Hello HOB. Good Monday morning to y’all. I’m over at Kroger Field for Mark Stoops’ weekly press luncheon to preview this week’s UK-Florida game. We’ll have Stoops joining us at approx Noon ET. Stay tuned for the latest news and notes…
MARK STOOPS Q&A:
* Excited for the "big opportunity" to play Florida, an extremely talented and well-coached team, Stoops said. Rushing for 300+ per game is really impressive. Long, athletic, physical group on defense.
* Great week of preparation set them up for success at South Carolina. Played fast, played physical. Really pleased with those things. Gotta get the fumbles situation addressed.
* Stoops says he is confident that Chris Rodriguez will get the fumbles corrected. There’s a concern that it’s still lingering this long and has become a bad habit, but they aren’t going to panic. “It’s not going to be the end-all, be-all. Can’t let that happen.”
* On Josh Ali’s fumbles… The second one was too loose, he said. Needs to cover it up with two hands when you’re inside against bigger people like that.
* Asked if he expects any updates on the suspended players’ case this week, Stoops says he hopes that’s the case but can’t add too much more at this time.
* Jalen Geiger is a talented kid who just needed some reps. Happy for him the way he played in his hometown.
* Octavious Oxendine is playing faster, doing some really good things, Stoops said. He’s gotten pretty light. Needs to play physical. Brings them a little more juice and quickness, though, so that’s why he’s moved up the depth chart.
* Dare Rosenthal is dinged up a bit, Stoops said. Not his best game at SC. Naasir Watkins is eligible to come off suspension, but Stoops is not sure yet whether or not he will be back.
* Florida is “a handful in a different way” this year, Stoops said. More like Mullen’s teams at Mississippi State than the ones he’s had at Florida that threw the ball more.
* On the offense starting hot but not continuing after the first drive… Stoops said they got a little backed up after that first drive, some self-induced issues.
* Although the Cats didn’t force any turnovers, Stoops says he considers coming up big on 4th down stops to be a turnover.
* This is one of the most physical teams in the country, Stoops said of Florida. Have to give them respect for what they did against Alabama.
* Asked what it says about the team to win three straight games like they have the last three weeks despite making some big mistakes, Stoops replied that the goal is to play your best and have a complete game, but sometimes things are going to happen where you have to overcome adversity. You are almost guaranteed adversity in an SEC game. It’s about how you respond. “I’d sure like to win one more more than one score,” he joked.
* Units complemented each other much better this week, Stoops said.
* On Liam Coen going up against Todd Grantham for the first time… Coen will have to make his own conclusions by watching film, but Stoops says he’s told him about how Grantham can change things up and be unpredictable.
* Asked if the team can draw confidence from competing with Florida in recent years, Stoops says they’ve gotten to the point as a program where they believe that every week. But you still have to go execute and may even need some good bounces/calls to get the W.
* On Ali letting the punt take a big roll early in the game that backed the UK offense up… Stoops notes that he came from the opposite side of the field and the blocking was set up a different way, so it’s not as easy as it looks in heavy traffic.
* Asked about Carrington Valentine getting targeted by opposing offenses a lot, Stoops said he is competitive and just keeps working hard to get better.
* On the Square/Tink video, Stoops said he went to talk to Tink about it this morning, and he was all smiles. He’ll speak with Square later on. But there’s no issue whatsoever between those guys. Love each other. “Tink’s message was that’s a sideline, that’s football.”
* Stoops said he hasn’t really had a chance to think much about the future of scheduling with Oklahoma and Texas coming into the league.
* On Will Levis… I expect him to walk into practice today like a beast, like he always does. Puts a lot of pressure on himself. Wants to get better. “He doesn’t strike me as a guy you have to worry about his confidence.”
* The Florida QB run game is a concern, Stoops said. Some by design, some by scrambling, buying time to make something happen.
* Izayah Cummings did a great job with his blocking in the South Carolina game. Really getting better in that regard. Played hard, played physical.
* On whether he feels like Cats have more of a target on them being 4-0, Stoops said you have to take care of business with what’s in front of you if you want to play in big games.
* On Wan’Dale Robinson, Stoops acknowledged there’s a nagging issue, but nothing that they’re too concerned about.
* Asked if WanDale is better than he thought he was, Stoops says he doesn’t want to use the word surprised, but he’s really excited about how talented he is and his football instincts.
