Kentucky Wildcats Football Coach Mark Stoops Previews 2024 Season Opener vs So. Miss

stting and welcome to first gameweek news conference of the Year be here at at on every Monday on game weeks the two Open dates will not have news conferences on those Mondays uh but we'll have them on all Mondays game weeks and this point we'll turn turn over to coach du being his 12 season wild thank you Tony uh it's good to see everybody it's great to be back in this room I think it's been a while since we we've had a uh press conference here in this room usually I'm standing in the hallway there after practice dealing with a lot of noise so um so it's good to see everybody and um you I think it's fair to say that it's nice walking into the office on Monday morning and it officially being uh game week you know I get asked 2,000 times in the offseason if I'm ready for the season and uh and I'm absolutely not ready until till we get to this point and now it feels really good we know there's still a lot of work to do um yes we got a head on Southern Miss and we're able to work on them a bit last week but uh it's also uh the beginning of a week to officially get ready so um we have quite a few newcomers uh in our program that that that need to to find that routine and that Rhythm um that I have and try to have throughout the year and so the players can anticipate and and they know what to expect uh on Monday through Friday through through game week so you know offensively probably you know for the most part that that's where there's a lot of change you know if you look at you know maybe five six guys that are you know very important roles that that hadn't gone through this routine uh defensively not as many uh maybe pop and uh uh maybe DJ you know depending on whether you know how much how many reps he gets or what goes on but uh but anyway so uh offensively we got to make sure everybody's comfortable including our offensive coordinator of again just going through our process and what we do throughout the week and and really the routine and the Rhythm uh that I try to have uh throughout the week with them and so uh you know it's a first for some new guys and uh we'll get through it and we're looking forward to to playing our first game here at home uh obviously a night game uh welcoming Southern misss and uh you know that's a team that uh you saw very many signs and flashes uh beating some good teams last year and then uh you know they have a lot of newcomers you know like most teams and when you look at the transfer portal you know look at the change that they have with their OC and DC and uh and I want to say you know probably as many as 10 impact offensive transfers uh you don't know exactly what you're going to get so we have to be prepared for quite a few things heading into the opener um we've done that we've worked on things throughout the you know throughout Camp so you know we just got to handle things in stride uh you you know nothing ever goes as smooth as you want it to we have to be able to adapt make adjustments um and and nobody panic here in game one and and make the adjustments throughout the game and and go execute and and play good football I'll open it up for questions questions one one Tuesday night C you got the guys in the stadium the lights and all that what that Sy EnV well the I don't think all the lights and the banners were were completely done at that point but um we will we shall see um you know how that affects recruiting and the environment and everything um I think it was very hard to replicate it exactly on that Tuesday we did put them on at time so they wouldn't see him for the first time um in a game game night but uh the lights are are new as well and that was one of the reasons why I wanted to get over there we have some players that that are that are new I think just playing in the Stadium's different that the wind blows differently as far as our punt return kick returns you know just playing in the open field in the stadium it's important to do that and um you know playing at night you know practicing at night I mean also just getting their body acclimated you know to coming in having meetings having a long break very similar to what we do in gameweek right now that you know because school started just today that that we've been on one routine and so I think just that you know coming in having meetings like we do on a on a game night there's always a long break I've talked to other coaches I've talked to other people to see if there's things that they do differently that uh you know with with the breaks that you have in the afternoon you know and uh looked at you know anything we could do I mean as you know we played some very good games at night and uh I I don't remember any but I'm sure we probably played some bad games so you know I'm sure goes both ways so we'll see is Avail he is not he that group of extended absences yes yes Mark we've talked so much obviously about the forth o in as many years and obviously that's a talk during camp but now week one you're For Better or Worse you're used to you know dealing with a new guy in that first game you never know how it's going to go out there on the field till it go have you gotten good with figuring out okay okay here are the hiccups week one what are some things to improve on you know learning a new guy once you actually get into the game yeah I think we've we've really tried to head off all those issues um you know if we you know run into problems we do have timeouts for a reason obviously we want to save them for two-minute situations at the end of half and the games if should you need them but uh also we want to make sure we don't waste plays um we have worked uh the communication the new communication you know over and over again all the way from Spring all the way through Camp um we've practiced it we practiced it live in the stadium you know we we try to anticipate those things and head them off before they happen you know nothing you know is ever perfect we're going to strive to be but uh you know we we we will see you know we're going to go we're going to go out there with a confidence that uh we are going to be able to operate smoothly um I love the way