The Tennessee Volunteers during the game between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Tennessee Volunteers at Sanford Stadium in Athens, GA. Photo By Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics
Annually the Southeastern Conference prepares a lot of players for future careers in the NFL as the talent level seems to just keep increasing every year. This season, though, Kentucky coach Mark Stoops thinks the SEC is becoming similar to the NFL for a different reason.
“I said it a week ago, it is going to be a grind. You just hit the reset button each week,” Stoops said Monday. “You look at it and feel disappointed letting a game slip away here or there, but it is going to be a tough grind.
“There are only six teams in our league that have a better record than us and eight teams that have the same or worse. So it is NFL parity this year in the SEC and it is going to be a challenge each and every week and looking forward to this opportunity with Tennessee.”
Kentucky is 1-2 going into Saturday’s game at Knoxville. Kentucky’s turnovers/mistakes and blown pass coverages cost the Cats in a loss at Auburn. Kentucky’s defense had no answers for Ole Miss’ offense in an overtime loss in week two. Last week the UK defense dominated Mississippi State and it was a good thing because the offense was missing.
But it seems team all across the league are having issues. Alabama is unbeaten but gave up over 600 yards and 48 points to Ole Miss as the Rebels threw for over 300 yards and had TWO backs rush for 120 yards. Florida is 2-1 but fans are not happy with the defense. Tennessee is 2-1 after a loss to Georgia and Vol fans want a new quarterback. Auburn is 2-1 and fans have coach Gus Malzahn on the hot seat.
Stoops knows this is an “important” game for his team that felt disrespected nationally going into the season and then started 1-2. Lose this game and I see no way to even keep dreaming of a winning season after an 0-2 start.
SEC teams are giving up points like they never do. Stoops really has no answer as to why.
“I think it’s one of those things, the minute you say anything, there is no built-in excuses. It is what it is for all of us. I know as a team for us we’re getting better with every opportunity, with every practice, with every game. It is what it is. If I say it’s because of practice, or opportunity, or games, or spring you’re just making an excuse,” Stoops said.
“It does seem like all of us are having the issue at times. That’s for sure. I think we improved a great deal between the opener and the third game. We got to continue to do that and we really have to do that across the board. As I mentioned, you’re not alone. This is going to be a grind and you just got to hit the reset button each week and you got to take it each week as just try to go 1-0 week and win or lose, put that game behind us and learn from our mistakes and move on.”
Tennessee got off to a great start at Georgia and then much like UK did at Auburn, mistakes/turnovers cost the Vols.
“There is not a team that plays a game that doesn’t feel like there are so many things they can control to get better. It is like that every week, win or lose. Then there is part of it where you have to give credit to the other team,” Stoops said.
