Mark Stoops assured UK fans in Louisville Monday he will get things "straight" with the football program. (Lacy Robinson Photo)
Kentucky coach Mark Stoops did his best Monday at the Greater Louisville UK Alumni Club Wildcat Kickoff Luncheon to reassure UK fans that off-season problems off the field are not going to derail the team’s progress on the field.
Kentucky has had too many off-field incidents in recent months. Two assistant coaches faced charges and last week six UK players were charged with first-degree burglary after an incident at a fraternity party in March.
The players were suspended in the spring but were back with the team when preseason practice started until charges were filed against them on Thursday.
“I know there’s a few things going on out there right now that we will get straight, I promise you,” Stoops told the large crowd of UK fans at Churchill Downs. “I love this team. I love these players. None of them are perfect. That’s for sure.
“We don’t ever pretend to be, but you’re going to love this team.”
He’s right about not being perfect and without knowing any details of the fraternity party fracas, I am not going to pass judgment other than to say high-profile UK athletes have to understand they just need to avoid certain situations like this one.
Expectations for this team are very high with most UK fans expecting at least eight wins. Several college football analysts have picked UK to finish second in the SEC Eastern Division ahead of Florida. That’s why Stoops doesn’t want fans to think the program is falling apart.
“This is a fantastic group. There are a couple of hiccups that are in the road right now, but I anticipate we’ll get through those just fine and get everybody back on the football field playing,” Stoops said.
Hiccups? I would call two coaches being arrested — even if charges were dropped — and six players now charged more than a hiccup no matter the outcome.
Stoops might be optimistic about getting them all back on the field — at least any time soon. Then again UK did investigate the incident in March and cleared the players while putting the fraternity on probation. Maybe Stoops knows a lot more than me about this and why they will be back.
Stoops didn’t dodge the situation after his team’s final scrimmage Saturday.
“We take it very serious and we address it and we look at it. We did. Is there new information that we don’t know about? I’m not sure,” Stoops said. “That’s what we have to look at, but they deserve an opportunity to defend themselves. We’ll let that process play out.”
3 Responses
My question is though is there an ulterior motive for when the charges were filed? It seems that an incident of this type could be adequately investigated in less than 4 months. It they were not high profile athletes would anything have happened at all? With the timing 2 weeks before the season starts seems like someone has an axe to grind with UK Football.
I thought the same thing Keith.
I think so too, but just my opinion. There are, no doubt, still people in places of authority around Lexington that want to keep UK football second fiddle. Been that way for years. Stoops is putting this football program on the map now.The timing of all this is strange to me. Five months and counting, with one student review board clearing these guys, and still the authorities have not figured this mess out as to what actually happened, and who did what, and what charges to apply, etc and. right before 2021 season. Seems pretty unusual to me. As for these players, pretty stupid conduct for sure, and it sure didn’t help their teammates or this program. I hope it all works out for them, and facts prove them innocent of any serious wrong doing, but this is troubling and so unfortunate right now at the start of what could be a historic season. If they are guilty, it must be dealt with by Coach, and he will.