Hello HOB. Good Monday morning to you guys. We'll have Mark Stoops' weekly Monday press conference coming up today at Noon ET to review Saturday's loss to Ole Miss and discuss the No. 13 Cats' (4-1, 1-1 SEC) upcoming matchup with South Carolina (3-2, 0-2 SEC). Stay tuned for the latest news and notes...
MARK STOOPS Q&A:
* Tough loss, disappointed. Did some good things, but did not execute well in all situations, and it cost them.
* Stoops: How do I say this without getting blasted, but I really thought it was a great game... Both teams played their tails off, played hard. Competitive. Stressed each other. It stinks to come up on this end, but loved the way they compete.
* Levis only had six incompletions, one 50/50 ball and two drops among them. Had some great throws.
* In the first half, had some chances to get off the field and just didn't do it. Sold out on one play and got creased on the long run for a TD. Guys settled in during the second half and played good, played hard.
* Only 4 penalties on the day, but one on each of the last three drives. Those hurt.
* Today's practice and flim review will be "very businesslike," Stoops said. One of the first things he said in the locker room after an emotional loss was "one cannot become two." Can't let it spill over into this week's preparation.
* We're getting banged up, Stoops said. Could use a break right now, but it's still a couple weeks away. Levis's finger is fine, Stoops said, then added "I don't know... How would your finger be if it was sideways and had to be put back in?" But not a surgical deal or anything. Jacquez Jones is considered "We'll see." J.J. Weaver getting closer. Has a chance to play. Josaih Hayes, "We'll see."
* South Carolina's Spencer Rattler is a very talented QB, Stoops says. Like what they do with him, creating some time off play-action. Very talented arm. Can make all the throws.
* Gamecocks RB MarShawn Lloyd is an impressive back, Stoops said. Really likes him. He's averaging 6.1 ypc this season.
* On special teams struggles... Difficult question to answer, Stoops said, because he can't really say he's pleased or he'll get killed in the headlines, but many phases of ST are killing it right now. Punts, return game, coverage have been really good. But then you have the snaps and the holds. How do you rate the whole package? "We need to do what we've done thousands of times correctly... Saturday was not good, Kinda embarrassing." Stoops thought the hold was more of a problem than the snap on the one that failed as a 2PC.
* Scary thing about Brown's returns is there are a couple of guys who aren't doing their job on those returns, and he's still doing that. If you give him a chance, he is really dangerous.
* On whether he says anything to Ruffolo? "What am I gonna tell him? Kick the damn ball."
* It's a shame Flax went down with the hamstring, Stoops said, because he was playing physical as heck and moving people.
* Safety was unacceptable, Stoops said. "That possession bothers me." Got it off the 6-inch line, moved it out to the 11, then backwards and a safety.
* On young WRs helping recruiting... It's important, Stoops said. Says a lot about them and a lot about what they're doing in this system. "There are areas that are improving drastically."
* About coaches getting fired early in the season... I don't know. Can't get in other people's heads. But thinks the social media presence kinda takes its toll on decision makers and people in leadership. For coaches, you just do your thing. You can't get full of it when they pat you on the back, and you can't take it too hard when they're ripping you.
* Stoops thought the UK fans who traveled were "amazing... They showed up in full force and were LOUD."
* Asked about targeting rule, Stoops says it's ery confusing for coaches across the national regardingwhat defensive players can do. His understanding was that hitting with the crown of the helmet was supposed to be "out." But he's not sure of what the rules are anymore. "I thought we were making some progress toward getting rid of that, but it doesn't seem like it anymore."
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UPDATED UK DEPTH CHART:
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ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
FOOTBALL
Oct. 3, 2022
Barion Brown Named SEC co-Freshman of the Week -- Again
Kentucky’s electric freshman earns second straight SEC honor, third overall
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Once might be considered an accident, twice a coincidence but three times is a pattern.
Kentucky freshman Barion Brown was named the Southeastern Conference co-Freshman of the Week for the second consecutive week after racking up 245 all-purpose yards on just five touches on the road against then-No. 14 Ole Miss, the league announced Monday.
He also was previously named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week after the season opener. He is the first Wildcat to win a SEC weekly award three times in a single season since Lynn Bowden Jr. in 2019.
Brown, a 6-foot-1, 166-pound wide receiver and return specialist from Nashville, was electric against the Rebels. He had kickoff returns of 85 and 54 yards and is the only player in FBS with two kick returns of at least 80 yards this season. He leads the nation in kickoff returns at 47.7 yards per runback. He also caught two passes for 81 yards and averaged an absurd 49.0 yards per touch in the game.
In his rookie season, he has 15 catches for 282 yards, averaging 18.8 per catch. He ranks fourth in the SEC in all-purpose yards per game at 114.2.
