Below is everything Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops said following the Wildcats ' 26-13 victory over No. 25 Louisville on Saturday in Lexington:Kentucky 26, Louisville 13 MARK STOOPS: Just really appreciate our football team and their effort and their competitive spirit, competitive nature they've had, you know, these past couple weeks. We all know, again, not going back wanting to be a downer, we had some ups and downs, but most people do. Just about everybody in the country with the exception Mike McGlinchey Jersey of maybe one or two teams. So, you're going to have some adversity, and our team responded how I believed they would. This game is important. I've recognized that from the moment I walked in the door when we had a long way together and they were consistent top 10 team or Top 5 at the time or whatever it was when Charlie (Strong) had them rolling. So, I know it's important to this state, important to or football players and our staff, and I just really appreciate the way they dug in and competed and finished the season. It's challenging, and our team responded the way I had hoped. Felt like we did some really good things in the first half. Penalties were one thing that kind of crept up on us a little bit. Made a few penalties that stalled some things. Overall, played really solid defense. I think giving up the touchdown at the end of the first half was a big response to go into halftime and come out in the second half and hold them to a three and out and get good Mike Person Jersey field position kind of set the tone for the third quarter and put us in pretty good position to feel like you had pretty good control. I know nothing was completely out of hand or anything, but we felt like we were in pretty good control at that moment and defensively had some big stops. Offensively was very effective moving the ball. Was good to see us have that physicality in the run game, late in the game, getting the long drive, even though didn't end up with any points. From a backed up position, physical, returning the ball, killing some clock and punting it and knocking them out at the one. The field goal, how about that? It was great to see Ruff (Matt Ruffolo) finish that way, and the holders and the snappers, the whole crew. Special teams really responded. So, it was a total team effort and good to get that victory. Q. Mark, do you feel like you finished this game as well as you finished the first game of the season? MARK STOOPS: You know, my mind is a million places. I can't really even think about the first game of the season to be honest with you right now. I'll think about it later. Q. Both DeAndre (Square) and Jacquez (Jones) made big plays early. What does it say about those guys that they even came back today? Nobody would've faulted them. MARK STOOPS: That's who they are. That's who they are. You're right, couldn't fault them. The other guys were playing well. But it means something to them, K'Waun Williams Jersey it means something to our team, so them being out there and coaching the guys when they weren't able to play, you know, coming back and fighting through it today, means a lot. It's just who they are. It's the character, and that needs to carry on with the younger guys in our program. Q. A lot of people wouldn't have blamed you if you just scrapped the kicking game the last few weeks? Matt came out there and performed well. Were you ever worried that he might just be done for the year kind of deal? MARK STOOPS: No, but I think I acknowledged that things happen. I mean, I made the golfing analogy, what, a week ago. I understand. Things happen. I mean, to act like you're not immune to anything or any pre sure or when things go wrong, that's human nature. I had confidence in him, the team did, and I treated him like we always did. He mi sed a kick or two. It's a snap, it's a hold, it's laces. There is a lot of things that go into it. As I mentioned many times throughout the year, was I concerned? Yeah, I was concerned, and we worked on it. But we had to stay the course and go with the best option we had, and he kicked it really solid tonight. Really good snaps, really good holds, and really good kicks from where I was. You guys could probably see on the TV, but they looked pretty darn good, pretty high. Q. (Regarding Louisville causing turnovers.) You didn't turn the ball over. How big was that? MARK STOOPS: Yeah, I think it was very big, Y.A. Tittle Jersey really big. You know, I think it says a lot to our guys and the way we finished there. We had good balance certainly early, and so turnovers were big. Q. On how it feels to win. MARK STOOPS: Better than losing. Q. (About Will Levis) There has been a lot of talk, this is his last game in a Kentucky uniform. What has he meant to this program, especially his toughne s that he showed this year fighting through injuries and just all those things? MARK STOOPS: Yeah, I don't know whether it is or not. We'll have some talks and see where he is at. You know, hard to put in the words what he's meant to us, just his, again, toughne s, leadership, you know, battling through adversity, having -- coming here and having a great year and going through an offensive coordinator change and getting beat up and having a year where he wasn't at a 100%. He fought through it. He's a true profe sional. He set the tone for us here. We absolutely love him, whether it's his last game or plays one more. I think the world of him, and love what he's done for us and don't want anything but the best for him and his future. Q. You guys have been able to generate a lot of pre sure this year, but haven't quite gotten to the quarterback. How big was that? MARK STOOPS: Yeah, I thought it was very big, the strip sack, the pre sure, making it uneasy on them early. I think got a sack the second play; I thought that was big, just kind of setting the tone there. I thought just again, they were very solid attacking. Not perfect. We had some plays in there that we would always like to have over defensively, but overall played extremely hard once again. Q. Mark, how do you prepare for the postseason? MARK STOOPS: Yeah, right now our guys need a little time. They put this week in here -- this week normally would be on the road recruiting tomorrow and then put this few days of a dead period in there to kind of -- the idea being to regroup with your team and see where it is with the portal and everything, with the change and the transition and your own team. So, we got to have some meetings with our players. The players need some time to heal up. Again, I don't mean to be disrespectful. That's the last thing I'm worried about right now is who we're playing. I'm grateful for this Mitch Wishnowsky Jersey victory. I feel like our team emptied the tank once again, and that's all you can ask. Right now they need a little bit time of fill that back up. Scroll to ContinueQ. Chris (Rodriguez)'s days are numbered in the ba