The Mark Stoops Show presented by UK HealthCare, September 22nd 2025

The Voice of the Wildcats, Tom Leach talks with head coach Mark Stoops

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Sports Network. This is the Mark Stoop Show presented by
UK Healthcare. To talk to Coach Stoops, call the Clark's
Pumpin' Jomp Big Blue online eight five nine two eight
zero Cats that's eight five nine two eight zero two
two eight seven, or state wide at one eight hundred
six oh six game that's one eight hundred six oh

(00:22):
six four two sixty three, or you can tweet your
questions to at UK Sports Network they'll Mark Stoop Show
presented by UK Healthcare begins. Here's the voice so the Cats,
Tom Leach.

Speaker 2 (00:42):
Good day, everybody, Welcome in to our show. We're here
to talk Kentucky football for the next hour as the
Wildcats come off an open week and get said to
go back into Southeastern Conference play, and they will do
it on the road for the first time this season,
taking on nouth Carolina in Columbia. Kickoff set for seven

(01:03):
forty five, and that means pregame will start at five
thirty Eastern on these UK Sports Network stations from Williams.
Brice Stadium. Game Cox coming off a loss at Missouri
on Saturday, and for Kentucky it'll be Richard freshman quarterback
Cutter Bowling making his first road start. He's seen action

(01:23):
in road SEC games, but the first time to be
the starters. We'll talk about that and more with Coach
Stoops when he joins us a little later. We'll get
to some of your questions. You can send those in
via social media at UK Sports Network, on x post,
on the Kentucky Football Facebook page, or give us a
call on the Clark's Pumping Shop phone line at eight
hundred and six oh six four two sixty three inside

(01:45):
Lexington called Direct two eight O Cats two eight zero
two two eight seven Kentucky and South Carolina. We'll talk
about that more when we come back. It's The Mark
Stoops Show presented by UK Healthcare on the UK Sports Network.

Speaker 1 (02:00):
You're listening to The Mark Stoop Show presented by UK
Healthcare on the UK Sports Network. Fail The Mark Stoop
Show is brought to you by Kroger, Little Caesars, UK

(02:22):
Healthcare and by Coca Cola and.

Speaker 2 (02:35):
The All Time.

Speaker 1 (02:38):
The Mark Stoop Show presented by UK Healthcare. It is
brought to you locally in Lexington by the sponsors Chick
fil A, Liquor Bar, Skyline Chili and by Toyota. All
season long, catch the Wildcats in Lexington on your home

(02:58):
for Kentucky football, the UK Sportsnatchwork.

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Speaker 2 (05:15):
Welcome back into the show for this Monday game week again.
After an open date, Coach stoops alongside and Monday's I
don't know what was was Monday, like a regular Monday,
because you kind of got into game prep late last week.

Speaker 8 (05:29):
Yeah, we did more this Monday than we normally would,
and you know, obviously you want to use that time
as efficiently as you can. And then also, you know,
just to take the pressure off of a Tuesday and
Wednesday practice. You know, I just don't sometimes we're just
really packing in plays and you know, going over and
things of that nature, and just want it to be

(05:50):
as smooth as possible and just get in some work
because we needed to get out there and move around
after some days off.

Speaker 2 (05:55):
Yeah, the guys had the weekend off, right.

Speaker 8 (05:57):
They did. They were off Friday, Saturday and mandatory day
off Sunday. So uh, you know, so for us, it
was good to get back out there. There were obviously
fresh and we were able to get more done. We
had a lot of our plan in last week and
so we tried to get ahead a little bit.

Speaker 2 (06:11):
For the coaches. Were you guys able to what I
don't know what the rules are this time, but you
were able to go watch games?

Speaker 8 (06:16):
Yes, yeah, you are. We are able to get on
the road, you know, see some you know, evaluate some players,
see some players that are committed to us, show our
support to them, and and get out you know, throughout
the country and and uh, you know, watch the ball.

Speaker 2 (06:31):
With the last week, you said that in your media
session Wednesday, you were doing more good on good work
ones versus ones last week. Did you like how that looked?

Speaker 8 (06:41):
Yeah? I did, you know, I think you know, even
early last week, you know, on Monday, guys that maybe
didn't get as many snaps, we were able to get
out on Monday and do quite a bit of good
on good work. You know. The guys that needed up
obviously did anticipate as much on Monday with that phase

(07:03):
of it. And then you know, Tuesday was a lyft
day and a run day getting their bodies right. And
so you know, by the time some of the players
that maybe got the majority of the snaps in the
first three games, they didn't get back out there till Wednesday.

Speaker 2 (07:17):
With that open date on the schedule. I think it
was that media session you said you reached out to
a few coaching buddies just to say, hey, how are
you guys handling this with you guys.

Speaker 8 (07:26):
Yeah, without a doubt, and some of the guys have,
you know, talked to me this week about what we did,
and I've talked to them about that, and you know,
at least one of them was like, I like that.
A lot of may copy it, and I said, you know,
go for it, because I certainly picked their brains sometimes
on things, and so it's good just to share ideas
with some folks.