No. 13 Kentucky plays hosts to South Carolina Saturday, Oct. 8. Game time is 7:30 p.m. ET and will be televised on the SEC Network. The game will also be broadcast live on the UK Sports Network with Tom Leach, Jeff Piecoro and Dick Gabriel calling the action.
MARK STOOPS Q&A:
* Tough loss, disappointed. Did some good things, but did not execute well in all situations, and it cost them.
* Stoops: How do I say this without getting blasted, but I really thought it was a great game... Both teams played their tails off, played hard. Competitive. Stressed each other. It stinks to come up on this end, but loved the way they compete.
* Levis only had six incompletions, one 50/50 ball and two drops among them. Had some great throws.
* In the first half, had some chances to get off the field and just didn't do it. Sold out on one play and got creased on the long run for a TD. Guys settled in during the second half and played good, played hard.
* Only 4 penalties on the day, but one on each of the last three drives. Those hurt.
* Today's practice and flim review will be "very businesslike," Stoops said. One of the first things he said in the locker room after an emotional loss was "one cannot become two." Can't let it spill over into this week's preparation.
* We're getting banged up, Stoops said. Could use a break right now, but it's still a couple weeks away. Levis's finger is fine, Stoops said, then added "I don't know... How would your finger be if it was sideways and had to be put back in?" But not a surgical deal or anything. Jacquez Jones is considered "We'll see." J.J. Weaver getting closer. Has a chance to play. Josaih Hayes, "We'll see."
* South Carolina's Spencer Rattler is a very talented QB, Stoops says. Like what they do with him, creating some time off play-action. Very talented arm. Can make all the throws.
* Gamecocks RB MarShawn Lloyd is an impressive back, Stoops said. Really likes him. He's averaging 6.1 ypc this season.
* On special teams struggles... Difficult question to answer, Stoops said, because he can't really say he's pleased or he'll get killed in the headlines, but many phases of ST are killing it right now. Punts, return game, coverage have been really good. But then you have the snaps and the holds. How do you rate the whole package? "We need to do what we've done thousands of times correctly... Saturday was not good, Kinda embarrassing." Stoops thought the hold was more of a problem than the snap on the one that failed as a 2PC.
* Scary thing about Brown's returns is there are a couple of guys who aren't doing their job on those returns, and he's still doing that. If you give him a chance, he is really dangerous.
* On whether he says anything to Ruffolo? "What am I gonna tell him? Kick the damn ball."
* It's a shame Flax went down with the hamstring, Stoops said, because he was playing physical as heck and moving people.
* Safety was unacceptable, Stoops said. "That possession bothers me." Got it off the 6-inch line, moved it out to the 11, then backwards and a safety.
* On young WRs helping recruiting... It's important, Stoops said. Says a lot about them and a lot about what they're doing in this system. "There are areas that are improving drastically."
* About coaches getting fired early in the season... I don't know. Can't get in other people's heads. But thinks the social media presence kinda takes its toll on decision makers and people in leadership. For coaches, you just do your thing. You can't get full of it when they pat you on the back, and you can't take it too hard when they're ripping you.
* Stoops thought the UK fans who traveled were "amazing... They showed up in full force and were LOUD."
* Asked about targeting rule, Stoops says it's ery confusing for coaches across the national regardingwhat defensive players can do. His understanding was that hitting with the crown of the helmet was supposed to be "out." But he's not sure of what the rules are anymore. "I thought we were making some progress toward getting rid of that, but it doesn't seem like it anymore."
.
UPDATED UK DEPTH CHART:
.
.
ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
FOOTBALL
Oct. 3, 2022
Barion Brown Named SEC co-Freshman of the Week -- Again
Kentucky’s electric freshman earns second straight SEC honor, third overall
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Once might be considered an accident, twice a coincidence but three times is a pattern.
Kentucky freshman Barion Brown was named the Southeastern Conference co-Freshman of the Week for the second consecutive week after racking up 245 all-purpose yards on just five touches on the road against then-No. 14 Ole Miss, the league announced Monday.
He also was previously named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week after the season opener. He is the first Wildcat to win a SEC weekly award three times in a single season since Lynn Bowden Jr. in 2019.
Brown, a 6-foot-1, 166-pound wide receiver and return specialist from Nashville, was electric against the Rebels. He had kickoff returns of 85 and 54 yards and is the only player in FBS with two kick returns of at least 80 yards this season. He leads the nation in kickoff returns at 47.7 yards per runback. He also caught two passes for 81 yards and averaged an absurd 49.0 yards per touch in the game.
In his rookie season, he has 15 catches for 282 yards, averaging 18.8 per catch. He ranks fourth in the SEC in all-purpose yards per game at 114.2.
No. 13 Kentucky plays hosts to South Carolina Saturday, Oct. 8. Game time is 7:30 p.m. ET and will be televised on the SEC Network. The game will also be broadcast live on the UK Sports Network with Tom Leach, Jeff Piecoro and Dick Gabriel calling the action.
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