<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2Jdbbh_0w5FjUDF00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2Jdbbh_0w5FjUDF00" width="1200" height="628" ><h2>Opening statement ...</h2><p>You know, another disappointing loss. And when I turn on the film tonight and I'm going to see a lot of the same mistakes that we made in another loss earlier this year. I tried to head it on as best I could. I obviously didn't get it done. About our team and controlling our emotions and executing. You know, you don't win games by being all psyched up or just being irrational. It comes down to disciplined execution. I tried like hell to beat that into our heads and to play winning football in all areas. When you continuously hurt yourself with penalties, turnovers, missed assignments, not making plays, I'm obviously not getting through to them. You know, I understand what winning football looks like and I know what it doesn't look like. We certainly didn't do that today and I'm very disappointed in myself and our staff for not getting this team ready. And I have to do a better job. I can promise you it wasn't for lack of effort. You know, I need to challenge them some more and I need to call upon some leaders on the team and hopefully, you know get some help in some different areas and have some guys step up. Because we can play winning football.</p><p>I've told you many times. You guys have seen it. We have to play very good. We have to play complementary football. We have to do things right to win games no matter who you are playing. I think you've seen that across this league. Very clearly that wasn't winning football. With the penalties and turnovers and missed assignments. Basic stuff that, again, it's going to go back to a loss that we had earlier in the year. It's going to look very similar in a lot of ways. Obviously, that's not very good on my part to let that happen again. Again, I can promise you I tried like heck not to let that happen.</p><h2>On if he saw signs during the bye week ...</h2><p>No. I really didn't. Since week two our guys have gone about it in a businesslike approach. It comes down to doing things right. Nobody is going to be perfect but we are striving to be and we've been playing some good football. And we go back to playing non winning football today. That is very frustrating on all of us. Unbelievably amazing environment. Great support, you know, beautiful night. We go play like that. It's very frustrating and, obviously I've got to do a lot better job.</p><h2>On Kentucky's struggles in the red zone ...</h2><p>Well, penalty really killed us tonight. It's one, you know we should have came up with at least three and drop that one so thats obviously very frustrating. To have the ball at the half yard line and come away with zero points. It comes down to discipline. Getting the penalty and getting backed up. I don't know if I can point it to any one thing. Just lack of execution in the critical moments. I think when you are a play caller and it's probably a fine line when we're getting it down there and hammering it and pounding it and getting some good yards, you know, call the shots, do you run it, you know, if we could have that one back over again, we would get under center and sneak the thing and we've been pretty efficient with that.</p><h2>On not accepting the offsides penalty near the goal line ...</h2><p>The ball was on the 6 inch line. You know, the ball was on the 6 inch line, I guess I don't even – I mean I guess we should have in hindsight give it to the center and sneak the ball into the end zone. We got I want to say 2 to 3 yards on that play. So, it still would have been, instead of being at the 6 inch line or 4 inch line, it would've been at the 1.5 or 2 and I thought we could get 4 inches, 6 inches, whatever that is.</p><h2>On the lack of explosive plays ...</h2><p>I think getting into a rhythm and getting plays. We knew going into this game that possessions were going to be at a premium. I don't have that final stat line. I think it we had six at half and there was not many possessions at this game. With way they possess it. Just looking at the final. I just got a quick copy here of the stats. We have 23 first downs and that's pretty good. They usually have a boatload too because of the way they move it and they had 19 and we had 23 but they obviously made the most and scored some points and we came away with a goose egg in the red zone there and we also fumbled in the high red and didn't help us as well. You know, as bad as we played, we still had opportunities.</p><h2>On the special teams mistakes ...</h2><p>Very uncharacteristic and frustrating. You know, I felt like Barion had the big kickoff return. He's going to be kicking himself because I felt like one cut and he might've had a touchdown there. That is if's and butts and I'm still grateful he got it out to the 50. And then on the punt return he got a great return and a big spark when we needed it and we had a foolish penalty. There is no excuse for it. It's a young man that plays very hard and is a freshman and is away from the ball and it was a foolish penalty. And a very costly one.</p><h2>On not getting off the field on 3rd down ...</h2><p>I think it was, they kept them- I see the final statistics here. 8 of 13. I would imagine if you looked at that a lot of the ones that converted were pretty reasonable. Probably three or less. And they do a nice job with their offense of executing. I bet you our number was pretty high if it was, 5, 6, 7, 8. We had some critical stops in some critical moments. I felt like later in that game again we put ourselves in a bad position.