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Don’t Count Mark Stoops Out Just Yet

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Mark Stoops accomplished the improbable by turning around the Kentucky football program, can he do it again in 2024?
© Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Editorial

31-6.

If you had just told that score to a Kentucky fan on Saturday morning, most would have believed that Kentucky would have put on an impressive performance in a win against the South Carolina Gamecocks. But that was not how it played out, as Kentucky was on the receiving end of the blowout.

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But like Lee Corso says, “Not so fast my friend.”

The thing I keep coming back to under Coach Stoops is consistency. He brought the Kentucky football program to a level of expectedness that I had never seen nor thought possible in my lifetime. His program in and out can be described with the word “consistent”.

Thinking back to Austin MacGinnis’ game-winning field goal against Mississippi State in 2016. His stepping up to boot that kick through the goalposts was one of the most important moments of the Stoops era in my opinion, and it was done with consistency. Keep looking through his career and that “C” word will keep coming up again and again. Stephen Johnson, Josh Allen, Benny Snell, Lynn Bowden, the list goes on and on about these Stoops players whose drive, and focus have led to consistent results for the Kentucky football program.

Coach Stoops’ Wildcats have been in perilous positions before starting the season. Starting the season 0-2 in 2016, with a home loss to Southern Mississippi on record, everybody thought the year was a wash. However, Coach Stoops rallied the Cats and got big wins against South Carolina, Mississippi State, Missouri, and Louisville to go on to play in the first bowl game of the Stoops era.

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Looking at the 2019 season you see much of the same. A team that got the short end of the stick with injuries. Forced to play Lynn Bowden, the previous wide receiver at quarterback that season could have been looked at as just a bit of bad luck, and let’s try again next year. But in Mark Stoops’ fashion, he rallied the troops and went to work. Lynn Bowden the QB led Kentucky to 8 wins and put himself in the history books.

The list goes on and on about Coach Stoops rallying his team to do the impossible at Kentucky. He has embraced the underdog role with slogans like “Why not us”. Is it hard to be optimistic after last week? Yes. Will this season turn out the way we fans have hoped for? Only time will tell, but let’s not forget the man on the sideline who has been in this situation before and leads his team with a consistency Kentucky football had never seen.

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Louisville Football Player Charged With First-Degree Strangulation, Days After Committing Game Losing Personal Foul

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Louisville Cardinals defensive back Tayon Holloway (20) reacts to his defensive play.
Eric Canha | Imagn

On Monday, Louisville football defensive back Tayon Holloway was detained and charged with first-degree strangulation and fourth-degree assault.

This comes just days after the former four-star prospect committed a costly personal foul to put a 2-7 Stanford team in field goal range and upset Louosillve 38-35 with a walk-off field goal.

As expected, Holloway has been indefinitely suspended from the team.

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“The University of Louisville is aware of the arrest of football student-athlete Tayon Holloway,” the university said in a statement. “As we gather more information, Tayon has been suspended indefinitely from all team activities.”

Things Cardinals seem to be in a downward trend as the Commonwealth Cup nears, November 30th.

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Kentucky snaps four game losing streak defeats Murray State 48-6

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Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops talking to Murray State football coach Jody Wright.
Jordan Prather | Imagn

Kentucky gets a much-needed victory over Murray St 48-6 to snap its four-game losing Streak. Brock Vandagriff led the way for the Cats, going 12-19 for 183 passing yards and two touchdown passes to Hardley Gilmore IV and Ja’Mori Maclin. 48 Points is the most points Kentucky has scored in a game since 2021 when the Cats scored 51 points against Louisville.

The defense held Murray St. without a touchdown. For the second time this season, Kentucky’s defense has held an opponent without a touchdown.

Freshman Standout today:

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For the second time this season, Kentucky breaks the 40-point mark as three freshmen make impacts for Kentucky. Jamarion Wilcox had 13 carries and 124 yards with a touchdown in the 3rd quarter.

Receiver Hardley Gilmore IV had two receptions for 72 yards and caught the 52-yard touchdown pass from Brock Vandagriff on the game-opening drive.

Four-star quarterback Cutter Boley started the second half for the Cats, going 10-14 and passing for 130 yards with two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, both touchdown passes to sophomore receiver Anthony Brown-Stephens.

Defense Bounces Back:

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After giving up over 475 yards of total offense each of the last three games, Kentucky’s defense holds Murray State to 256 total yards of offense while also having three takeaways from the Murray State offense

Defensive Lineman Tre’vonn Rybka led the way for the defense with five tackles and the only sack of the game for Kentucky’s defense. Jordan Lovett had two takeaways in the first half for Kentucky and one in the red zone in the second quarter. Jackson Schultz had the final takeaway, picking off Jim Ogle’s pass late in the fourth quarter.

Box Score

With the win today over Murray St., Kentucky moves to 4-6 (1-6 SEC) with two games remaining. They look to keep their bowl eligibility alive as they travel to Austin, Texas, and face the No. 3 ranked Texas Longhorns at 3:30 pm on ABC. 

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Mark Stoops Responds to Retirement Rumors, “Zero Percent Chance I Do That”

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Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops responds to retirement rumors amidst disappointing season. "Zero percent chance I do that."
Jordan Prather | Imagn

To say there is unrest in the Kentucky Football fanbase would be an understatement. With a 3-6 record overall, and 1-6 in the SEC (15th out of 16) things look bleak, and there is still a quarter of the season to go. Considering the regression from the previous two seasons as well, it’s difficult to be optimistic about the future.

Over the last few weeks, rumors have circled that head coach Mark Stoops has considered retiring at the end of the season. Optics wise it makes sense, his older brother Bob Stoops surprisingly retired from Oklahoma at just 56, and Mark, now 57, has expressed a desire to spend more time with his children.

At his weekly press conference, Stoops was asked directly if there is any chance that he would walk away from Kentucky and retire at the season. To which he responded, bluntly:

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“Zero percent chance I do that. Next question.”

Mark Stoops is still owed more than $44 million on his contract. That’s A LOT of money to leave on the table and is the reason that the decision will be Stoops’ to make, as Kentucky cannot afford the buyout.

If Stoops holds true to his word and returns next season, NIL fundraising efforts may be the most difficult it has been for him. However, he hopes it sparks motivation to donate.

“I’ve seen it at other SEC schools,” Stoops said. “I want to stay away from that. I really get tired of — I don’t want to be like I am whining, I am crying. It is reality. You have to have dollars.”

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