Once upon a time, Kentucky football wasn’t fancy. It was built on grit, physicality, and a defiant pride in its underdog status. Mark Stoops didn't inherit a powerhouse in 2013; he inherited a program desperate for an identity. With blue-collar toughness and a chip the size of the Commonwealth, he forged one. Bowl games became expected. Ten-win seasons happened. That edge made Kentucky dangerous. Trips to Lexington were feared.
But somewhere along the way, amidst contract extensions, facility upgrades, and national praise for achieving stability, that edge dulled. Now, as the the program seems defined more by excuses than by effort.