in Alabama territory, not being able to get anything there.

Yeah. It kills you. It hurts. It does. And, in hindsight I wish I would have kicked it right there and got down 28-10. And we got it down there again later and I thought we punched it in after that.

This story was originally published November 11, 2023 at 7:29 PM.