Speaker 2 (07:43):
Cutter Bowlie will be making his first road start on
Saturday down at South Carolina, but did play the second
half in a tough road venue down at Texas. So
how much of an adjustment is it, though, to go
on the road in an SEC stadium for the first
time as the start.

Speaker 8 (08:02):
Yeah, it's definitely hard. I mean, I don't know what
the exact statistics are, but an SEC road game at night,
the percentages, you know, are tough, you know, so we
know that they're tough environments. Certainly you know, they're at
Williams Brice in South Carolina. That place gets rocking. It's

(08:23):
definitely a great venue, a great atmosphere and very challenging atmosphere,
and so we have to be really good around him.
And you know, I always say that about the quarterbacks
because it's true. I mean, we can't be going down
there and having pre snap penalties and putting the ball
on the ground and things of that nature. So we
have to play very clean. We have to play very well.

(08:44):
You know, the operation has to be smooth. We have
to hone in on that this week. There's it's very
hard to simulate that. Of course, the crowd news noise
will be very loud. We actually had it going already
today on on a couple segments and and uh, you know,
so we just uh, you know, we have to support
Cutter and we anticipate that he'll play a very good game.

(09:06):
He he has shown that that you know, he can
handle that, and and uh, you know, so we're we're
excited about the opportunity.

Speaker 2 (09:15):
Just thinking about it. Uh, from a fan perspective, I
would think the crowd noise and just all the the
atmosphere of the Sands store, playing all the things in
South Carolina does uh, and their crowd's going to be
jacked up because it's a huge game for them coming
off a couple of assess Yeah, without them, that's the
biggest thing for Cutter is he hadn't been in that situation.
It comes at halftime Texas and it comes in late

(09:37):
at Florida. So this is different.

Speaker 8 (09:39):
Yeah, it's definitely different. But as a team we have
to be able to handle that. You know, you're going
to face adversity down there. It will be rocking. And
I have great respect for all the venues in the SEC,
certainly this one is right up there. I remember you know,
you and I talked about it. I don't know what
year it was, it was several years ago, but you know,

(09:59):
a down year for South Carolina and hadn't had very
many wins, and it was later in the year and
and we go down and it was absolutely electric, and
you know, a credit to them and you know their
fan base.

Speaker 2 (10:12):
Yeah, it'll be charged up on Saturday night. They're a
little bit of a desperation mode off the last couple
of games. We're gonna get to a break. Come back,
continue our chat with Coach Stops. We'll get some of
your questions a little bit later on. You can send
those in via social media or go ahead and call
on the Clark's Pumping Shop phone line. We'll be right
back the Mark Stoop Show of the UK Sports Network.

Speaker 8 (10:33):
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Speaker 2 (13:45):
It's the Mark Stoop Show, presented by UK Healthcares. We
chat with the coaches. The Wildcats get set to go
play at South Carolina on Saturday night. It'll be televised
on the SEC Network seven forty five Eastern Pregame coverage
will start at five point thirty on these UKs network stations.
It's the South Carolina team that has a quarterback, Leonora Sellers,
that kind of had one of his I guess his

(14:06):
breakout game against you guys last year here in Lexington
and some places talk about him as maybe the first
quarterback picked in the next NFL draft.

Speaker 8 (14:15):
Yeah, he is a very good football player. I think
you know a lot. Anybody can see he's a big,
strong guy that's very difficult to get down. But he
is impressive throwing the football as well. You know, he
really has a strong arm. He puts it in some
you know, tough locations for us defensively, you know, in

(14:37):
good spots for them, and and you know, very strong
arm and very good football player. Have a lot of
respect for.

Speaker 2 (14:43):
Him coming off his injury a Vanderbilt. They didn't run
him much against Missouri last Saturday, but with an extra
week to get healthy, he's a real threat running.

Speaker 8 (14:54):
Yeah, and you saw him do what he needed to do.
He scrambled at times last week and all that. But
anybody that it's you know, you know, an injury like that,
are going to be a little cautious. But this is
two weeks later, as you mentioned, and you know, he's
he's a competitor and so he's going to do anything
he needs to do to help lead his team. And

(15:15):
that's one of the things you respect about him and
so yeah, well you anticipate maybe a touch more design
quarterback runs and you know he will scramble when he made,
you know guys, and you know, be off schedule in
the pocket when he needs to.

Speaker 2 (15:30):
South Carolina defensively was very disruptive with their pass rush
in the game last year and a Stewart is back
on one of the edges. What do you see in
their defense?

Speaker 8 (15:41):
Yeah, typical of them, very disruptive. You know, I think
you know, their edge guys get a lot of the
attention because they're dynamic players, but I think they're inside
guys really don't get talked about enough. They're very disruptive,
very strong players. So it's a good football team and

(16:02):
you know, love to get after the passer, that's for sure.
We have to protect much better than we did a
year ago, and we you know, also have to have
that balance that we always talk about. You know, you
have to be able to run the ball efficiently to
set up some play action and not be in predictable
pass all the time.

