Mark Stoops previews Tennessee, discusses importance of Kentucky’s losing streak in Neyland Stadium

Kentucky lost a tough one on Saturday, falling to Georgia 34-17 at home and ceded the East division to the Bulldogs. The loss may have had more significance than any other in Mark Stoops’ tenure in Lexington but that doesn’t mean there is nothing left to play for with a 10-win regular season still in the team’s sights.

That’s something Stoops was asked about on Monday during his weekly press conference to open the week while also previewing Kentucky’s upcoming road trip to Tennessee.

Here are the highlights of what Stoops had to say during the presser:

• on any freshmen that have yet to see the field playing down the stretch: I don’t think there’s anyone sitting out there that you haven’t seen. If they could help us win, they’d have been out there.
• on playing knowing the East isn’t attainable: We have to be just as motivated this week, as well as each and every week. That becomes the challenge you get through the grind of the season. You get late in the year, that monotony sets in and we can’t let that happen.
• on Benny Snell’s status: “His ankle is more of a bruise than a sprain, we’ll see how tender that is”
• on Jeremy Pruitt: I know Jeremy just from crossing paths… You see his team fighting and improving. Their defense is playing well, his characteristics are coming through.
• on the clubs worn by some of his defenders: They will have to continue to wear them this game, there’s no doubt.
• are they affecting their game? A little bit, unfortunately.
• on how his team will respond to the loss against the Vols: The situation changes every week. We are playing Tennessee at Tennessee in our last league game, it’s very important to us.
• on Jarrett Guarantano: He’s really good when he’s in rhythm. He’s got some talented receivers and he’s playing more confident. He’s doing some good things.
• on the importance of ending Kentucky’s losing streak in Neyland Stadium: Just beating Tennessee is important to us, whether there’s a streak involved or not. Why would that make a difference to our team really? They don’t know anything about 34 years ago. They don’t care, they want to win for this team, this year. I acknowledge the importance to our fans and our state but they are hungry for this team, this year.
• on what was learned on Saturday: You have to take from games like that, you have to learn from it. You have to earn the right to be in that position to be in a game like that. I also think it’s evident that we need to continue to recruit, that was evident. They are a very good team.
• on his belief in trap games: I think some games set up better than others. But it’s your job to put your team in a position to be successful and get them right in the mind and have a great week of preparation.
• on what there is to play for: We always look at it as one-game seasons but as we get late in the year, we know we have to charge up and reset for these final games. I will bring up what’s at stake in these games.

Michael Wayne Bratton

A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com