Sounding like a broken record, coach addresses offensive woes, coaching miscues
A frustrated Mark Stoops took the podium following Kentucky’s 30-23 loss to Ole Miss, offering a mix of familiar refrains, frank admissions of failure, and one significant hint that a major change could be coming on offense.
While giving credit to Ole Miss, Stoops did not shy away from the glaring mistakes that cost his team a winnable game.
"Got off to a good start, did a lot of good things, but it's obvious we have to look at some things," Stoops said. "Quite frankly, it's inexcusable, some of it. I like the fight of this team, but we have to improve in some areas."
Injury updates on Calzada and Waller
One of the most immediate concerns was the health of quarterback Zach Calzada, who left the game in the second half with an apparent shoulder injury. Stoops provided a brief, uncertain update.
“He was hurt. I don’t know the extent. We were in the heat of the moment there,” he said.
He was slightly more optimistic about defensive back DJ Waller Jr., stating, "I'm not sure. I hope he'll be back, if not this week, certainly after the bye."
Coaching and execution under the microscope
In what sounds like a broken record, Stoops lamented the offense's performance, citing, "Too many three-and-outs and missing opportunities."
He specifically called out the defense's failure on a critical 4th-and-1 conversion by Ole Miss that led to a touchdown. "It's really, you know, inexcusable... we worked that exact play, you can knock that ball down... and we don't play it."
When speaking with Tom Leach on the post-game radio show, Stoops addressed the rampant substitution and alignment issues that plagued the team, claiming, "we got it cleaned up and fixed." He also acknowledged the lack of big plays, telling Leach, "We would love to create explosives... We are trying."
Does Cutter Boley deserve an opportunity?
Perhaps the most significant comment of the night came when Stoops was asked about the quarterback situation moving forward. In a clear signal that a change could be on the horizon, Stoops stated plainly:
"Cutter deserves an opportunity."
After a game where the offense once again struggled to find a rhythm and the starting quarterback went down with an injury, Stoops' public declaration opens the door for a potential quarterback competition—or a full-time switch—as the team moves forward. For a fanbase desperate for a spark, those four words may be the biggest takeaway from another frustrating night.