he operates I like the way he thinks I like the way he anticip Ates his calls uh he is in the box so he could write down his notes and have his thoughts and his ideas handy and at his fingertips I think it also helps with the communication to be able to see the defense see the big pitcher and possibly adjust at times as well having a new quarterback you know especially in the night game his first game here at Kroger field Under The Lights could cause a lot of first game early Jitters what do you hope to see from Brock and how he adapts throughout the first game I think just you know a big thing that that we talk a lot about is make the routine routine you know when with him just continue to operate smoothly continue to make good decisions and continue to make the simple look simple and the and the routine look routine if a guy's open hit them and catch and run and protect the football and do the basics you know if we continue to do a lot of little things big things will happen and uh you know I think that's a important message with our entire team early because I've mentioned it before you guys have listened to me for 12 years and for 12 years I've probably talked about it leading into it guys want to do too much too early you know that they they immediately you know you know want the score to be whatever they immediately want to have their production they they immediately want it all to happen right now why because they've worked very hard they've lifted wits they've ran all summer they've done these things they've had all these practices so they all want you know they want it all right now and and that's not going to happen unless they you know fall back on the things that they were taught and do the little things if you continue to pile on and and do the little things right and make routine look routine big things will eventually happen that's hard it's hard to preach and because guys want it all very quickly you talk about this whole offseason the running back group being a whole committee this year um Jason Patterson at two and Dei at one what kind of went into that decision uh production just the the the way that they played and uh jion will be very close second you know with Jason so he'll play quite a bit as you know as well admittedly forgot about the two-minute timeout until watching the games this weekend I don't know if you were able to watch was there anything about all the changes that the game FL that you maybe picked up one seeing him yeah I think you know that's something that Tony and I were just talking about I was was informed I anticipated being that way but it's a full timeout you know so again it's a long stoppage at the end of a game um you know that could benefit you or it could be something that you you want the clock to go so um again you know it's it's part of the new you know environment and uh we'll adapt to it and make sure we try to make the correct decisions what the tablets actually how much have you guys work with those and kind ofit yeah AB absolutely have I mean John you been you've been paying attent in my press conferences you've been falling asleep on me or what come on I mean I've talked about that you know so uh no I've mentioned it because it is it very much is new you know like some of our coaches used it in the bowl game and but it's a different system so it did take some getting used to honestly and uh we have practiced it we've actually because if you you look at it like this like in scrimmages you know one offense is up against you know against one defense and then it's usually twos versus two so those coaches are up coaching immediately so we have actually taken the breaks sit down sit where they're for the new people sit where they're going to sit during games and actually go through the the device to make sure they knew how to operate the device knew how you know how it function what it looks like and you know we liked it during the bowl game you know and the defensive coaches used it again different system um similar and some ways different on the uh input side it's from for from our tech people it's different but uh using it operationally uh very similar you know so we have practiced that and um you know I think it's really important with certain positions you look at offensive line you know I mean and Coach wolf time to just sit and see what that looks like and and make those adjustments with the players and you know for the you know um you know coach Hamond hamon uh sitting up in the in the in the booth he's able to just you know watch every series you know it's kind of Handy for him uh if you're sitting at a table you know and and up in the Press Box I think can be very useful um so we practiced you know it'll be the same Advantage for everybody and so uh you know we'll try to make the most of it you guys have talked about the offensive line taking steps forward this year compared to kind of a couple years ago you guys struggle starting off bringing in coach Warford again where is that group at going into week one and how they progressed through Camp yeah I I like that group grp um I feel like we're improving um I don't think you know everybody always you know wants to continue to build the depth uh that we're looking for we have to continue to bring some young guys along uh that we feel like can help and that will be needed to help at some point this season um I think the additions uh with meny and farmer uh have really helped us and um you know so uh I feel that presence I feel the physicality out there um not perfect and uh still a work in progress but I think we're getting better Mark in addition to Jason p c true freshman on the dep chart what have you SE from those to be yeah was one of the guys I was just talking about with offensive line that we're going to need to help um you know you look at Malachi as a red shirt freshman and getting better and really working hard and you know we're going to need him um but uh ABBA is a guy that that you know is is one of those freshman that that that takes things very seriously works very hard very conscientious trying to get better each day you know when you get close to the ball like that it guard things happen very fast it's it's very