Speaker 2 (16:18):
We'll get to our alumni Hall question of the week,
and what did you see in Cutter's performance against Eastern
Michigan that gives you confidence there's something to build on
there to improve the passing attack.

Speaker 8 (16:30):
Well, it's not just the one game. We've been watching
him for a year and a half now, and you know,
you just see a guy that's getting better with every opportunity,
is getting more confident in the pocket, you know, making
better decisions. I just think he understands the offense that
much better and you know, so it gives you a
lot of optimism moving forward.

Speaker 2 (16:51):
That was our Alumni Hall Question of the Week. Fans
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He seems to manage the pocket well, I mean the
line I thought is doing a pretty good job of
creating a pocket and protecting and he climbs the pocket

(17:14):
as they say he does.

Speaker 8 (17:15):
He is a very comfortable, you know, off schedule, and
you know he's he's one of those guys that wants
to you know, evade the pressure and move in the
pocket to throw the ball down the field, which we like,
and he's been very accurate with that. He places the
ball in some really good spots on the move, and
he's really always done that even when you got to

(17:36):
watch him last year like on scout team before he
moved up and you know was in that rotation and
just you know the placement of some of his throw
his throws are impressive.

Speaker 2 (17:47):
Yeah. I think in three of the four games in
which he's had extended action last year this year, he's
averaged in three of those four games over nine yards
per attempt. So he throws a nice steep ball.

Speaker 8 (17:59):
Yes he does. And think you know some of those
are off off schedule as we mentioned.

Speaker 2 (18:03):
Uh, if you have a question for us, send it
in on social media at UK Sports Network or you
can call him the Clark's Pumping Shop phone line eight
hundred and six oh six four two six three or
two eight zero Cats. If you're inside of Lexington, what
did you see out of Seth McGowan that uh, not

(18:24):
just the last game, but just from from day one
that has uh impressed you as a running back?

Speaker 8 (18:30):
Yeah, Seth is is you know a guy that just
brings you know, some juice to our team, you know,
not just you know with his play. I think he's
got a really fun personality. Guys like him, you know,
he's very you know, ultra competitive and you know he

(18:52):
has a skill set, you know, and uh, he's a
guy that can run with some power. He can make
people miss. We haven't got to it enough yet, but
he's dynamic, you know with catching the ball as well.
So he's really a complete back and a guy. Uh
you know that's created some explosive plays for us, and
you know we we need to continue to feed him

(19:12):
and you know, get him involved in in as many
ways as we can.

Speaker 2 (19:17):
We talked a little bit about this with Bush Hampden
last week when he was on the show. But you've
got a little spark in that late in the game
against the Eastern Michigan from Jason Patterson, who's the guy
that I know showed you a lot in camp. It's
just hard to get past those two guys that are
above him.

Speaker 8 (19:32):
Yeah, Dante was a little banged up in that game,
so it was really good, you know to see JP
get some get some touches and get some action. And
he really did well. And you and I have talked
about it that we've been confident in him. It's just
he has two really good players in front of him.
But Jason has really worked hard, He's been reliable a

(19:53):
guy we trust, you know, I've said that, and everybody
got a chance to watch him play this last week.
There's a perfect example of a guy just constantly doing
his work and going about his business, doing things the
right way. And when you get your opportunity, it's not
just about playing, it's about playing well and helping your team.
And he was able to do that.

Speaker 2 (20:13):
I've always seen. I talked to eighty Grant about this
one day of practice, seen some similarities in the makeup
of your team this year. In that twenty sixteen group
that had three really good running backs and Boom and
Benny and Jojo, good offensive line, you had to go
to the backup quarterback, and Steven was a guy that
found a way to make big plays, especially getting the

(20:34):
ball down the field.

Speaker 8 (20:35):
Yeah. Well that's a great comparison because I think I'm
not sure what we ended up that year, but I
know the ball yeah yeah, And but you know, certainly
Stephen was a you know, turned out to be one
heck of a ballplayer. And you know, definitely the traits
of those teams. You know, was always very physical upfront,

(20:56):
being able to run the ball, you know, when playing
good defense. You know this week, you know, we're playing
South Carolina. You know, you know you're going to have
to play good on offense and defense and all that,
but special teams is a huge challenge. They do. They
do an exceptional job on special teams. They have three
punt returns for touchdowns already this year, so they put

(21:17):
a lot of pressure on you in that area. We've
been very good and it'll be a great challenge here
this week.

Speaker 2 (21:23):
Big what a team is really good at an area
like that? Do you have to spend extra time in
your game plane that we you.

Speaker 8 (21:31):
Know, Coach Boulware does a wonderful job. He really does.
He is on it all the time. You know, he
is ultra detailed and you know, really challenges the guys
all the time. You know, with you know, us having
two weeks, we were on that game plan on the
special teams last week, so you know, it's not so
much just good against good. We were working those schemes

(21:53):
and working that all last week. So that's a good thing,
you know, as far as that's concerned. So that gives
you the extra time along with today on a typical Monday,
we have twenty minutes of special teams. But sometimes it's
fundamental work and some other things we were able to
get into the schemes today as well.

