Gators still an ‘elephant’ for Kentucky coach Stoops

ATLANTA — The location of the Southeastern Conference’s annual Media Days may change, but the topic doesn’t for Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops.

Stoops has steadily led the Wildcats back to respectability with records of 2-10, 5-7, 5-7, 7-6 and 7-6 during his five seasons in Lexington, but he hasn’t been able to stop the longest active losing streak to another Bowl Subdivision opponent. He inherited a 26-game skid against Florida, and that number has swelled to 31 entering this year’s Sept. 8 showdown in Gainesville.

So, Coach, how important would it be to finally get over the hump against the Gators?

“I always look forward to that annual question here,” Stoops said Monday. “I’m going to get it a thousand times between now and that game. My answer the first three or four years was that I really wasn’t concerned about it. I’m trying to build a culture at Kentucky and win games and get in position, but you do hear it.

“You can’t hide from the elephant in the room. It’s been a long time. We need to beat Florida, but we need to beat a lot of teams on our schedule.”

Kentucky’s last win over Florida was a 10-3 triumph at Lexington in 1986. The Wildcats lost 36-30 in triple-overtime at the Swamp in 2014, and last season’s heartbreak occurred via a 28-27 count in Commonwealth Stadium.

Florida won just four games last season and four games in 2013, but the Wildcats couldn’t capitalize either year.

“It is what it is,” Stoops said. “We’ll go down there and play them early in the year at the Swamp. We all know it’s a very tough environment.”

A recruiting roll

Texas A&M is thriving on the recruiting trail under first-year coach Jimbo Fisher.

The Aggies have 21 commitments for the 2019 recruiting cycle and rank second nationally behind Alabama in the 247Sports.com team rankings.

“I think it’s the direction which we’re going and the way we believe and why we can have success,” Fisher said. “It’s a whole comprehensive package. When you get to Texas A&M and see the academic success it has, the commitment from the university as far as facilities, the success in which our staff has had at previous stops and then playing in the best league in college football, it makes it very easy to recruit to.

“Our staff has done a heck of a job, and also our players.”

Junior running back Trayveon Williams is taking pride in Texas A&M’s success on the recruiting front.

“With recruiting, it’s not just about the coaches but the players,” Williams said. “These are going to be the players that we ultimately play with. Whenever recruits come to town, the coaches like for us to mingle with them to find out what kind of guys they are. “We’ve got some great guys.” Texas A&M landed the No. 5 signing class in February 2014, which was highlighted by defensive end Myles Garrett, quarterback Kyle Allen and receiver Speedy Noil, but the Aggies have finished outside the top 10 the past four years.

McClendon picks UGA

Georgia picked up its 12th football commitment and its seventh in-state commitment for the 2019 signing class Monday — from Brunswick offensive lineman Warren McClendon. The 6-foot-4, 304-pounder is rated by 247Sports.com as the nation’s No. 26 tackle and the No. 242 prospect overall.

The four-star prospect visited Florida and South Carolina this past spring.

Odds and ends

Kentucky junior running back Benny Snell, who rushed for 1,333 yards last season: “I am the best running back in the SEC.” … SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said Monday that he would be open in the future to an “availability report” that would result in schools having to make public injuries and suspensions, but he doesn’t believe that needs to be in place this year. … LSU junior defensive end Rashard Lawrence on the intensity of the Florida rivalry: “I think it’s probably the highest it’s ever been.” … Sankey boasted in his opening remarks that all 14 SEC men’s golf programs received invitations to the NCAA tournament, as did all 13 softball programs (Vanderbilt does not field a softball team).

Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-7576524.