Mark Stoops’ Monday Transcript

Oct 4, 2014; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats fans celebrate on the field after their team defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks at Commonwealth Stadium. Kentucky defeated South Carolina 45-38. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Q.  Did you get a sense that it was big to them, what happened?

COACH STOOPS:  I did get a sense from that, yeah, and I said it in the postgame.  We had it teed up pretty well.  We had the enthusiasm.  The stadium was packed.  We had a night game against a traditionally very good SEC team at home, and you want to deliver.  You want to play well.  You want to get a victory.

Q.  (Question regarding Matt Elam’s play on Saturday.)

COACH STOOPS:  He really did.  That was the best Matt’s played.  He is starting to do some good things.  He has to be a consistent player and do some special things with his work habits throughout the week.  But Matt has a good heart, and it’s our job to help him be a better technician, but he really did play well in that game.

Q.  What did he do?

COACH STOOPS:  He was physical at the point of impact inside.  He was using up a couple of blockers, being disruptive in the run game.  In the pass game, he did a nice job driving the center back and getting in windows and had a big deflection.  So he played the best he’s played.

Q.  How big is that, given future opponents are going to look at that?

COACH STOOPS:  Yeah, I think it is.  You know, we have to look at ourselves and anticipate certain things.  We had been doing some good things in the weeks leading up to this last game as far as pressures and teams and 10, 11 personnel and what we were doing.  In the big sets, it hurt us.

Coach Spurrier, they stayed in it because they were having success and there was no reason to get out of it.  When they started spreading it and started to throw it, we actually did some good things.

So you always got to look at what you’re doing well and get it fixed, whether it be by scheme or personnel or technique, whatever it is.  We’ll work on it.

Oct 4, 2014; Lexington, KY, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks running back Mike Davis (28) runs the ball against Kentucky Wildcats linebacker Josh Forrest (45) and cornerback J.D. Harmon (11) in the second half at Commonwealth Stadium. Kentucky defeated South Carolina 45-38. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Q.  (Question regarding Josh Forrest’s play Saturday.)

COACH STOOPS:  It’s about how I’ve been talking about him all year.  He did some good things.  In particular, like late in the game, he is long and rangy and fast.  And he does a nice job on pass coverage.

We need to be better in the run game and be more physical at both linebacker spots, not counting the outside linebackers.  Bud (Dupree) and Jason Hatcher did some good things.  Hatch missed one tackle, but outside of that, he had a very good game.

Inside we need to continue and improve and play better.  They did some good things.  It’s not just on them as well.  They did some good things, but we need to play better and they need to play better.

Q.  (Question regarding UK having so many young guys in key situations and what gives Stoops the confidence that he knows they will play well.)

COACH STOOPS:  I felt like we’ve got the team in a good place.  They’re practicing hard, preparing well.  We have enough pieces in place to play well on all sides.

I said in my opening statement it’s good to win that way, because two weeks ago we played good defense and not as well as we can offensively.  This week it was poor defense at times and the offense did exceptionally well.

I credit Neal, D.J. and the staffs.  We’re not perfect, but they do a nice job of coaching.  And do a nice job of playing for each other and being united.  The special teams have been strong all year.  That’s what makes you optimistic about the future because we haven’t put it all together yet.

Q.  (Question regarding Neal Brown saying the fourth quarter was the first time all season the offense and defense both played well at the same time.)

COACH STOOPS:  Obviously when you get 21‑straight points at the end, that’s true, and that’s the difference in the game.  We did get a stop.  We didn’t have many, but I believe they had three three‑and‑outs, and that’s the difference in a tight game.  The offense was able to capitalize on it.

Even early in the game, we did get a three‑and‑out to give us field position that led to the first touchdown.  That’s what you have to do to continue to let them milk it down the field a little bit.

But, yes, we had a couple of stops and the offense did a great job of converting.

Q.  How fun from your perspective was that trick play?

COACH STOOPS:  Oh, that was fun, definitely fun.  Like I said, during the game when Neal called it, I said, I like it.

I thought it was the right time at the right spot.  Before we ran it, you know, after I called it and it was getting signaled in, I said, I like it, it’s going to be good.

It’s always good when it works.