Mark Stoops’ Monday Pre-Louisville Cardinals transcript

Nov 15, 2014; Knoxville, TN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Patrick Towles (14) during the first half against the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

1. What would you like to see from him?

COACH STOOPS:  I’d just like to see him go back to really playing a quality game.  He’s had some ups and downs; we’ve all seen that.  He’s done some very good things at times.  So I’d like to see him really put it all on the line this last week and go out and just play and be the great leader that he’s shown at times this year and really just lay it on the line and play a quality football game for us.

1. Obviously a lot has changed since the last time you played Coach Petrino.  What have you learned about him this last year?

COACH STOOPS:  I think I need more time to study him.  We’re different right now.  He’s different in some ways, but some things are a staple that you can go back a long time with him.  But just the opportunity to really study him some more and just see what he likes in certain situations and what he likes in the run game to certain people.

But he’s a very good football coach and has a lot of answers.  Again, he mixes things up very well.

1. When you struggled defensively, were there things you tried to do in the off week to build those guys back up?

COACH STOOPS:  Yeah, we did.  And a lot of it was putting guys in competitive situations and making competitive plays.  I think you look at those games and we weren’t making our fair share of competitive plays.  It gets down to making plays and being a good football player at times.  Fundamentally getting guys in the right spots.

So we worked on everything, yeah.

1. What have you seen on film with Louisville’s front and maybe Saturday’s game, what stands out about how they attack, how they pressure a quarterback?

COACH STOOPS:  Well, they play extremely hard.  They play very hard.  I think if you look at Coach (Todd) Grantham and what they’ve done defensively, I think in certain ways may be simplified maybe in certain ways.  Their guys are playing very hard.  I think that’s the thing I’ve noticed the last two years playing Louisville.

To their credit, I think they play very hard.  And their guys, their front gets after it, and plays, like I said, plays relentless, as does their whole defense.  They’ve played really well.

1. Would you say win or lose, this has been a successful season for you?

COACH STOOPS:  I’ll let you decide on whether it’s been successful or not.  I really haven’t put any thought into that, to be honest with you.  I know we’re a better football team.  I felt like that coming into the year that we’d be better.  I think we are better.  Are we where I want to be?  No, and probably not where a lot of people want to be.  So we’re going to keep on working, and keep on getting better.

I am proud of this team.  I felt like they’ve been a fun group to coach.  They mean well, they work hard, and they have a great attitude.  We’re just not quite as good as we’d like to be.

1. Along those lines, what would a win this weekend mean?

COACH STOOPS:  I think a win this weekend would do an awful lot for these players.  I think they deserve it.  That’s what I’ve told them.  They put in the work.  They’ve put in the time and they care and they deserve to win and have that taste of success and that taste of a bowl game.

I’d like to see that for them.

1. For a coaching staff, you guys started so well, 5‑1, and to not go into the off‑season with six losses in a row, momentum‑wise, recruiting, everything, how important is it to try to avoid that?

COACH STOOPS:  I think it’s important.  You really try not to ever think about this streak or that streak or whatever.  You put your head down and go one at a time.  Obviously, anytime, I’ve made no bones about that.  Every win is a huge win for us when you’re trying to build a program.  That’s what’s difficult when you play the stretch that we have.  When you’re trying to build a football program in the SEC, there is no easy one out there.  It really can take its toll on you when you’re not as physical as you’d like to be.  That’s where it’s pretty evident that we have to go back to recruiting like we talked about, and really work on our players in physically developing them to get bigger and stronger.

1. On the recruiting side, do you feel like the losses have maybe put any doubt in players’ heads?

COACH STOOPS:  No, not at all.  I feel very good about where we’re at and where we’re going recruiting.