* UK just got word that Luke Fortner is SEC OL of the Week for the second time this season.
UPDATED UK DEPTH CHART:
MARK STOOPS Q&A:
* Excited for the "big opportunity" to play Florida, an extremely talented and well-coached team, Stoops said. Rushing for 300+ per game is really impressive. Long, athletic, physical group on defense.
* Great week of preparation set them up for success at South Carolina. Played fast, played physical. Really pleased with those things. Gotta get the fumbles situation addressed.
* Stoops says he is confident that Chris Rodriguez will get the fumbles corrected. There’s a concern that it’s still lingering this long and has become a bad habit, but they aren’t going to panic. “It’s not going to be the end-all, be-all. Can’t let that happen.”
* On Josh Ali’s fumbles… The second one was too loose, he said. Needs to cover it up with two hands when you’re inside against bigger people like that.
* Asked if he expects any updates on the suspended players’ case this week, Stoops says he hopes that’s the case but can’t add too much more at this time.
* Jalen Geiger is a talented kid who just needed some reps. Happy for him the way he played in his hometown.
* Octavious Oxendine is playing faster, doing some really good things, Stoops said. He’s gotten pretty light. Needs to play physical. Brings them a little more juice and quickness, though, so that’s why he’s moved up the depth chart.
* Dare Rosenthal is dinged up a bit, Stoops said. Not his best game at SC. Naasir Watkins is eligible to come off suspension, but Stoops is not sure yet whether or not he will be back.
* Florida is “a handful in a different way” this year, Stoops said. More like Mullen’s teams at Mississippi State than the ones he’s had at Florida that threw the ball more.
* On the offense starting hot but not continuing after the first drive… Stoops said they got a little backed up after that first drive, some self-induced issues.
* Although the Cats didn’t force any turnovers, Stoops says he considers coming up big on 4th down stops to be a turnover.
* This is one of the most physical teams in the country, Stoops said of Florida. Have to give them respect for what they did against Alabama.
* Asked what it says about the team to win three straight games like they have the last three weeks despite making some big mistakes, Stoops replied that the goal is to play your best and have a complete game, but sometimes things are going to happen where you have to overcome adversity. You are almost guaranteed adversity in an SEC game. It’s about how you respond. “I’d sure like to win one more more than one score,” he joked.
* Units complemented each other much better this week, Stoops said.
* On Liam Coen going up against Todd Grantham for the first time… Coen will have to make his own conclusions by watching film, but Stoops says he’s told him about how Grantham can change things up and be unpredictable.
* Asked if the team can draw confidence from competing with Florida in recent years, Stoops says they’ve gotten to the point as a program where they believe that every week. But you still have to go execute and may even need some good bounces/calls to get the W.
* On Ali letting the punt take a big roll early in the game that backed the UK offense up… Stoops notes that he came from the opposite side of the field and the blocking was set up a different way, so it’s not as easy as it looks in heavy traffic.
* Asked about Carrington Valentine getting targeted by opposing offenses a lot, Stoops said he is competitive and just keeps working hard to get better.
* On the Square/Tink video, Stoops said he went to talk to Tink about it this morning, and he was all smiles. He’ll speak with Square later on. But there’s no issue whatsoever between those guys. Love each other. “Tink’s message was that’s a sideline, that’s football.”
* Stoops said he hasn’t really had a chance to think much about the future of scheduling with Oklahoma and Texas coming into the league.
* On Will Levis… I expect him to walk into practice today like a beast, like he always does. Puts a lot of pressure on himself. Wants to get better. “He doesn’t strike me as a guy you have to worry about his confidence.”
* The Florida QB run game is a concern, Stoops said. Some by design, some by scrambling, buying time to make something happen.
* Izayah Cummings did a great job with his blocking in the South Carolina game. Really getting better in that regard. Played hard, played physical.
* On whether he feels like Cats have more of a target on them being 4-0, Stoops said you have to take care of business with what’s in front of you if you want to play in big games.
* On Wan’Dale Robinson, Stoops acknowledged there’s a nagging issue, but nothing that they’re too concerned about.
* Asked if WanDale is better than he thought he was, Stoops says he doesn’t want to use the word surprised, but he’s really excited about how talented he is and his football instincts.
* UK just got word that Luke Fortner is SEC OL of the Week for the second time this season.
UPDATED UK DEPTH CHART:
