Hello HOB. Greetings from the sun-splashed JCFTC. Cats are wrapping up Thursday’s workout on a darn-near perfect afternoon here in LEX. We’ll have UK head coach Mark Stoops joining us at approx 5:15 ET to offer his final public comments going into Saturday’s game at Florida. Stay tuned…
MARK STOOPS Q&A:
* Good week of preparation, got some things cleaned up that needed to be addressed. Feels good about this team going to Florida.
* Good to have Jordan Wright back. Gives them another pass-rusher and another guy to chase down a real athletic QB. Brings a lot of experience. “We need all hands on deck. We’re really glad that he’s back.”
* Asked if this means they might know more about other players soon, Stoops hopes so. It’s the first hurdle to clear.
* La’Vell Wright really good at RB this week. Good reps for both him and Kavosiey Smoke.
* Nice job by Kenneth Horsey at LT this week. “He’s older and wiser.” Got a good taste of it last season and in the bowl game against some really good edge rushers at Iowa.
* Stoops doesn’t know Billy Napier very well. First chance was when he was around him at SEC meetings. You can tell by his history that he knows what he’s doing.
* On being called soft… Stoops says he can’t worry about that. His only comment is he can promise you UK needs no motivation for this game.
* On being ready for noise… We’ll have to wait and see, but we’ve prepared them. Communication tends to get better from week to week and with experience for the young guys.
* On having a window for the transfer portal… Stoops is in favor of having some guideposts for people to manage their 85-man roster.
* Is there a theme to being successful in The Swamp? Not just the swamp but most road environments in the SEC you have to really concentrate and can’t have pre-snap mistakes.
* On Levis in the run game… He’ll do what he needs to do. “Will’s gonna be Will, and we want him to, but he’s got to protect himself as much as he can while trying to win the game.”
* The way Brown and Robinson are a threat to score on any ST play, the other 10 guys get really dialed in knowing something special can happen on any of those returns. Really good competition in that room and guys who are working to make things happen. Fulton, Phillips, and Justice Dingle threw big blocks to spring that 100-yard TD return.
* On Florida’s overall offense… Backs run really hard, physical. The OL looks like a big, strong presence.
* On his RT of Kelly Craft’s candidacy for KY governor… Stoops says he retweeted for a very good friend and her husband who have been really good to him during his time at UK.
MARK STOOPS Q&A:
* Good week of preparation, got some things cleaned up that needed to be addressed. Feels good about this team going to Florida.
* Good to have Jordan Wright back. Gives them another pass-rusher and another guy to chase down a real athletic QB. Brings a lot of experience. “We need all hands on deck. We’re really glad that he’s back.”
* Asked if this means they might know more about other players soon, Stoops hopes so. It’s the first hurdle to clear.
* La’Vell Wright really good at RB this week. Good reps for both him and Kavosiey Smoke.
* Nice job by Kenneth Horsey at LT this week. “He’s older and wiser.” Got a good taste of it last season and in the bowl game against some really good edge rushers at Iowa.
* Stoops doesn’t know Billy Napier very well. First chance was when he was around him at SEC meetings. You can tell by his history that he knows what he’s doing.
* On being called soft… Stoops says he can’t worry about that. His only comment is he can promise you UK needs no motivation for this game.
* On being ready for noise… We’ll have to wait and see, but we’ve prepared them. Communication tends to get better from week to week and with experience for the young guys.
* On having a window for the transfer portal… Stoops is in favor of having some guideposts for people to manage their 85-man roster.
* Is there a theme to being successful in The Swamp? Not just the swamp but most road environments in the SEC you have to really concentrate and can’t have pre-snap mistakes.
* On Levis in the run game… He’ll do what he needs to do. “Will’s gonna be Will, and we want him to, but he’s got to protect himself as much as he can while trying to win the game.”
* The way Brown and Robinson are a threat to score on any ST play, the other 10 guys get really dialed in knowing something special can happen on any of those returns. Really good competition in that room and guys who are working to make things happen. Fulton, Phillips, and Justice Dingle threw big blocks to spring that 100-yard TD return.
* On Florida’s overall offense… Backs run really hard, physical. The OL looks like a big, strong presence.
* On his RT of Kelly Craft’s candidacy for KY governor… Stoops says he retweeted for a very good friend and her husband who have been really good to him during his time at UK.