Speaker 2 (22:11):
Get to a break and we'll get some of your
questions when we come back. It's the Mark Stoop Show,
presented by UK Healthcare on the UK Sports Network.

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Speaker 18 (23:50):
We've been going to the same Skyline for eleven or
twelve years now. I want to see you that famili
Your face at the drive through makes me feel good,
just making that connection seeing them again, it's like going home.
We always make sure that we eat as a family
and on the busier days, sitting the Skyline drive through
is perfect for that. It's always a good experience and
everybody in the house is happy. We eat Skyline once

(24:12):
a week.

Speaker 8 (24:13):
For lunch or dinner.

Speaker 18 (24:14):
Yeah, sometimes it's two times a week. Skyline is definitely
my family's favorite restaurant.

Speaker 2 (24:32):
Welcome back to the Bark Stoop Show. It's presented by
UK Healthcare. When we're finished on this show, hang around
for BBN Radio on many of these same UK Sports
Network stations. It's presented by Clark's Pumpin' Shop and it's
a one hour insider's look at UK athletics hosted by
Darren Hedrick and tonight Darren's going to visit with Ava

(24:54):
Sarafa from UK Volleyball. They had two wins last week
and now we'll go into conference play on Wednesday night
against South Carolina. Didn't check the poll today, They I'm guessing,
might have gone up a notch, up up to three notches.
They're up to number three, I'm told, all right, thank
you after the big win at Louisville last week, so
number three in the country for coach Skinner squad. And

(25:16):
then Darren, we'll also chat with Jackson Julkin and Ethan
Hurdle or Hindle from UK Baseball and they have some
fall ball coming up that they will talk about on
Clark's Pump and Shop. Bb and Radio. All right here
with the coach Doups. Let me get to a question
from the Converse blog. It's his on social media. Wants

(25:37):
to know if you have a designated hurry up play
when there's a play that's about to go under review.

Speaker 8 (25:43):
Yeah, that's a great question. We actually, yes, we have
that in our system. We always have, you know, this
entire year. But the question is a good question because
in two of the games early in the year, we
had some some plays that were explosive plays that were overturned.

(26:05):
And then I want to say in this last game,
I think it was either in the old MIS game
or this this last game against Eastern, we had a
questionable call and we went to the line quickly and
we're going to that play, and I believe they called
the time out and burn burned a timeout. So in
one of those games, I get them all mixed up.

(26:26):
But yes, it's a good question something we had to
re emphasize. And sometimes, you know, the play caller does
not always can tell whether it was clean or not,
and so he may put in a substitution, and that
kind of irked me. In one of the games, he
was talking about maybe the might have been the Old

(26:48):
Miss game that the question is referring to, but we
had to go back and go through that procedure again
and again. The guys on the field sometimes have to
notify Bush that may be in question and get to
a tempo play.

Speaker 2 (27:04):
So thank you for the question. Appreciate it. From Chris,
he said he went to a South Carolina game in
nineteen eighty six when he was in basic training at
Fort Jackson, and we'll try to make the game Saturday
thirty nine years later. Go big Blue Wow from Chris Awesome.
I don't know who Kentucky. I don't think would have
played them there in eighty six because South Carolina din't
join the league until ninety two. But it is a

(27:26):
fun place to watch a football game. It gets loud
and they have great crowds there. So it'll be a
challenge for the Wildcats on Saturday night. If you have
a questioned about that, the matchup, something else, give us
a call or send us in a question on social media.
It's at UK Sports Network on x or Twitter. If
you prefer. Let's talk a little bit about the offensive

(27:52):
lines play to this point, and you wanted to have
to be more physical this year, that was a statey
goal coming into the season. Have you been pleased with
the level of physicality that you have achieved thus far?

Speaker 8 (28:04):
Yeah, thus far, the guys are really working hard. I've
commented on that, you know, just about every week. But
that unit is a unit with some experience, they have
some size, they care, They've been working very well together
along you know, with the tight ends and of course
the receivers and in our running backs, we are more physical.

(28:28):
We know that that challenge steps up each and every week.
This week, going on the road at South Carolina, a
team that's very disruptive up front, it'll be a greater challenge.
And you know, with the crowd noise as well, that
gets more challenging. With your past protection because they you know,
it's it's much harder for us to change that cadence

(28:49):
and go on too and and have some you know,
deliberate hard counts in there, you know, with with the
crowd noise. So it's something that we have to work,
you know, especially hard on this week.

Speaker 2 (29:00):
What you know, back back in the old days, quarterbacks
you call their own plays audibled at the line of scrimmage.
It's a much different deal now. But what how can
if you recognize you're in a bad play and it's
getting near the end of the play clock, what options
or what availabilities do you have to get out of something? Well?

