Mark Stoops Underscores Multiple Problems That Lead To Unexpected 0-2 Start

Ole Miss defeated Kentucky 42-41 last weekend, leaving the Wildcats and their head coach Mark Stoops searching for answers. Giving up 42 points to an offense run by Lane Kiffin is obviously not ideal, so Stoops had plenty to say Monday.

"There was parts of that game where we were really out of sorts defensively. We just didn't play good enough. We need to put our players in a better position. We need to coach better. We need to play better," Stoops said.

If Stoops is going to tell his players that he needs to do a better job coaching because they clearly can't do this thing without his assistance, at least he's polite about it.

"That team puts extreme pressure on you with how fast they go. It is extremely fast. There are times in that game where we played so many plays well, and then there's plays where they're going to make you pay and they're going to get chunks," Stoops said.

Kentucky has already given up nine plays of 20 yards or more, and that's never been a formula for winning football games.

"We've gotta find the right (personnel) mixture. We have some options. All of us have to do a better job putting them in position, everybody owning their area, their area of expertise and playing better. I believe we will. It's been a long time since we gave up 42 points."

Mark Stoops is growing frustrated with his defense's inability to create turnovers.

"We're not getting turnovers. This is concerning to me. It's not good enough. Seems like both games there's balls, the football is floating around down there, and they (Ole Miss) did a nice job scooping it up," Stoops said.

Panic time?

Mark Stoops did recruit this defense as well as the kickers who somehow can't make 20 yard field goals. Perhaps his personnel isn't as good as he's making them out to be, but what else is he supposed to say? This isn't the NFL where midseason trades can go down. So this is the best they can do.

Mississippi State is next in line to face Mark Stoops' defense, and we're sure the Bulldogs can't wait. Kentucky opened up as a 3-point favorite, but it's unclear how this defense will react to Mike Leach's air raid offense.

Stoops' defense usually isn't this bad, so something's gotta give.