Kentucky football shows improvements in scrimmage number 2
If there was one phrase that raised eyebrows after Kentucky’s first scrimmage, it was head coach Mark Stoops calling the run defense “a bit leaky.” That word stung because it reminded fans of painful memories, most notably the loss to Louisville when the Wildcats surrendered more than 300 rushing yards. Tackling wasn’t just a concern heading into camp — it was a mandate to fix.
And after the second scrimmage at Kroger Field, the defense looked like a unit that got the message.
Defensive tackle David Gusta didn’t mince words. “A hundred percent,” he said when asked if tackling improved. “Our first scrimmage there was quite a few missed and this one I could probably count on like one hand. So it was definitely better than our last time.”
For Gusta, it wasn’t just the physical act of finishing plays — it was the foundation of communication and execution. “Our communication and our tackling. Because our last scrimmage it just wasn’t okay because we missed way too many but this one I’m definitely happy with.”
Stoops echoed the sentiment. “It was. It was. It was better,” he said, pointing to sharper defense overall. “Defensively, I thought some guys really stepped up and made some plays, and stalled a few drives where we had some very promising things going... Just clean. Just good ball.”
The improvement mattered not just for morale, but for balance. Offensively, Zach Calzada remained steady as the starter, while backup Cutter Boley drew praise for his efficiency. “I thought Cutter was very efficient early in particular,” Stoops said. “He had some really nice drives and put some things together. Got the ball in the endzone. So that was really good to see.”
It’s still preseason, and no trophies are handed out in August. But when the glaring weakness of a first scrimmage becomes the strength of a second, that’s progress. Kentucky fans wanted to see growth on defense — and they got it.