Kentucky Football has One Goal: Return to Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game

Mark Stoops will enter the 2022 season as the longest-tenured head coach in school history. The Kentucky football program has climbed the SEC ladder under his watch, exceeding everyone’s expectations. The next step is clear: play in the SEC Championship Game.

Three players were in Atlanta for SEC Media Days to kickoff the 2022 season. All of them plan on finishing the season back in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

“That weighs on our mind everyday. That’s what we break down our huddle on every workout, every meeting,” said Kenneth Horsey. “We break down A-T-L because we know what our goals are and our goal is to get right back here in Atlanta in December.”

Will Levis added, “We know what our goals are, which is to be back here in December in Atlanta.”

Typically, Mark Stoops likes to refrain from being too over the top with his public comments. However, it’s clear the bar has been raised. Even though Georgia looms large in the SEC East as the defending National Champs, he is not shying away from the challenge ahead. The bar has been raised in Lexington.

“If you continue to put in the work, the results will be there. You can’t worry about the end product. There’s so much work to be done between now and then. That’s where the focus needs to be,” Stoops said.

“We’re not afraid to talk about it either. Yeah, we have aspirations to do that (play in Atlanta). I’ve said that since my very first press conference when people laughed at me. But we want to continue to grow, but we’re worried about right now. What do we need to do to put ourselves in a position to be successful?”

Stoops is a process-oriented coach. To keep long-term goals in sight, Kentucky’s players have integrated A-T-L into every part of the process. If a player isn’t willing to sacrifice to make that goal a reality, DeAndre Square doesn’t want to see them at the Joe Craft Football Training Facility.

“I came back to win. I really want this SEC Championship and a lot of the guys do too. That’s the focus,” said Square. “We have player-led meetings all the time. I always say that if you’re mind’s not on the SEC Championship, then don’t even come, don’t even practice. That’s the standard. We’re trying to create a standard here and I feel like we can do it. We really just want to get to the SEC Championship.”