Mark Stoops is a man of the people, and he’s quick to defend the great people of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

An early kickoff will not slow down their pre-game festivities with Florida coming to town, and a noon start time at Kroger Field.

“I have great confidence in the people of Kentucky who can get up very early and pound some beers,” Stoops said Monday. “Why would you disrespect the great people of the Commonwealth?”

About the Vanderbilt win from Saturday, “We executed, played clean,” Stoops said before Vanderbilt responded. “They were upset. We got back to executing on defense.”

Stoops also said that he didn’t have an update about injured left guard Kenneth Horsey’s status for Florida. But that long-snapper Ronald Gaines will be out for the rest of the year with a non-contact, pre-practice injury that he called “crazy” and flukish.”

Stoops also praised Maxwell Hairston, who was named SEC Defensive player of the Week after he had 2 pick-6s against Vanderbilt: “If you keep on working and grinding and growing… he’s a great example of that.”

H/T Big Blue Insider.