Mark Stoops didn’t try to hide his emotions. After a brutal, year-long SEC losing streak culminating in last week's humiliation against Tennessee, Saturday night's gritty 10-3 win over Auburn was more than just a victory; it was a sweet release.
"Obviously very big victory for us, you know, for our program. Our players uh deserve it," Stoops said to open his press conference. "I'm proud of them. I thank them for their effort, along with the coaches."
This win was a desperately needed reward for a team and a coach drowning in criticism. When asked if he felt any personal vindication, Stoops immediately deflected, focusing on his players. "No, I mean, it's not about me... it's no vindication for me. It's it's very happy for the players. They deserve it, you know? They really do," he said. "They deserve that feeling and it's, you know, something special."
Mark Stoops details the 'tough year' and 'joy' of winning
Stoops painted a raw picture of what his team has endured. "No, it's fair to say it's been a tough year. You know, there's been a lot of uh close calls. Um, there's been some not so close," he admitted. "But our players never flinch. Uh, they never submit to any outside noise or pressure. They just stay the course."
He acknowledged the difficulty of the past week in particular, referencing the Sunday after the Tennessee blowout as "about as rough as it can get." That pain, however, is what made Saturday's result so sweet. When asked to describe his emotions beyond just happiness for his players, Stoops pinpointed the feeling.
"No it's just... joy," he said. "You know, you're going to enjoy this one. you know, it's a quick enjoyment, right? We'll get home at about 4 in the morning."
It was a win built on the very "pride" he said his team possessed, a pride that was challenged after last week's defensive collapse. "This group has pride. the coaches have pride and you know really bounced back and and gave it a a great effort tonight." It was, in his words, "one week missions," and for the first time in a long time, the mission was accomplished.
Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time he enjoys downtime with his family and Premier League soccer. You can find him on X here. Micah 7:7. #UptheAlbion