'We've improved': Mark Stoops likes where this Kentucky team is during first bye week

The first bye week of the 2024 college football season has arrived for the Kentucky football program. Mark Stoops and his team are fresh off a historic win where they stunned No. 6 ranked Ole Miss in front of a sold-out crowd at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. I’m not sure anyone saw that coming after the tough Week 2 home loss to South Carolina.

Kentucky got off the mat and that happened due to improved practices habits.

“We’ve improved,” Stoops told reporters on Tuesday. “And that’s week-to-week.”

“It’s a fundamental game. And you have to play and you have to prepare the game the right way — with respect and doing the right thing.”

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Kentucky is starting to embrace the process of getting better and that is now beginning to show up consistently on game day. Once the light comes on, teams need scratch and claw to do what it takes to win. Mark Stoops as like what he’s seen from his group both in practice and during game settings.

“It was just the way we competed,” Stoops explained. “The way we bounced back. JQ (Hardaway), he gets beat on a play, two or three plays later he causes a fumble. Just constantly grinding, constantly fighting.”

Kentucky is using the bye week to heal up but a physical practice occurred on Wednesday and another will occur on Thursday. Prep for Vanderbilt is beginning at the Joe Craft Football Training Facility as the Cats are itching to continue their strong play after seeing improved practices.

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