Mark Stoops on controversial decision to punt vs. Georgia: 'I don't regret punting that ball'

Mark Stoops addressed the controversial decision to punt against Georgia late in the game. Kentucky ended up losing 13-12.

Kentucky had a 4th and 8 at the Georgia 47-yard line and seemingly were going to go for it. However, a false start pushed them back five more yards and there was never really a decision to try and move the sticks.

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Simply put, Stoops didn’t want to risk it in that situation.

“People are gonna question the fourth down,” Stoops said postgame. “I’ve been honest with you for 12 years. If I say I made a mistake, like last week, I’ll tell you. I don’t regret punting that ball. I felt like, if we went for it there and don’t make it, then our offense, if we stop them, has to go the length of the field. And that was going to be tough against that defense in a predictable pass situation.

“You know, it’s not our strength, so it’s a play to our strengths, pin them, plenty of time to pin them and get the ball back.”

However, Stoops would’ve gone for it and kept the offense on the field. Except, the down and distance was too long.

“I was 100 percent going for it until we got to fourth and seven,” Stoops said. “Had it been less, absolutely.”

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Stoops had Kentucky punt it with 2:58 left in the game. Once Georgia got the ball back, the Bulldogs ran eight plays and ran 2:49 off the clock.

The Wildcats had the ball for three plays and nine seconds and would’ve needed a miracle to win at that point.

“We want to play hard, we want to play physical,” Stoops said. “You want to run the ball. I’d like to be more balanced, like a lot of people would. That’s a tough defense. I mean, they’re number one in the country for a reason. 

“At the end, I don’t regret that. I do regret the one play where they hit the sail. We’ve got to play it better. We’ve got to make that. When I punted it and they got a chance to — shoot, you got, what, over three minutes, then three timeouts and the two-minute stoppage? I mean, we had all kind of time, we’ve just gotta play it better.”