Spring practice has been quiet in the past, mostly due to apathy. Since Mark Stoops arrived four years ago, spring football personified the season. Optimism filled the air like pollen, creating unsubstantiated expectations that created plenty of noise, but would slowly turn into a nuisance.
In his first year, more than 50,000 fans showed Stoops they cared about the football program. Just hearing Stoops’ rhetoric brought fans in droves. They knew there wasn’t much to see, but it was enlightening to hear hope from the head football coach.
The following year, fans received their favorite spring football storyline: two Kentucky kids battling to be the starting quarterback.