Kentucky focused on having a different mindset after last season's results

After an abysmal 4-8 season that followed a 2023 season with lots of inconsistencies, Mark Stoops is trying to get his program back on track, and that includes the culture, which has been slipping recently. This season, Kentucky is bringing in over 50 new faces, with plenty of incoming freshman as well as some transfers that will play a big role on the team.

Last season, Kentucky's mindset seemed to have gotten smacked in the mouth after their early-season loss to South Carolina, where the Wildcats ended up losing in embarrassing fashion, 31-6. Kentucky then played #1 Georgia very close, just falling short. But then, the Wildcats were able to still a road win over top 15 Ole Miss. Just when the optimism was returning, it was quickly sucked out after the Wildcats then lost four straight. The team's attitude and mindset was never the same following that stretch. That called the need for Stoops to make a change in the culture and get back to what he built at Kentucky.

Mark Stoops talked about Kentucky's shift in mindset this off-season. Safe to say he feels pretty good about how his team has been handling business in practice. The head coach feels he has a good blend of young and veteran talent, and he knows his veteran players can provide leadership for the younger guys.

"We have some young guys that are very talented, that are very good people, good players, and then we have a lot of experience," Stoops said on his call-in radio show Monday. "I think we've got guys that are returning that are really good leaders and good people, and then we have good additions of some transfer portal guys that are experienced, played a lot of football, and it's very business-like. I think these guys like being around each other. The coaches like being around them. It's been a lot of good, positive energy in the building, and the players are are fun to coach."

After the last few years, Stoops knows it's important to get all of his players on the same page. The head coach feels the team is in a good spot when it comes to building chemistry.

"(I'm) very pleased, very happy with the way things are going that way. As I mentioned, I think this team really likes being around each other," Stoops said. "The guys that are older are very focused, the same with the young players. They've been great mentors to the younger players. They're following their lead. And as I mentioned, it's very business like, great approach, but they do care about each other, and they're very unselfish."

Stoops also mentioned the team even went on a retreat this summer to get everyone incorporated with each other. Heading into the first game, it feels like this team is much more dialed in and disciplined after what happened last season.