Mark Stoops: Kentucky still building depth to compete with the SEC
Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops is focused on his long term goals in Lexington. Riding high off of just the second win over Florida in 35 years, the talented head coach knows his coaching staff must continue to build the depth on their roster. Playing at a high level in the SEC requires it.
Earlier in the week he spoke about it with reporters.
“It’s very important. As you know, building depth and quality players at all positions is key,” he said. “We need to continue to recruit players like that. And continue to elevate our game because that’s what we’re playing against–a very talented league.
“You know I’m pleased with certain positions. Those guys really I felt like stepped in and [did a good job]. And then I feel like there’s some other positions with the young guys that we’ve got to continue to bring along.”
Stoops might feel like he still has a ways to go to get the program where it needs to be, but there’s no doubt he deserves a ton of credit for the incredible job he’s done thus far in Lexington.
Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops continues to work magic
Mark Stoops, now in his ninth year at Kentucky, has turned a “basketball school” into a formidable opponent in the SEC.
“I think the Kentucky story continues to be a great one,” Herbstreit said Monday on The ESPN College Football Podcast. “I just don’t think people understand what Mark Stoops has done in Lexington. … What he’s doing, other than maybe Bear Bryant, it’s never been done there. Ever. Ever.”
Stoops has an overall record of 54-50 at Kentucky, but he is 42-27 since 2016. In 2018, Kentucky won 10 games for the first time since 1977, and they finished ranked No. 12 in the final AP Poll. Additionally, Stoops has won three straight bowl games, and the team looks to be headed for a sixth-straight bowl berth yet again this season.
“How his name when these jobs open up, how he’s not looked at as top tier,” Herbstreit added, “If a job opened up tomorrow, right away what’re you going to hear? [Cincinnati’s] Luke Fickell. [Iowa State’s] Matt Campbell. And I get it. But how in the world do people not look at what Mark Stoops has done with where he is. He lives in the SEC East, he’s recruiting against the SEC East, and he’s competing every single year with the SEC East.”
Herbstreit makes some incredibly good points about Stoops. The SEC is the most difficult football conference in America to survive in as a college football head coach. There’s a reason that a lot of coaches don’t last and it’s called America’s biggest coaching graveyard.
The Wildcats are off to a 5-0 start this year. They are now the No. 16 team in the country, and contests against LSU and Georgia in the next two weeks will give them an opportunity to prove they are real contenders.
On3’s Ashton Pollard also contributed to the report.