Speaker 8 (29:19):
One thing, yeah, one thing is that the procedure. You know,
we we we we have to make sure we're clean
in our procedures getting the plays. And you know remember
now that with in today's world, the play caller can
talk to the quarterback up till fifteen seconds and then
once it goes below the fifteen seconds, he could look

(29:39):
over and we can signal to him, you know, in
certain plays whether we want to stick with it or not.
And so we have some signals you don't really want
to give me. You don't you don't want the signals
right now? Okay? Good, all right, Well you've been around,
you want to have been around a long time. Tom.

Speaker 2 (29:56):
I just didn't think you were going to But yeah,
it's a very that would be an interesting thing just
to kind of feature to see how that. I mean,
you see all the people on the sidelines signaling different things,
and some of that's depoys and whatever, but all the
different cards they're flipping at hand signals and what they're

(30:17):
saying it it looks. I'm sure there's a lot more
order to it than it looks.

Speaker 8 (30:23):
Sometimes organized chaos.

Speaker 2 (30:24):
Yeah, we're coming up on the bottom of the hour,
so let's get to our break and we'll come back
continue this discussion with coach Tubes. Send us in your questions.
We'll get to some of those when we return. It's
the Mark Stoop Show, presented by UK Healthcare on the
UK Sports Network BBN game Day.

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Speaker 2 (33:48):
Rolling into the second half of the Mark Stoop Show
presented by UK Healthcare. If you have a question, set
it in via social media as Chris and others have
done at UK Sports Network, and you can also call
us on the Clark's Pumping Shop phone line. It's two
eight to zero cats inside of Lexington Elsewhere one eight
hundred and six oh six four to two sixty three.
Tomorrow night in Louisville, they're going to have the induction

(34:10):
ceremony for the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame and uh
Uh Randall Coop, former Kentucky football player, will be going in.
Very well deserved honor for him. Tayshaun Prince going in
for basketball as well. But I was just looking back
at some of Randall's highlights and you were not fortunate
enough to get to coach him. No, I wish his
time here, wish man. He came up big and so
many big games at the time he was here. It's

(34:33):
a you. That's something you can't really coach, is that
ability for a player to rise to the occasion.

Speaker 8 (34:38):
He was before my time here. I got to know
Randall very well, you know, through him broadcasting and working
some on the SEC network and being around our program
and speaking to our team. He's always willing to help
in any way. Just what a class act and he
just seems like one of the all like all time
favorite players. Oh yeah, because you know what I mean,
just everybody lights up when you here Randall, and you

(35:01):
know what I mean, what a great player, but what
a great person. You know, you could just tell that.
You know, it must have been a great era when
he was here playing, and you know just the impact
that he had on our program.

Speaker 2 (35:13):
And he made his first start at quarterback in his
true freshman year in an SEC road game and they
got a win.

Speaker 8 (35:20):
Yeah. Yeah, I've heard that story many times. And you know,
of course when we had to make that switch with
Lynn at the time, you know, it was a lot
of comparisons between the two.

Speaker 2 (35:31):
Yeah. So tremendous player. Congrats to Randall and the other
individuals going into the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame tomorrow night.
You guys have had a good success on the road.
It was actually when South Carolina was still ranked. I
was looking up this stat It's not pertinct now because
they've fallen out of the polls. But you actually the

(35:51):
time you've been here, have more road wins against ranked
teams than any other category. And I would have to
think it's maybe a little bit to the way you play.
If you're physical, if you take care of the ball,
you don't make a lot of penalties. Those kinds of
things are things that help you travel well.

Speaker 8 (36:09):
Well, that's that's a great point of use that very
term today. You know, physicality travels, you know, and you
know we did talk about that. You know, we know
it's going to be a great challenge, you know, our players.
You know, when I had my meeting today and went
through some points and the coaches introducing all those things,
and you know, I think the mentality has to be there.

(36:29):
I've said it over and over again, and it's true.
I really love this team and they're working really hard,
but you have to have a really strong mentality to
go on the road and win in the SEC. It's
a challenge. It's it's very difficult, and it's even you
know again the percentage wise, it's even more difficult that night,
you know, so it's going to be a rowdy crowd.
But uh, you know. I you know, we embrace that.

(36:52):
You know, we look forward to the challenge. Our players
are going to prepare well and we know it'll be
a great contest.

Speaker 2 (36:58):
From Larry, UK Sports Network sends in a question, did
we clean up the defensive mistakes made against Eastern Michigan
and tackling and eye discipline? Go cats? From Larry down
in Corbon.

Speaker 8 (37:09):
Yeah, we've worked really hard. I think you know, you
could tell right away after that game that coach White,
you know, and uh, you know, he was not very
pleased and none of us were certainly went back to
work last week, and you know, I hope so it
was Larry, right, Yeah, I hope so, Larry. You know,
we take pride and playing great defense and playing extremely
hard and and you know, there were definitely some some

(37:33):
plays that were sloppy last week. But our guys have
a lot, a great deal of pride. They work hard.
We know you know that that you know, going and
playing a team like this, there's some great individual plays
that that South Carolina will make. We just got a
line back up and you know, go get ready and
prepare for the very next snap. You know, if you
have great position on the football, you tend to tackle better,

(37:56):
you know. So it's the plays in space, you know,
the one on ones that sometimes you know by design
are going to put you in space and you have
to be athletic enough to make those tackles. And then
there's other times when you know, it's just you know,
we need to have better team defense.

