After the Ole Miss loss, Mark Stoops was emphatic. "Everybody thinks I control the offense or call plays, which I, zero-zero percent," he told the media. It’s a defense he has used for years. But after nearly a dozen seasons, the evidence points to a different conclusion for Kentucky football.
While Stoops may not be calling specific plays, his overarching philosophy of risk-averse, slow-paced football is imprinted on every offense that takes the field. The goal is to shorten the game, rely on the defense, and prevent blowouts. This strategy has raised the floor of the program, but it has also established a very low ceiling.