Mark Stoops reveals the biggest key to Kentucky recovering from 2024 hiccup in 2025

Kentucky posted a 4-8 record in the 2024 campaign, its worst record since Mark Stoops‘ debut campaign at the helm of the program in 2013. During an interview with ESPN’s Matt Barrie on Tuesday, Stoops discussed what went wrong last year and how the program can avoid repeating its mistakes next season.

“The big thing is stick to who you are and that, for us, is always having an attitude of toughness and discipline,” Stoops said. “I wasn’t always proud of that last year. So, those are things we gotta get back to the foundation, the roots of who we are. Be tough, be physical, be accountable to each other. And I think it starts there.”

Kentucky has been busy revamping its roster this offseason. The Wildcats have added 19 players via the NCAA Transfer Portal thus far, filling in the holes left by the 23 players who left the program by entering the portal.

Kentucky’s incoming transfer class is headlined by standouts such as wide receiver Kendrick Law (Alabama) and interior offensive lineman Josh Braun (Arkansas). The Wildcats will welcome all the help on offense they can find.

This past season, Kentucky only averaged 330.4 total yards of offense per game, the second-least in the SEC. In comparison, its defense was stellar, ranking in the top 50 in the country.

Kentucky certainly won’t receive any mercy from its opponents next season despite its woes. The Wildcats’ 2025 schedule is shaping up to be one of the most difficult in the nation and Stoops knows it.

“When you look at it big picture, it can be overwhelming,” Stoop said. “We play six of the top 13 teams in the country. I’m not sure anybody else in college football will have that type of a schedule, but you can’t look at it that way. It has to be day to day.”

While it’d be easy for Mark Stoops to become paralyzed by the challenge of what’s ahead, he has a game plan to prepare his team for the gauntlet they will face in the 2025 campaign.

“Going into my 13th year, what you do realize is the urgency that you know what needs to be done today,” Stoops said. “There is so much to do. We’re attacking it with our players. There’s weight lifting, there’s the mental toughness, there’s the fourth quarter drills coming up.

“But also with our coaches, like, what are we doing, right? How can we continue to build on that? Where do we fall short? How do we get that corrected? There’s just a lot to do.”