Speaker 2 (38:11):
Yeah, sometimes you're willing to concede maybe a catch third
log that's as long as you come up and make
the tackle short of the sticks.

Speaker 8 (38:17):
Yeah, it just depends on the situation, you know. And
you know, we just you know, our football IQ you know,
has to always you know, we always are working on
that and trying to improve in that area. But you know,
like I said, over the years, our guys really take
great pride and been in good position and you know,
play extremely hard and that's what we're looking for.

Speaker 2 (38:36):
Let's go to the Clark's Pumping Shop phone line, Dennis,
what do you have for coach oops?

Speaker 21 (38:42):
A coach Dennis, you know, season ticket holder since ninety eight.
And with that being said, something that football has got
to the point where every time there's a catch, may
every time there's a fumble, maybe they want to go
and review it. And when you're sitting in the stands

(39:04):
and they go to review these plays and it takes
some four or five minutes. I think there needs to
be a time They need to be a time clock
on these officials in plays. Yeah, I don't know what
you think, what your opinion is. For me, thirty seconds,
it's plenty enough time or a minute, and if they
ain't got it, if they don't have it figured out
by then, then it goes back to the what the

(39:25):
call was on the field, that's that's what.

Speaker 22 (39:27):
Needs to be done.

Speaker 8 (39:29):
Yeah, Dennis, I think it does aggravate everybody. And I'm
with you. I think, you know, the flow of the
game and all that, but I think, you know, they
really want to get it right, and I think what
slows it down sometimes, Dennis is say, let's let's say
they call it a completion and they you know, they're
ready to go down there and market then they're saying, okay,
it's incomplete, and then the officials have to get it straight. Okay,

(39:49):
let's go back to whatever yard line it was, what hash,
you know, what's it down in distance and they just
have to just make sure they're all on the same page.
But it does, you know, sometimes take you know, some
a long time, and you know it disrupts the flow
of the game. I think everybody's looking for the accurate
calls because we've all seen it, you know, go against
us years before. You know, Tom, I hate to call

(40:11):
you an old old guy there like.

Speaker 2 (40:13):
You, he has no problem.

Speaker 8 (40:15):
You can go back, you can go back to some
rough calls here and there. So I think everybody wants
to get it right, and I know the league and
the officials are you know, very much trying to expediate
that process.

Speaker 2 (40:30):
Okay, you want to go into the wayback machine. You'll
appreciate this guy. Coach Kersey, I'm still guessing lose his
sleep over this. The pass interference is a fifteen yard
penalty or inside of fifteen yards is a spot foul.
I'm pretty sure I'm right on this. The reason that
that's how that rule is written is because in nineteen

(40:52):
eighty one, Kentucky was about to beat Tulane, had him
backed up inside their own ten yard line. They threw
it to midfield, got pass interference. It was a spot foul.
They threw it to the goal line, got pass interference,
kicked the field golden one.

Speaker 8 (41:05):
Yeah, that's that's rough.

Speaker 2 (41:06):
That's that's that's rough.

Speaker 8 (41:08):
That's wrong. Coach Kersey, how do you how do you
think I'd handle that one?

Speaker 2 (41:12):
I don't think you would have forgotten about it like
he had forgotten about it.

Speaker 8 (41:14):
I'm sure you never forget those.

Speaker 2 (41:16):
Now, quick break, we'll come back. Continue with Coachtops just
a moment. Here are the UK Sports Network.

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Speaker 8 (42:51):
You know.

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Speaker 2 (43:34):
Join us outside gate for at Kroger Field for the
Jack Burford treval A countdown to kickoff for Kentucky on
home games. Our coverage will start at five point thirty
this Saturday, and then Jeffilicoe at Gabriel and I will
have the call of the action from inside Williams Brice
Stadium on the UK Sports Network. We're taking your questions

(43:56):
for coach Steus. You can send them in via social
media at UK Sports Network. You can also call, as
Dennis did inside Lexington. It's a direct call at two
eight zero kats. Elsewhere it's one eight hundred and six
oh six four to two six three. We were talking
about the defense earlier for your guys, the defensive line.

(44:18):
I was asking you, is is that group maybe playing
as well as any particular position group on either side.

Speaker 8 (44:23):
Well, I you know, I'm pleased with the way they
are playing, that's for sure. I think it's nice. We
have a decent rotation there, so we're able to keep guys,
you know, relatively healthy and relatively fresh. You know, it's
going to be really important as we go through this
stretch and getting the conference play the meat of this schedule.
So I'm pleased with the way they're playing. I tell

(44:45):
you they're playing very hard. You know, I know that
they played tough.

