Kentucky football head coach Mark Stoops satisfied the media on Wednesday as his Cats concluded their spring practice. And for Stoops, the timing was right.
“It’s been a good spring,” Stoops said. “It feels good to wrap it up. It gets a bit long.”
The objective of spring practice for almost every group in the nation is to enhance on the little things and, most significantly, not to get anybody hurt.
“The spring went good,” Stoops said. “No major injuries, which is always important. Pretty drama-free.”
As for where the group made strides throughout spring drills, Stoops pointed out one extremely crucial location.
“It’s a fundamental game,” Stoops said. “We want to get through the spring and be better players. Individually, each player just get better. Fundamentally, get better.”
Another location where Stoops desires the Cats to be much better is their general mindset. He discussed that Wednesday.
“I just think overall mentality, the hunger, the way you go about your business with an attitude, with an edge, with a chip on your shoulder,” Stoops said. “This game is meant to be played that way. You can’t just go out there and go through the motions. I expect all of us to be better, we’ve all talked about those things. And that starts with me and all the way down.”
One location where the Cats required to make development this spring was on offense. The factors were two-fold. One, UK was frustrating on offense last season, in spite of having most likely first-round NFL draft choice Will Levis at quarterback. Second, the Cats are returning to the plan, and the terms, of old/new offending organizer Liam Coen.
“Obviously, schemes are important,” Stoops said. “With Liam (Coen) back and, offensively, getting back into the scheme is very important. Get the basics down.”
Stoops is positive about his offense after spring drills.
“We’re going to improve,” Stoops said. “I feel very confident that we’ll improve. We own the areas where we fell short and we’re addressing those things. Devin is a great addition. We need to improve at offensive line.”
One thing that UK explore throughout the spring was moving Jager Burton from guard to center. Stoops thinks that will be the strategy as the group ends up the spring.
“That will move forward. We like the flexibility we have within that but we like the way Jager progressed,” Stoops said. “It’s not easy. He really took that on and became more consistent. He’s really adapted well.”
Stoops believed the Cats were good on defense in the spring. And he understood why.
“Defensively, much further ahead with the continuity we have,” Stoops said. “We lost quite a bit of experience but these guys have experience as well. It’s about getting the next group ready.”
Stoops understands that the coaches didn’t request for a great deal of specialized things, however he likes how the group managed its essentials.
“I wouldn’t say that we got extremely exotic in the spring but the things we do, we do well,” Stoops said. “I think it’s a matter of execution.”
Now, it’s up to the group leaders to get the team through the summer season. Stoops hopes that the group’s previous leaders, in addition to beginners like quarterback Devin Leary and running back Ray Davis, can get the Cats through summer season and gotten ready for fall camp.
“They’re great additions,” Stoops said of Leary and Davis. “Any time you bring people in, with the way things are now, you have to be careful of the guys you bring in. They have to be guys who contribute and add to that locker room and to the mentality you’re looking for. Devin and Ray are great additions.”
Spring was a positive time for the whole UK team. If the Cats can take forward what they have actually found out over the last couple of weeks, it will be considered a success.
