Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops addressed the media for the final time in 2014 on Monday. The coach addressed several topics, including the recent changes to Wildcats’ staff.

“I’m disappointed to lose Neal Brown,” Stoops said of the former Kentucky coordinator, who accepted the head coaching position at Troy last month. “But as I mentioned, I’m very proud of Neal and very happy for him and his family to move on and be a head coach. There’s nothing selfish about me and what I try to do with our coaches.

“We really appreciate Neal and the hard work that he’s done. It was good for me coming in here with his Kentucky ties and not knowing a heck of a lot about the culture, people, history and things like that. When I took this job a couple years ago, it was really good to have Neal with me. He really has a great feel for this state, he’s recruited this state exceptionally well and helped me bridge some relationships here throughout the state with coaches and people. He has a great work ethic about him and he’ll go on to be a great head coach.”

Stoops continued by welcoming new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Shannon Dawson, who was hired last week. Dawson held both titles at West Virginia the past three seasons during his four-year tenure with the Mountaineers. He will remain with West Virginia through its AutoZone Liberty Bowl matchup against Texas A&M on Dec. 29.

“Very excited to have Shannon in our program,” Stoops said. “I think people throughout the state had a great interest in what direction we were going to go with the offensive coordinator. I think that goes back to the roots of this program and having a quality offense. I thought it was very important to take a step back, took my time and really evaluated what we did the first two years, where we’re going as an offensive program. I clearly defined what I wanted in a coach and in an offensive coordinator and set out to find that guy.

“I think the number one thing that stood out to me was his leadership. All of the guys I talked to had outstanding leadership ability, you have to. I’m sure one of the things that appealed to him coming in here was working for a defensive coach because sink or swim here’s the keys you do it. That’s what it was like when I went to Florida State and I wanted it that way. It’s either get it done or get fired. So I think that’s important for guys on the rise that want to make a name for themselves. I felt like he’s always done more with less. I like the way he grinder from a young coach and made a name for himself and the way he’s evolved. If he didn’t evolve, I wouldn’t be talking to him about leading our offense.”

Stoops also addressed former special teams coach Craig Naivar’s departure from the program last week. Naivar accepted a vacant assistant job at Houston to reunite with new head coach Tom Herman.

“Coach Naivar is going to take a job at the University of Houston where a lot of his roots are from,” Stoops said. “He really has a great reputation as a recruiter in the Houston area and again I really appreciate Coach Naivar and the hard work he did in one year. So we wish him the best as well.”