Speaker 2 (44:49):
Phil sends in a note. It's not a question, just
a reminder. A note. He said he thinks Kentucky played
South Carolina on the road in seventy eight, and they did,
and George Rogers, the Heisman Trophy winner, was on the
South Carolina team that year. He would win the Heisman
a couple of years later. And then in eighty one,
the game Cocks played here in Lexington, UH and they
were an independent. Then talked about the atmosphere there, Williams. Price.

(45:13):
You know, from your playing days at IOWA or coaching
days and at any stop you've ever been at, is
there one place where you just hated to play because
of the atmosphere or something.

Speaker 8 (45:23):
No, nothing, really, I can't really say that on air.
I have to go. I have to go play these teams.
Tom Well, it could have been days, no of course,
the horseshoe was always very difficult, you know that that
you know that was that was tough, tough place to play,
that's for sure.

Speaker 2 (45:42):
One thing that you have talked about coming into the
season used the term playing clean, which is limiting turnovers penalties.
You guys have the third fewest penalties in the SEC
right now and I have only turned it over two times,
lost one tumble, and had one pick.

Speaker 8 (45:55):
Yeah, that's the that's the big key. I mean that
was a uh, you know, one of the statistics for
me going into the year. You know, at the end
of the year, we had to look at that turnover
margin and we have to improve in that area. And
knock on wood, thanks for jinxing and Tom. We don't
need to talk about that, no, but right now we
we only have two turnovers and that's really good. And uh,

(46:17):
I think we have just four takeaways, but they've all
been interceptions. You would think, you know, a lot easier
to get the fumbles and and uh we had strips.
We had the ball bouncing around again, you know, couldn't
get it, but uh, sometimes you know, to bounce your
way and sometimes it won't. But uh, you know, we've
had our opportunities. Hopefully, Uh we could fall on a
few fumbles and continue to get some takeaways with the interceptions,

(46:40):
and we need to continue to protect the ball, you know.
And uh, I don't want to go back on it
and harp onto one fumble that we had, but you
know that those are the ones that really kind of
took you off, you know what I mean. And uh,
you know, stall to drive and those kind of things.
But uh, you know, I think interceptions sometimes those are
gonna happen. You're gonna get tips, you're gonna get you know,
but bumbles, you know, we could we could protect the ball.

Speaker 2 (47:02):
Yeah, interceptions, Yeah, you know you have to live with
because you want your quarterback to.

Speaker 8 (47:06):
That's rights a little bit, that's right. Yeah, And you
play some very talented guys. They're making impressive plays.

Speaker 2 (47:12):
So yeah, in this league, somebody just makes a really
good play. Yeah, and you'll face some of those guys
on on Saturdays. This is a team that is a
big blitz team with a red shirt freshman quarterback starting. Yeah.

Speaker 8 (47:25):
Just it just depends on on the situation for them.
You know. They they like to mix it up. They
do a very good job. This is a team that's uh,
you know played us very well you know the past
four years, and so you know it's something that we
just have to be very dialed in on and and
you know, we we have to play well. At the
bottom line is we we just got to take care

(47:46):
of ourselves. You know, they're gonna you know, get some
some guys that are disruptive up front, they're aggressive in
the back end. So good football team, well coach.

Speaker 2 (47:56):
Tight ends have been very productive as pass catchers so far. Unfortunately,
Boyer lost a touchdown catch on a play that had
that got stopped just as it was unfolding. But I
would think in this game your tight ends, it's going
to be important for their role as blockers too with
the pressure South Carolina and bring off the edge.

Speaker 8 (48:14):
Well, they always have to, you know, block. You know,
that's something that they really don't get a lot of
credit forwards the offensive line in the backs and you know,
but the tight ends are always involved, and you know
it's something that you know that you know, hopefully they'll
continue to play well. But you know, I like their attitude.
You know, those guys are really good. You know, with

(48:35):
Josh and Willie and Boyer, those guys just really play hard.
They're great teammates and very scrappy and they've been playing very,
very good football.

Speaker 2 (48:44):
Josh was named to the Good Works Team the Football
Coaches Association this week. I had a shoe drive here
last week that he talked about on the show and
I heard him say that went well. And he's having
quite a year. I mean us use him sometimes as
a full back and short yardage. He's made some really
tough catches, kind of had a nearly spectacular catch for

(49:04):
a touchdown maybe the hole Miss Eastern Michigan. That looks
like he's been a touchdown. Yeah, but he has showed
an ability we hadn't always seen as much of with
him being able to make contested catches.

Speaker 8 (49:15):
Yes, that's something that has stood out to me this
this year so far as well. We know he's a
very good player. He could do a lot of things,
and he's really good at that HPAC position like you mentioned,
and pulling and block in and you know, but the
competitive catches, you know, he's a guy that you know
has really worked hard and trying to take it up
a notch and he's made really tough catches this year

(49:37):
and he's been really close on a couple others. So
he's been, he's been a weapon and very very pleased
with the way he's playing.

Speaker 2 (49:44):
One last break to get to and they'll come back
for our final segment. It's the Mark Stoop Show, presented
by UK Healthcare, OH the UK Sports Network.

