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Kentucky fans blast Mark Stoops, Wildcats for lack of discipline in loss to Mizzou

Published: Oct 15, 2023 · 9:46 AM EDT

You can respect losing to a good team like Missouri. Sometimes, the other team is just better. It’s the way Kentucky lost Saturday night’s crucial SEC East matchup against the Tigers.

Head coach Mark Stoops’ squad looked undisciplined and sloppy past the first quarter. Things started to fall apart after a brutal fake punt attempt turned into a Tigers touchdown. Before Kentucky fans at Kroger Field knew it, the final score read 38-21.

The Wildcats totaled 14 penalties for over 120 yards Saturday night, turned the ball over 3 times and completely shut down once the Tigers showed an signs of life.

And it’s not like this is new. The Wildcats are the 2nd most penalized team in the conference in front of only Tennessee, averaging just under 70 penalty yards per game and 7.7 penalty flags per game.

That’s brutal for a team that should have been competitive in the SEC East this season.

Fans and media were quick to let loose on Stoops following the Wildcat’s ugly loss:

Really bad loss coming

Stoops will take a lot of criticism based on the team’s lack of discipline and his comments last week.

And they deserve it unfortunately

— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) October 15, 2023

if we all donate $1, WE can teach mark stoops how to discipline a football team ?

— scott clarke (@scottclarkeTHW) October 15, 2023

Will anyone ask Stoops postgame why his team continues to show a lack of discipline time and time again?

— BlueKel (@bluekel) October 15, 2023

Ask Stoops if team discipline is included if the fans pony up more for NIL? https://t.co/zfRtQDOUtL

— Kyle Mickydub (@Kyle_McWill) October 15, 2023

Maybe Stoops needs to pony up some discipline. His team hasn’t had any in two years. Fake toughness isn’t toughness, it’s playing dirty

— Dylan Watts (@Dylan_lee_watts) October 15, 2023

The lack of discipline on the Kentucky Football team is awful and I am blaming Coach Stoops. No excuse for that many penalties. It just has to be a lack of leadership up top. Just very poor and awful. #kentucky

— Steven Hash (@Hashmoney) October 15, 2023

Someone tell Stoops that he may wanna discipline a player or two so we don’t get 350 penalty yards tonight. Good lord. Embarrassment.

— Brett Bibbins (@BrettBibbins) October 15, 2023

Kentucky had more penalty yards (122) than passing yards (120) vs. Mizzou.

Mark Stoops: “The lack of discipline is really something that’s standing out and bothering me. It starts with me. I’m the head coach and we’ve got to get the discipline under control.”

— Brandon Zimmerman (@BZSEC) October 15, 2023

Once again, I fell for the early season hype. Stoops can ask for NIL money all he wants, but all the NIL in the world won’t save the lack of discipline. I don’t think I’ve ever been this frustrated watching a UK football game.

— Brad Clark (@BRad24365) October 15, 2023

It is supremely weird that Kentucky has built a solid program despite really never being a disciplined team under Stoops. They once lost a game bc they left a WR uncovered 2 separate times!

— Sean Vinsel (@HoopsInsight) October 15, 2023