difficult to play at a young age but but he's he's got an opportunity hopefully you know we can continue to get him reps as the year goes on and get his feet wet uh cutter has been very consistent you know we've been very pleased with Gavin and cutter um both of them bring you know some some very good attributes you know to to to the game to the field and can do some special things um you know so we'll see where where it goes Mark we talked with uh Barry on the other day and he was talking about just you know they've had three different quarterbacks and three different OC's and it's just a lot of change how how are they connecting with that wide how's that wide receiver connecting with Brock you I mean now that you've seen that transition a couple times for guys like bar on and yeah I think you know very good um you know Brock is certainly a guy that that's in there all the time I'm always working at it you know if you look at you know the way we do things now and and and you know the the turnover of roster you know I don't think maybe it's as big of a situation as it was maybe five five years ago you know if you will you know because they're you're you're teaching a lot of new guys anyway and uh and so and I also think what helps is able to spend more time I hope that pays dividends I said that before and I hope it's true you know I think we've spent a lot of time our coaches have worked uh with our players a lot they've had a lot of meetings they've had a lot of time they sacrificed a lot of their time in the summer uh to spend you know spend with our players preparing them and uh hopefully that'll uh correlate to a smoother transition um I like the way Bush teaches I feel like the players can pick that up very well and you know not only with uh uh barion and Daye but you add jamori and you add Fred I think two guys that are very important and you know very good players that constantly show up in practice you know when it's it's pretty good stable and then you you you mix in ab and uh you know Brandon white has had a a minor injury for a week or so hopefully we'll get him back to Full Tilt as well because he he brings another Dynamic that that's pretty good so um you know we got to get them all on the same page Mark how do you feel about the overall K yeah I I feel I feel good um you know obviously you know with Alex uh you know he's a guy that's been very consistent um you know has a very strong leg um but you look at um uh cway beh behind him and uh man he has an extremely uh strong leg so Jacob you know you know we have a lot of confidence in Alex I mean I don't know what the number will be I mean but if I know um you know Jacob Jacob has hit we've tried to 60 three times and he hit them all three times yeah in in full you know with full units offense against defense so um you know so we have that that that as well and um you know we we you know I've constantly talked about it just to be more consistent you know with the punting game I think Wilson and and Aiden you know bringing in Aiden you know he has an opportunity as well um you know so you know we'll see and then Aiden is also very strong with kickoffs along with Jacob you know between uh um you know Aiden and Jacob our kickoff should be pretty deep and we should have high kicks and be able to cover and not run into some of the problems that we did late last year years ago but is there do you use the the Lost of other Miss back in 2014 you said hey you try to use this for people in h i mean you know we always use anything and and you know just to bring to their attention I think you know I would constantly talk about one year to the next whether it's you know bad streaks or good streaks you know it really goes out the window you know year to year you have to go play well in this game um but you know I mean I I think uh you know it's important for us to do the things we're talking about and constantly do the little things and just not try to get ahead of ourselves is the is the big thing that I'll try to preach but yeah I mean it it'll be brought up I mean certainly uh they'll have you know the players know I mean you know they're non oblivious to all that they understand that we have to go play well there's a lot of teams that could beat us and you know we could beat a lot of teams question there the long move often listed us did you see from H it it's been very close um you know with with uh Alex and Walker Walker snapped force all last year as a freshman did a heck of a job but uh both of them have been been good obvious you want to see a win what are some other things you want to see from the team in week one as you try to maybe work out some Kinks I think just the things that that you know I mentioned um you know number one control what we can control do the little things you know uh take care of our primary responsibility um you know guys want to have big Vision all the time you know and and sometimes you know you got zero in on your key your job to you know to execute and and take care of your primary responsibility and then then go play play ball um you know so I think those are the things I'm looking for obviously the operation you know how smooth we are we want to play clean you got to protect the football we want to win the turnover battle battle but uh but also I think just uh you know doing the little things you had a lot of ORS on the secondary both safety and quarterback you just out of confidence in either or that's what I was going to ask for see that that being play a lot of guys yeah just those guys can play you know the safeties those three guys are starters you know and and so uh you know we feel like you know very good there and then you know in the backup roll at at corner and and uh you know even even even opposite Maxwell you know we got to continue to to evaluate that position DJ's not quite been 100% this week as well this past week so that you you refer there the transfers of they have coming in you know sou Miss has put a lot of good players in the league Through The Years SCC teams can't get all of them so how would you assess their talent level going into this one because they're kind of fly below the radar a little bit well you know again very very good team very well coached will Hall I don't I don't know him very well but uh you know we competed against each other you like you know his background you know he's got a good solid background um you know with some some years with Bobby patrino you know and so um you know I think he was at Louisville maybe one year we crossed over maybe in 17 16 17 maybe but um but they have 10 10 new guys new quarterback you know so we'll see it's hard to assess that until you put it all together and get out there and play you know I think most teams will tell you them and us and everybody you're worried about yourself how you execute how you play you know how how how clean you operate and all that so um you know very good I mean I know a year ago you know great running back in Frank Gore Jr I happened to be at Miami when when his father played at the U so uh Frank Gore Jr was one heck of a player in his own right having all those analysts able to on the field does that change the game day operation this point not not too much I think eyes and vision and you know not having um yeah you know Ian we want to make sure the coordinators still have a have uh the opportunity to to do what they need to do and uh in between series there'll be a lot more communication there'll be a lot of you know iPads a lot of eyes you know to kind of see what's going on and try to educate our players I think it's a big thing Mark the fan base this year seems really excited probably the most excited it's been in in recent memory what if anything you know do you guys feel within the building and how does that help kind of the team going in knowing that the fan base is really excited and behind them going into the yeah I think it helps immensely you know uh just we feel that passion and energy and we certainly feel it in the stadium we have eight home games we want to go deliver you know you know you've heard me say it many times I feel you know a deep obligation to put a team out there that they're proud of you know and if they're excited about it and uh want to come watch us that's a that's a good first step now we got to go play well and uh you know we we want to do that it's important to us um you know to go out there and and you know coaches coach and players play and do the very best we can but we're excited about it you know can't get too far ahead of oursel you know that's the big thing everybody always wants to talk about the schedule and it's like hey let's go worry about Southern Miss to to your point you know few years back you know they they took care of us you know and uh there were some lessons in that game that that that I carry with me you know you've heard me talk about scars and you know calls and plays and things that happen I mean I I I I remember very exactly what happened at the end of that half I remember exactly the call we made they remember exactly the mistakes I made you know what I mean and and you know you're thinking they're running out the clock I let a call go I should have called timeout and regrouped you know that that's that's on me and uh but that was a long time ago but I don't forget Mark you had a few guys injured on that defensive line and Brad said that early in this preseason he said you never want that to happen but if it could happen to a group that's where the de that it could happen how are those guys doing of course but outside of Dion and Kean those kind of guys are the guys behind them doing as you need that there yeah I mean if that's a deep group um you know with trayon and ox and and uh Dion and you know all of them uh have played very well khil is a guy we have a ton of uh confidence in kean's played very well and um you know we got to get a guy like Kendrick Gilbert we got to get him you know to continue to grow continue to get better bigger stronger be able to handle the SEC reps that are coming down the stretch so um you know I think it's it's always a work in progress developing guys and you've heard us talk about it before we have a a unit on defense where there's a ton of experience and then we have some youngsters that we have to bring along Mar this portal area where you can't necessar count on guys being here for 5 years anym does that affect your red shirt all guys go special team you just thr out there absolutely yeah it does it just if they could help us they're going to help us if they could play some special teams you know there's some you know there's a lot more accountability there than than than even they understand you know the way we practice talk about it the way we go in meetings the intensity of coach bware and what you know how he goes about special teams I mean that's some serious business and we we we let nothing slide and so those players understand it but I think you know media cover it fans I mean if they can help us they're going to help us and uh there's a lot of uh young athletes that can run and we need them to continue to grow up and and uh play and and then there're they know that's the first step you know with them is is being accountable and helping us on special teams you know if they can't do little things they can't do big things and you know and we talk about that all the time and a little thing might be the backside of kickoff return or finishing a block or doing some things that nobody sees but if you execute it you do your job then big things may have happened you know so uh you know we we we'll harp on that and we'll continue to bring those guys along what is your assessment of the tight end it it's it's a good group you know there's some experience in there um you know so um you know ctis is a guy where you know again Josh you just want him healthy you know and I think uh that's something that we have to protect him a little bit and and you know just make sure that that he's ready to go Jordan is a guy that you know we have a lot of confidence in Kamari um you know you want to see growth out of him and um you know the other one that that showed up in Camp that that we think can contribute is Willie as as well Willie Rodriguez he's a guy that uh has has shown us you know done some good things okay folks thank you very much uh just a reminder of normal game week schedule the players