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(51:16):
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Oh right, all right, it's a beautiful day for football
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Speaker 2 (53:01):
We are back on the Mark Stoops Show, presented by
UK Healthcare. If you have a question for Coach Stoops,
send it in on social media at UK Sports Network
on X for Twitter. You can also post them on
the Facebook page for Kentucky Football. You can call us
on the Clark's pumping shop phone line. We've got just
a few minutes left here to talk with coach Stoops
before we send him off to get back to work

(53:23):
for the matchup with South Carolina. We talked about their
return game with the punts three punt return touchdowns. Already,
Aidan's doing an excellent job for you punting the ball,
and you especially need him to get him up nice
and high in this game.

Speaker 8 (53:37):
I would think, Yeah, that's the big thing, you know
with Aiden. You know, he's an excellent punter and you
don't want to slow him down too much. But definitely
you have to watch because he can out kick the
coverage once in a while. But he's been excellent. He
kicks it high and he kicks it long. But we
have to be the bottom line, as you are correct,

(53:57):
We've got to be on our game. You know. We
have to continue to just trust in him and let
him hit good punts. But uh, you know, I don't
want to over coach him on that either, you know
what I mean. Yes, we want height you know on there,
but we also want distance and we have to be
able to cover. So that gets down the execution of
the punt team. And uh, you know, we will will
work hard. We'll continue to work hard to make sure

(54:18):
that we're we're on it this week because we have to.
Because they're also a big pressure team too. You know
they we've already blocked one this year and that was
on one of the touchdowns. They blocked it. It went
across the line of scrimmage and they received the returner.
Swain picked it up and ran it in for a Touchdow.
So you know, uh, you know they pressure you as well.

Speaker 2 (54:38):
It's it's a nice luxury to have a guy like
Ross kicking the ball off. I'm sure it. Uh, you
have to resist the urge to get bored on kickoff coverage.

Speaker 8 (54:47):
Well, they'll bring it out, they'll bring it out, and
so you know that's something that we have to be
on it as well. So our guys, uh, we're really
worked hard and challenged them this week about you know,
making sure we're running off the ball and getting down
there and covering with some speed. Uh.

Speaker 2 (55:03):
If you have a quick question, we've got a couple
of minutes left to uh to get to those. Get
back to the wide receiver group. I haven't talked a
much about that position group. What are you seeing on tape?
And where could those guys get to the improved to
the level.

Speaker 8 (55:19):
That you know, I'm seeing. You know a lot of
the guys working extremely hard. You know, they really are.
They're just guys that you know, the majority of that
group is just uh, you know, just busting their tail
and trying to do the best they can. And they've
been very unselfish and uh, you know, we've got to
just continue to work that well. We need we need

(55:39):
one hundred percent, you know. And that's the thing. And
you know, I challenge those guys uh today as a
matter of fact, that that as a unit, you know
what I mean, just have to continue to push and
continue to improve and continue to be unselfish.

Speaker 2 (55:50):
You've done some different things to get the ball to uh,
to Kendrick Law get the feeling that there's a big
one coming soon for him.

Speaker 8 (55:58):
I hope. So I think he's a guy that's really improving,
you know, and work. He works extremely hard, and you know,
getting the ball down the field to him is something
that we really worked hard at this week. And and
you know, he's a very good player and uh, you know,
and and you know somebody that is capable of making
big plays.

Speaker 2 (56:17):
We talked about Sellers earlier, people will always say, oh,
we always get killed by a running quarterback. The reality
is it's tough for any an. I don't account for
a quarterback, and if you have one, you know we're
going to see one in action tonight with Lamar Jackson
for the Ravens. But a guy who is a big, strong,
good runner, like Sellers, that also is dangerous throwing the ball,

(56:38):
that's quite a challenge.

Speaker 8 (56:39):
No, it's a it's a real challenge, you know it is.
I mean, he's very special and like I said, you know,
if you get too worried about rush lanes, then you
let him sit back there in the pocket and he's
going to pick you apart because he's he's very capable.
So it's a double edged sword. And you know we
you know, have had you know, good success recently, I
would say in that area. But like you said, Tom,

(56:59):
I mean, give me one of the quarterbacks that that's uh,
you know mobile that hasn't hurt somebody.

Speaker 2 (57:05):
You hope your guy can hurt it a little bit.

Speaker 8 (57:06):
Well, our guy has done a good job. Cutter has
really done a very good job of buying some time
and throwing the ball down the field.

Speaker 2 (57:12):
Best of luck getting one on the road.

Speaker 8 (57:13):
All right, thank you very much.

Speaker 2 (57:14):
Cats in the game, Cocks. That'll be at seven forty
five Eastern. It's on the SEC network. On the TV side,
we'll have the call on the UK Radio Network. Coverage
will start at five point thirty from Columbia for Kentucky
at South Carolina. This is the UK Sports Network.

Speaker 1 (57:32):
This Sentsman Now Martin Stoop Show presented by UK Healthcare.

Speaker 2 (57:36):
On the UK Sports.

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Stunts grows over the minim touchdown.

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