</p><h2>On containing Diego Pavia ...</h2><p>It is one of those games that frustrating and they do a nice job and we knew that going into it and we knew possessions were going to be key. You know, you hold them to 20. I think that part is pretty good but there was clearly some frustrating yards in there. And as you mentioned some critical first downs that were hard and keeps you o1 balance and they do a nice job of converting and – was a playmaker and does some really good things and he's been doing it all year.</p><h2>On Kentucky's struggles at home ...</h2><p>You know, it's just like the whole team. I talked, clearly tried to get our players to control their emotions and be disciplined in what we are doing. On defense, it is the eye discipline and in control of our eyes because of all of the deception and fall back plays and all of the different options and different things they do that we have to be very clued into.</p><p>And then just overall as a team, I knew I think the guys were excited coming off of a big win and coming and playing at home and you asked me that question last week, Mark, about playing at home. It's a fair question and I've looked at it too and thought about it and talked to the guys and talked to them about coming here and having our composure, having our control. I talked to them about it openly. Like what is it man, like no distractions? Do we have a lot of people coming in? Do you have ticket problems? Whatever it is, like – put it away and dial in and commit to doing the things necessary to win in this game and obviously I did not do a good enough job. I tried to addressing it and addressing all of it about really focused and disciplined and like I said emotion doesn't win you games. Execution, discipline execution wins you games.</p><h2>On his long talk with the official ...</h2><p>I was trying to buy time to see if they were going to look at it but they were telling me that they couldn't get a clear view why they didn't buzz it in and my guys upstairs thought that it was a fumble. I was buying time in our discussion. And then ultimately, I got feedback that I should. So, I did. I felt like that was a pretty critical moment. I ended up with 3 there but it was a critical time in the game.</p><h2>On slow starts offensively ...</h2><p>I think if I'm not mistaken that first one we had a pretty good chance to get points and we got a stupid penalty. That didn't help. And you know, I believe, was that the opening drive? We were in the 4 down territory right there and I already told them. Again, we didn't play winning football today. Bottom line. Whether it was the first drive or last drive. We didn't play winning football. We were not very smart in any way. You know, we didn't play well enough period.</p><h2>On why his voice isn't getting through to the players ...</h2><p>I don't know. They hear me talk a lot and I clearly have tried to work extremely hard on messaging and getting through to them. I think they have responded since earlier in the year and I hope they have the same response right now. This league is very difficult right now. If you haven't noticed, I think it's pretty tough on a lot of people. If you don't come and play well you will lose. Everybody, we all know that and feel that as coaches. So, I don't know if it's not being heard. I wouldn't say that. You said that and you are allowed to say whatever you want. I still feel like this team will respond the right way and I will continue to grind over this team to put them in a position to be successful.</p><h2>On the chippiness of the game ...</h2><p>I think it's a fair point. I think our guys were frustrated. Things happen in games in that pile and commotion. I will just leave it at that. That part of it had no bearing on the game. There was some things going on that were really frustrating for our guys.</p><p>I don't think that changed the outcome of the game – it could have, it can, and it could rear its ugly head at any time. If you are undisciplined. There was some frustrating aspects of it. And I think I'm sure I'm going to look at it and I'm sure I will feel like some of the fouls could have been very touchy or 50-50 and I will feel like some of them are clearly warranted.</p></div></body>

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Q&A: Mark Stoops after 20-13 loss to Vanderbilt

You know, another disappointing loss. And when I turn on the film tonight and I'm going to see a lot of the same mistakes that we made in another loss earlier this year. I tried to head it on as best I could. I obviously didn't get it done. About our team and controlling our emotions and executing. You know, you don't win games by being all psyched up or just being irrational. It comes down to disciplined execution. I tried like hell to beat that into our heads and to play winning football in all areas. When you continuously hurt yourself with penalties, turnovers, missed assignments, not making plays, I'm obviously not getting through to them. You know, I understand what winning football looks like and I know what it doesn't look like. We certainly didn't do that today and I'm very disappointed in myself and our staff for not getting this team ready. And I have to do a better job. I can promise you it wasn't for lack of effort. You know, I need to challenge them some more and I need to call upon some leaders on the team and hopefully, you know get some help in some different areas and have some guys step up. Because we can play winning football.

Q&A: Mark Stoops after 20-13 loss to Vanderbilt

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