Good morning, HOB. Happy (or Angry?) Halloween. Mark Stoops will be addressing the media at Noon ET today as he breaks down the debacle at Tennessee and looks ahead to this week's matchup at Missouri. Stay tuned...
MARK STOOPS Q&A:
* Noon kickoff announced for Vandy game. SEC Network
* Any time you take a butt-kicking like that and a long bus ride home, Sunday is no fun. But you have to take a long look at yourself and address the problems. Came out with some intensity and did some good things being physical and moving the ball, but you have to sustain it, and against a team like Tennessee it can get out of hand in a hurry. But no panic right now. If you compete in this league, you have to get used to picking yourself back up and getting ready for the next week.
* A lot of respect for Mizzou coach Drink and how he's got his team playing right now after a rough start. The Tigers are playing extremely hard.
* Stoops: "Can't let one turn into two."
* On ILB DeAndre Square... It's doubtful he can play Saturday, but Stoops added that everyone is "day to day." Feels like Trevin Wallace will step up and play well.
* On the state of the offense right now... Obviously, not very pleased with that result. Hard to make a big statement after a game like that. I'm smart enough to give a headline after a game like that, but not pleased. Better get it fixed or you're not going to last. Everybody better do better, coaches and players. We are constantly evaluating things.
* Not going to throw darts at any particular player, but there were inexcuseable things that happened at Tennessee.
* On the Mizzou defense... Playing hard. Always have guys up front who are physical and disruptive. They're mixing looks up.
* Levis tried to force some things on Saturday when it was slipping away. It's not all on him, though. Guys around him have to be a lot better.
* On Trevin Wallace at ILB... Always been high on him. Really athletic. Has a good number of reps the last two seasons, so he's ready to go. Playing more physical now.
* Stoops says he thinks they may be trying to be a bit too sophisticated on offense at times. Might pare things down. Thinks that's a fair criticisim.
* On the extra point and punt that got blocked... Too much penetration on the XP. Could have been higher and quicker, but penetration was biggest issue. On the punt, it's just a breakdown. "Simply not good enough."
* On whether the players will be able to put it behind them and move on perhaps better than coaches and fans... "They have to." What do you do in the SEC, Stoops adds, fold your tent and give up? There are five teams in the SEC with a better record right now, he points out. You have to keep playing.
* Last time we went to Mizzou, we got our butts kicked, Stoops says, so you better pick yourself up and get ready to play. Stoops says, for his part, "I'm jacked up and ready to go... Give me some more coffee. As the leader of this football team, you have to set the tone."
* Stoops thinks the stats show that this game is very evenly matched, and it's important to both teams.
* On taking that next step to the elite tier in the conference... You keep grinding and try to put it together. It just doesn't happen all at once. You have to string together good days.
* On areas where the team has been the most improved... Says he won't be set up to be a punching bag. "You won't get me to say that today."
* Thinks Octavious Oxendine has to get his weight and strength back up. Playing quick at a lower weight, but thinks he'd be better with more weight and strength.
* Players are typically good about getting themselves back up after a tough game, Stoops said. "But there needs to be accountability right now."
* On JuTahn McClain... Really pleased with him. Running tough. Thinks C-Rod's physical mindset has rubbed off on him. JuTahn has always strained. That kind of kid.
* No excuses. I didn't do my job (last week). We all have to be better.
* On message to fans right now as fans begin to panic... He asked his support staff what's going on prior to the press conference because he doesn't follow that kind of stuff. He understands the passion of the fans. There's going to be good and bad. "But we're all in this together, and we still need them." He understands the frustration, but says they need you to come back again.
UPDATED UK DPETH CHART:
MARK STOOPS Q&A:
* Noon kickoff announced for Vandy game. SEC Network
* Any time you take a butt-kicking like that and a long bus ride home, Sunday is no fun. But you have to take a long look at yourself and address the problems. Came out with some intensity and did some good things being physical and moving the ball, but you have to sustain it, and against a team like Tennessee it can get out of hand in a hurry. But no panic right now. If you compete in this league, you have to get used to picking yourself back up and getting ready for the next week.
* A lot of respect for Mizzou coach Drink and how he's got his team playing right now after a rough start. The Tigers are playing extremely hard.
* Stoops: "Can't let one turn into two."
* On ILB DeAndre Square... It's doubtful he can play Saturday, but Stoops added that everyone is "day to day." Feels like Trevin Wallace will step up and play well.
* On the state of the offense right now... Obviously, not very pleased with that result. Hard to make a big statement after a game like that. I'm smart enough to give a headline after a game like that, but not pleased. Better get it fixed or you're not going to last. Everybody better do better, coaches and players. We are constantly evaluating things.
* Not going to throw darts at any particular player, but there were inexcuseable things that happened at Tennessee.
* On the Mizzou defense... Playing hard. Always have guys up front who are physical and disruptive. They're mixing looks up.
* Levis tried to force some things on Saturday when it was slipping away. It's not all on him, though. Guys around him have to be a lot better.
* On Trevin Wallace at ILB... Always been high on him. Really athletic. Has a good number of reps the last two seasons, so he's ready to go. Playing more physical now.
* Stoops says he thinks they may be trying to be a bit too sophisticated on offense at times. Might pare things down. Thinks that's a fair criticisim.
* On the extra point and punt that got blocked... Too much penetration on the XP. Could have been higher and quicker, but penetration was biggest issue. On the punt, it's just a breakdown. "Simply not good enough."
* On whether the players will be able to put it behind them and move on perhaps better than coaches and fans... "They have to." What do you do in the SEC, Stoops adds, fold your tent and give up? There are five teams in the SEC with a better record right now, he points out. You have to keep playing.
* Last time we went to Mizzou, we got our butts kicked, Stoops says, so you better pick yourself up and get ready to play. Stoops says, for his part, "I'm jacked up and ready to go... Give me some more coffee. As the leader of this football team, you have to set the tone."
* Stoops thinks the stats show that this game is very evenly matched, and it's important to both teams.
* On taking that next step to the elite tier in the conference... You keep grinding and try to put it together. It just doesn't happen all at once. You have to string together good days.
* On areas where the team has been the most improved... Says he won't be set up to be a punching bag. "You won't get me to say that today."
* Thinks Octavious Oxendine has to get his weight and strength back up. Playing quick at a lower weight, but thinks he'd be better with more weight and strength.
* Players are typically good about getting themselves back up after a tough game, Stoops said. "But there needs to be accountability right now."
* On JuTahn McClain... Really pleased with him. Running tough. Thinks C-Rod's physical mindset has rubbed off on him. JuTahn has always strained. That kind of kid.
* No excuses. I didn't do my job (last week). We all have to be better.
* On message to fans right now as fans begin to panic... He asked his support staff what's going on prior to the press conference because he doesn't follow that kind of stuff. He understands the passion of the fans. There's going to be good and bad. "But we're all in this together, and we still need them." He understands the frustration, but says they need you to come back again.
UPDATED UK DPETH CHART:
