Mark Stoops talks Chris Rodriguez, Ole Miss offense on SEC Teleconference

Ahead of a top-15 matchup at Ole Miss, Mark Stoops had plenty of questions awaiting him on today’s SEC Coaches Teleconference. Predictably, Stoops was asked about Chris Rodriguez’s return and how Kentucky is preparing for Ole Miss’ unique offense. He also shared his thoughts on injury reports in the time of sports gambling and the fact that it’s been 12 years since Kentucky’s played at Ole Miss.

Listen to the call below, or keep scrolling for a complete transcript.

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Opening Statement

Looking forward to the challenge of getting on the road and going into a tough environment, playing Ole Miss. I really think Lane [Kiffin] has done a terrific job with that program. They’re very difficult. They put a lot of stress on you in a lot of areas, and they’ve done a very good job this year and playing with a quarterback that’s getting better with every rep and their running backs are a handful, as talented arguably as anybody in the country at that position. They put a lot of stress on you offensively with their tempo, the run game, and then of course the play action off of it.

Defensively, again, equally as challenging. A little different in their approach with some of the shell that they play within their secondary and the multiple DBs and putting stress on the way they could rotate, pressure, and mix up coverages. So we’ll have to be well prepared. Really looking for us to be a little bit more precise. That’s the word we’re looking for. We’ve been a little bit inconsistent. Showed flashes of doing some very good things, just need to put it all together to win a game like this.

On getting Chris Rodriguez back…

We’re excited to get Chris back. Obviously, he’s a very good football player that has a lot of experience and we’ve been inconsistent in the run game. That’s not all in the running backs, it’s everybody around them needing to play more consistent. And hopefully he’ll provide that spark we’re looking for in the run game. And Chris just needs to be him. He’s been practicing with us so he shouldn’t be too rusty. And some of that time, he spent over on the scout team, so he’s been hit and thudded. We all know games are different, but he has a lot of experience. So you know, hopefully, he’ll hit the ground running here this week.

On Kentucky and Ole Miss facing off as ranked opponents for the first time since 1958…

I didn’t really know that so you just brought it up. But for us it’s a matter, and I’m sure Lane feels the same way, which is, let’s try to stay there. Stay where we’re at or improve. So obviously a big game for both of us. He’s done a fantastic job. They’re a very good, well-coached talented football team and so I imagine both of us are trying to like heck to stay there or improve and that comes with winning.

On if he was nervous or worried after his third losing season at Kentucky…

Not a bit as far as my future. How did I feel? You obviously always feel a little pressure because you want to deliver for the people that have invested in you, that believed in you, your fanbase, your players. That puts the stress on. I was never — I think, no disrespect to you because you probably didn’t follow us that closely that long ago, but that narrative gets a little old because anybody that had any idea what was going on around here could clearly see that we were always making progress. Now that never comes as fast as everybody wants. We all want it to happen faster. And in today’s world, it is easier to turn it around because of the transfer portal. But back then with the limitation on signing classes and the transfer situation not being as open as it is, I mean, it just was going to take time. So fortunately for me, I worked with an administration and a president that understand. And that very clearly everybody knew around here we were making improvement no matter what the record showed.

On how Kentucky will keep Ole Miss’ No. 4-ranked rushing offense in check…

Well, that’s difficult. I mean, they’re committed to it. They’re powerful runners with an offensive line that’s doing a very good job of working together. And then you add in the tempo and you add in the deception. It puts a lot of stress on you. So, there’s no way around that when you play an offense like this. You’ve got to be clean, you have to execute and then you have to win some one-on-ones. And the way they put you in space, with the run game and with the pass game, you have to be able to make plays. And so, you know, it’s definitely a very big challenge. And I think if you asked Ole Miss and by looking at film, the only people that stopped them this year were themselves, so we have to really step up and be very disciplined and very precise.

On quarterback Jaxson Dart, wide receiver Jonathan Mingo, and Ole Miss’ pass rush…

Yeah. I’d say, with Dart and Mingo, two very good football players. They’re very talented and playmakers. Dart can run and throw and with the pressure they’re putting on you in the run game, it opens up for a guy like Mingo to make very big plays. So, you’ve gotta compete. You’ve gotta win some one-on-ones. And then with their defense in general, they’re putting pressure on other fronts, doing a very good job. They play very hard and, you know, it’s a good football team.

On the importance of injury reports as sports gambling becomes more prevalent…

Sure. I think the hurdles may be just the players’ rights. I think it’s a little different in college than it is in the NFL, and with the injury report and things of that nature, may be some of the hang-up…But for myself, I’m usually pretty open. That’s just my take. I just feel like the relationship with the media, you all have a job to do. I feel like there’s enough information out there, whether you dive back to gambling or not, but if you’ve got somebody hurt, there’s gonna be people around campus watching them, noticing them, whether they’re in a boot, whether they’re on crutches, whether they’re out, so my take is just been, if I know a player’s definitely out, if he’s out, then I say it as early as I know. That’s just my take.

So I’m not sure where we’re at as a league or what the NCAA with that issue. I just try to be as transparent as I can be. There’s times when you just flat out don’t know whether a guy’s gonna be ready to go or not. And some of that you have to play close to the vest. You don’t want to give your competitors an advantage. But again, I just feel like when a player is out, I basically report it because I feel like it’s gonna get out anyway.

On this being Kentucky’s first trip to Ole Miss in more than a decade and what that says about SEC scheduling…

I don’t think there’s any doubt that we’re gonna bridge that gap, we’re gonna fix that issue as far as playing opponents more often. There is no model we’ve been presented with that doesn’t fix that issue. So, yes, I think, to your point, I think this is good. I’ve never personally played there, which is rare being this is my 10th season in this league and I’ve never been there. So, you know, that’s different.

I don’t know how, I think somehow, someway, the schedule with the East and the West got a little screwy. I think I’ve played Bama like four times and Ole Miss, we’ve played them twice but never there. So, looking forward to the trip. I’ve heard nothing but great things. I know it’ll be a great challenge but yeah, I think it’s good that we’re going there. I know our fanbase is excited. I know we’ll have quite a few fans make the trip. And we’re looking forward to this challenge.

On how Ole Miss’ success in the running game sets them up for success in the passing game…

It sets up quite a bit and they’ve been committed to it this year, I think. But Lane’s very bright. Lane is gonna play to his strengths. And I know that they have plenty in their passing attack and they can unleash that at any time they want. And so I think with the run game and being committed to it, much like we are, opens up some things and so I think Ole Miss, they did what they had to do to take care of business in these first four games, but I know there’s still quite a bit left in their playbook and off their play actions and set up off their run game that they can let go of it at any time so you still have to play both. The bottom line is they put stress on you. You’ve got to play both the run and the pass.