Mark Stoops’ Monday Transcript

Oct 4, 2014; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats running back Braylon Heard (5) celebrates with quarterback Patrick Towles (14) during the game against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the first half at Commonwealth Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Q.  You mentioned the offensive line playing well.  Zach (West) came back and played well.  It looked like there was some places where he was pancaking opponents ‑‑

COACH STOOPS:  That’s the best Zach played.  What’s nice now is we have four guys inside now.  We had two, but we had some injuries.  Now we’re getting back and getting healthy, so now we’re going to rotate all four guys.

I think that helped us and I think it helped us in the fourth quarter on both sides of the ball.  We’re starting to develop that depth.  We talked about Matt Elam played around 20  snaps and just resting those guys and developing those guys, Regie Meant inside did some good things.

We’re getting quality snaps from our back‑ups and that will help us move forward.

Q.  You said you felt good going into the game.  Did that start with the good preparation?

COACH STOOPS:  Yeah, I think we’re starting to understand that and really like the way we go about our business.

And they’re focused.  They’ve done a nice job.  For some positions being young, they’ve hung in there pretty well, I think.

We’ve got to continue as we build this program.  Our older guys have really bought in and done well and been good leaders for us.  We have to hold them accountable to be better leaders and continue to push this team.

I think it’s just been good.  I think what we do and how we look at some of the sports science data and how we’re practicing, I think it’s helped us.  I think you put all those things together and things are going well.

We’ve got a long way to go and after this game, we will be midway, right, and we have to continue to do what we do and improve in certain areas.

But their attitude has been right and their preparation.

Oct 4, 2014; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops during the game against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the second half at Commonwealth Stadium. Kentucky defeated South Carolina 45-38. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Q.  (Question regarding UK having big wins in the past but not being able to sustain the success and how he handles that moving forward.)

COACH STOOPS:  I can’t really speak on that because we certainly didn’t start fast last year with me here.  So I don’t know about that in previous staffs.  I don’t know.

You know me, I talk about it and it’s true, we’re back to this week.  You know what I mean?  It’s a one‑week season for me.  We gotta go play well this week, and it starts over.  Win or lose, it starts over for us on Sunday.

That’s the way we approach it and that’s the way our team needs to approach it.  We do the best we can, whether it be sports science and how we practice and how we monitor their health, we do certain things.

A great coach told me a long time ago, To be a great head coach, you have to have a good gut.

We’ll see how that plays out as the year goes on.

Q.  (Question regarding UK in the SEC East race.)

COACH STOOPS:  I don’t comment on that.  One week.  We need victories, you know?  That’s the bottom line.  We can’t worry about that.  We will worry about ourselves and getting better.

Q.  This week there was an electric crowd.  You talked about it earlier, but can you elaborate on that?

COACH STOOPS:  As I said, in the postgame, it’s how much we appreciate it.  The fans have really bought in.  Sure we like it packed, but we always have passionate fans and it was a great environment.

I know our players felt that electricity in the stadium, our recruits felt it, and it makes our team proud to go out there and play well and do the best they can.

This team cares.  Their hearts are in the right place.  We’re not perfect but they’re trying to do the right things.