Effort is at the Foundation of Kentucky Football Offseason Culture Rebuild

Kentucky did not do the little things the right way and it led to big problems in 2024. The Wildcats got back to the basics this spring.

It’s more fun to play roster games and assess which players made the biggest leap after 15 spring football practices. From a 10,000-foot view, the big-picture takeaway from Kentucky spring ball is clear: These Cats are invested from the top down to make dramatic improvements to shake off that embarrassing 4-8 campaign.

How are they getting back to the basics? Kentucky completed 15 spring practices. They did not do that last year or the year before. Injury concerns are the primary culprit, but we can call that explanation an excuse.

In addition to the quantity of practices, the quality was much better. They competed in situational drills and played physical football in the trenches. If Mark Stoops wants to lead a physical football team, they can’t just do it on Saturdays. It has to happen every day in practice.

Above all else, this Kentucky team is straining and playing football with extra effort. One might even say Mark Stoops is motivated…

Read at KSR+ — Kentucky’s 5 Biggest Winners from Spring Practice

Comparing 2024 to 2025

The most eye-opening experience of Kentucky spring practice wasn’t an impressive throw or a spectacular catch on the sideline. It was a conversation with Ty Bryant. The Kentucky safety was asked about what felt different in this team than the last, and pointed to an annual pre-spring team bonding activity.

“We did the same thing last year, but there was something different this year,” said Bryant. “Everybody wanted to win and there was fight. Last year, it just wasn’t that. People were complaining, ‘When can I go home? When can I leave?’ This year, everybody was cheering each other on. It was a real competition. I feel like things like that will get us over the hump. Things like that create good bonds and good chemistry.”

Bryant doubled down on that sentiment on Saturday shortly after the Spring Showcase. Ahead of the game, former Kentucky safety Yusuf Corker, who will join the staff in a full-time capacity this fall, spoke to the entire team. His message was simple: Either you want it or you don’t. As the wise Yoda once said, “There is no try.”

“This spring, a lot of people just had a lot more effort, running to the ball more, and just wanting to be out there,” Bryant said. “(In the secondary) we’re covering guys a lot better. I just feel like our confidence is up overall. The energy, it’s contagious. And if somebody in the back end has energy, and it leads up to the linebackers and the guys up front.”

Kentucky had a culture problem. You can’t win if players aren’t buying in and giving effort. This team has not been tested, but the new group clearly is receiving the coaches’ message. A lack of effort will not be tolerated.

Kentucky isn’t Stopping with the Spring Showcase

The Wildcats are once again doing things the right way. That does not mean this is a finished product.

Mark Stoops saw the defense playing with the necessary strain and effort to be successful. Now, they gotta know what they’re supposed to be doing on every single play.

“It’s the details that matter. It’s the little things,” said Stoops. “There’s so many moving pieces on offense, we got to be just dialed in with alignments and assignments and basic execution.”

The Kentucky head coach is proud of the progress his team made over 15 practices. He doesn’t want that to go to waste.

“It was overall a very productive spring, glad to put it in the books and put the wraps on it,” the Kentucky head coach said on Saturday.

“As I just told the team, this isn’t the end. We are going right back to work and getting in that weight room Monday morning. We’re with ’em Monday, got meetings on Tuesday. We’re right back at it. We gotta make sure we don’t lose any of the gains we’ve made.”