Stoops, Eliot dissatisfied with defensive stability

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops was anything but happy after Wednesday’s practice.

“I was really encouraged after yesterday’s practice,” Stoops told the media on Wednesday. “I thought we practiced the right way, came back out today and defensively we’re not very good… We better get a whole lot better in a couple of days.”

After some high praise from offensive coordinator Eddie Gran on Tuesday, the defense seemed to be taking a step in the right direction in its preparation for the South Carolina game. The Gamecocks’ offense has struggled mightily this year (ranked 123rd in total offense) and provides the UK defense an opportunity to make positive strides against an SEC offense.

Instead, the defense turned in a lackadaisical effort during Wednesday’s practice and prompted the head coach to believe the unit is back at square one.

“I thought we practiced the way we should practice yesterday, but I thought we absolutely regressed today,” Stoops said. “That’s our problem. Until we get it changed, we’re going to have the same darn results that we have in (Commonwealth Stadium) … which is bull crap.

“Until we grow up, and get a mentality about us and have some guys step up and get tougher, then we’re going to look like the same bunch of crap.”

Three games into the 2016 season, Kentucky’s defense has been just that. Out of 128 Division I football teams, it ranks 122nd in scoring defense (allowing 43.7 ppg), 116th in rushing defense (243 ypg), 112th in passing defense (285 ypg) and 122nd in total defense (528. ypg).

There has been no answer to stop the run nor the pass, and Stoops has even began assisting defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot in the defensive play calling. Eliot points to the lack of leadership and discipline as a possible source of the problem.

“We’re immature,” Eliot said. “I don’t know why we just can’t lock in and go to work everyday. We just can’t take it serious everyday and it’s disappointing.”

The depth chart Kentucky released on Monday has only 12 upperclassmen out of 24 total players listed in the two-deep, seven of which are listed as second stringers.

“Some guys need to grow up in a hurry,” Stoops said. “We have no idea what it takes to have concentration – from the beginning of the week through the end, and through a whole game, and so on.

“We’re not real tough. We’re not real smart. We’ve got a long way to go.”