Mark Stoops’ Monday Press Transcript

1. When your defense is playing really well, your offense is really struggling, how do you keep the two facets from turning on one another?

COACH STOOPS:  There’s been moments this year when it’s been the other way, too.  There’s no worry about that.  I really don’t worry about that.  Our team, we have matured in that regard.  There’s no one side that’s dominant enough.  It changes.  I’ve said that over and over as well.  We need to play a complete football game to win any of these games.  We’re just not dominant on any one side.

So defensively we had a chance to play a very good game last week, but we didn’t.  We didn’t execute a few things that we could have done better.  Outside of those things, it was really a pretty solid effort.  Going 5 three-and-outs in the second half gave us a chance.

1. When you’re dealing with a young‑ish quarterback like Patrick, is this the week you sort of talk him back up or do you get in his face?

COACH STOOPS:  It will be for us to figure out (laughter).

1. (Question regarding coming off the practice field visibly upset earlier in the season.)

COACH STOOPS:  I don’t plan those things.  I don’t plan those things.  I’m pretty transparent, if you haven’t noticed by now.

1. How will you express your displeasure to the team?  What is the vibe you’ve gotten from them?

COACH STOOPS:  I haven’t been with them yet.  We’re going today.  We didn’t go yesterday.  I have to give them one day off, it’s either Sunday or Monday.

1. After the game?

COACH STOOPS:  After the game?  The message after the game was simple.  We got our tails kicked, they beat us.  They out‑coached us.  We all take our responsibility for that.  We’ve got to get back to work.

1. Did somebody on the staff recognize in pregame or leading up to that game that Patrick maybe wasn’t dialed in?

COACH STOOPS:  No, there was no indication that he wasn’t dialed in.  Again, I don’t want to put it all on Patrick.  I thought we played so, so average across the board, every guy offensively.  He needs some help.

1. Are you comfortable with Boom going back there on kickoff returns now?

COACH STOOPS:  Yeah, he should be.  Once you’re cleared of those issues, you’re cleared.  I don’t think there’s anything you could do to stop certain plays.

1. I get the feeling the culture really hasn’t changed if these guys don’t know how to win.  You’re banging your head against the wall.  The guys don’t understand it.  Am I wrong?

COACH STOOPS:  I don’t know if I’m going to agree with that.  Well, let’s put it this way.  We’ve known all along that we haven’t arrived.  Whether they have or not, I don’t know.  I said that earlier, what they’re thinking.  I know the things we constantly harp and preach at.

But to win in a tough environment on the road against a team that’s won how many SEC games? Somebody told me only Alabama has won more SEC games than them (Missouri) in the last year and a half.  They’re just going to give you one?

To go beat a quality team, you have to do everything right, and we’re not doing that.  So I agree with you there.  We’re not consistent enough.  We don’t have the discipline to do all the little things right all the time to win.

There’s no excuse.  Whether it’s a freshman or a senior, we have who we are.  They have to learn how to play at a high level all the time.  We have to have those habits, create those habits constantly, that when we put ourselves in a position where we’re under pressure, you have to execute.

Running the route at the proper depth, is that a discipline issue or mental issue or smarts?  Whatever it is, we’ve got to get that out of them.  We’ve got to get it out of them 100%.  That’s what good teams do, they execute.  They do things right and they win some one‑on‑ones.

There’s no mystery that you have to put your people in a position to be successful, but you got to fight, you got to win some one‑on‑ones.  If you don’t, you’re not going to win, not against good teams.