Mark Stoops took over the Kentucky Wildcats football program when it was at its lowest of lows. The roster wasn’t good, and the fanbase was completely checked out.
Fast-forward to now, and it’s the complete opposite, as the hype around the No. 7 Wildcats might be at an all-time high.
For Stoops, however, it isn’t going to stop here.
The Kentucky head coach joined ESPNU Radio before the trip to Ole Miss, and he expressed how this staff has their sights set at a level many would have never dreamed of for this program.
Stoops also isn’t going to let up over the course of reaching it.
Mark Stoops on ESPNU Radio: "If people asked me at the end of the year, 'Hey, would you take 11-1 or 10-2?' I would say, 'No, absolutely not. What game do you want me to give up on? What game am I supposed to throw in the white towel?' We go out and compete to win every game."
— TheCatsPause247 (@TheCatsPause247) September 30, 2022
“If people asked me at the end of the year, ‘Hey, would you take 11-1 or 10-2?’ I would say, ‘No, absolutely not. What game do you want me to give up on? What game am I supposed to throw in the white towel?’ We go out and compete to win every game.”
Stoops has instilled a hard-nosed mentality to his program, that has allowed them to flourish since 2016. Now with the end goal, seemingly within their grasp, the bar gets raised a step higher for what this program can accomplish.
It's going to be a grind, but Stoops and his teams have never backed away from a challenge.