Mark Stoops had never seen anything like Saturday’s game.
Kentucky’s season opener was a 24-0 shutout victory over Southern Miss Saturday night at Kroger Field. But it took a painfully long time for it to begin and it included another delay before it ended.
Delayed by over two hours due to lightning strikes in the area, Kentucky didn’t take the field until around 10 p.m. locally. By the time the game was officially called due to more lightning nearby, it was already after midnight and into the next day.
Stoops spoke of the unusual circumstances surrounding the start of his team’s season with reporters after the game.
“Very strange situation there. I’ve been here 12 years and never been through the delays like that,” Stoops said. “I was proud of our team. I talked all week about being so excited for Game 1 and burning all that energy too early — pregame warming, waiting for the game to start — and lo and behold, we get here and get a two-hour delay.”
Stoops said he was pleased with the Wildcats’ performance and that he thought they played “relatively clean.”
“Offensively, I really liked the way we were getting balance in the second quarter as we were getting more comfortable,” he said. “I liked seeing the run game start hitting and then we made some really tough catches, as well.”
One of the bright spots for Kentucky was transfer quarterback Brock Vandagriff, who threw three touchdowns and finished 12 of 18 for 169 yards in his Wildcats debut. He also gained 35 yards on five rushes.
“I thought Brock did a super job of just managing the game,” Stoops said. “First time starting like that in our stadium. I listen to (offensive coordinator Bush) Hamdan a lot, and the way he coaches, he does an excellent job but he talks to them about… a couple of times a game, you’re going to have to make plays with your legs. You’re going to have to make plays by extending it and throwing the ball.
“I thought he did an excellent job of making good decisions: pulling the ball down and scrambling for tough yards, buying time in the pocket to throw it, and then throwing it on time and in rhythm, as well. We hit some shots down the field as we were getting more plays. You guys heard me talk all offseason about getting into a rhythm and making plays, and you saw a glimpse of that today.”
For the most part, Kentucky’s defense looked sharp, holding Southern Miss to just 131 total yards. The unit forced two interceptions by Golden Eagles quarterback Tate Rodemaker, a Florida State transfer.
“The defense played pretty solid,” Stoops said. “I was frustrated giving up a 2nd-and-long play early in the game. That was frustrating, but they did a heck of a job getting the turnovers. They played a couple of situations really good.”
Stoops said the team’s overall performance was a quality effort, given the strange circumstances overshadowing Saturday’s game.
“There’s a lot to build from, but it’s a start,” he said. “What did we play, two quarters and five minutes, 10 minutes? Whatever it was, it’s a different situation, but we’ll make the most of it.”
“I’m proud of our guys, but we’ve got to get back to work. We’ve got a league game (against South Carolina) next week, so get some sleep. It’s late for these guys getting out of here. They’ve got to get home and try to get some sleep. I’m sure they’re going to go right home and get to bed, right?” Stoops jokingly asked.
Here’s everything the Wildcats’ coach said following the game.
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