Mitch Barnhart (UK Athletics Photo)
Kentucky ends a disappointing football season Saturday when it hosts rival Louisville.
While there has been some speculation about coach Mark Stoops’ future at UK, it seems almost certain the plan is for him to be back based on what Kentucky athletics director Mitch Barnhart said during an appearance on BBN Tonight on WLEX-TV.
“He’s done such a really, really good job of just sort of establishing a foundation for us. In this new environment that we’re in, you have an opportunity to get back to where you want to be pretty quickly,” Barnhart said on BBN Tonight. “The rosters change, and that’s happening everywhere.
“You’re going to have 20 to 30 young people on every roster moving around. The movement is certainly going to be a lot on everybody’s roster.
“He and his staff are working hard at that, and in trying to also get ready for next year’s. They’ve got to be thinking about that now, and they’re doing a great job of that, and we will be there to help them and make sure that we give them the foundational pieces they need to build for next year.”
Barnhart said there is a “lot of work to do” because UK wants to be in conversations for the College Football Playoff and bowl games.
“We’ve got to rebuild, reload, and all that and be ready to go for next year. But that’s the process. It all starts this weekend as we begin to again, let some of our players begin to take shape for what they do in the offseason,” Barnhart said.
Stoops reversed course earlier this week when he said UK is positioned well in the NIL battle and he did not complain about the role he had to play in fundraising.
“We went through a season that we were close on so many fronts. And I tell people all the time, every game is about five to six plays. You’ve got to win your version of those five to six to eight plays, and some of the games we were able to do that, and some of the games we weren’t. So we’ve got to win our share of those games,” said Barnhart.
“How do you do that? With everyone investing in it and making sure that we’ve given proper support, we’ve got proper work ethic and all those things going on, and we get to a spot where we have a chance to be who we want to be, and that’s everyone’s goal.”
Barnhart said fans have been “unbelievably supportive” filling up Kroger Field and traveling to road games.
“Just want to make sure that for everybody involved — players, fans, coaches — that we are able to go out and do the best we can to represent the BBN,” Barnhart said.
7 Responses
The only ones speculating about Stoops return are those that like to stir up crap and don’t have any ideal what’s really going on. Stoops Troops!
Marrow just tweeted, the most important position in football, is olinemen
You can’t diminish what Coach Stoops has accomplished. But you need to remember the old adage – “ the only constant is change “. If there is such a thing/person that is a portal/ NIL expert he/she needs to be added to the staff – quickly.
Stoops has done a good job at Kentucky. Not a great job but a good job. I think Spurrier was correct. He has changed the culture at Kentucky. Before we would be stoked about 6 wins. Now its a disappointment. Because of Stoops we have this standard now and I appreciate that. I also appreciate all the good memories he has created. I also think he needs another year to right this ship. If we don’t make it to a bowl game next year he should be fired. If we go 6-6 or 7-5 next year that will be a good sign with a redshirt freshman quarterback and a sophomore running back and some good young receivers we have in the program and coming in. I think back to back non bowl games after being here for 13 years next year should get you fired. Especially making 9 million a year. If we improve from this year next year then the future looks promising because we will have a young team next year. There is absolutely no excuse for how bad we are this year with the experience and talent we have. Stoops needs to also coach better. We are a very bad disciplined team. Penalties and constant stupid mistakes is a reflection of the coach plus countless injuries. We look badly conditioned as well. Get it right or get fired.
Stoops needs to figure out some kind of offensive IDENTITY–an offensive philosophy, figure out some sort of answer with an OC who will come to KY to stay and help find an identity and philosophy–figure out and establish an offensive CULTURE. Stoops needs to get back to the culture of establishing your identity in the trenches, commit to being physical, being tough, nasty, commit to recruiting the OLINE and continue with John Schlarman’s culture here. Build the offense from the aspect of having a tough, physical OLINE, and at least one established running back who can be physical, hit the holes, run thru contact, run AFTER contact, and take the hits. That much of the offense did at least used to work here up until the last few years. It seems ever since Schlarman died all of that culture and identity died with him. Up until 2022, it was only the passing game that they were trying to get improved and make a new commitment to–but now it’s ALL OF THE OFFENSE. that’s why they have taken such a significant step back overall–it took a really deep dive last year, and if not for Ray Davis, last year’s team wouldn’t have seen a bowl game either. Devin Leary was TERRIBLE at QB, but whats so alarming is Brock makes Leary look pretty decent! Stoops has GOT to figure out something with the passing game–this has always been a problem his entire career here–the same problems with multiple QBs and multiple OCs—When, Stoops? When r u going to establish a passing game at KY? U have one of the best individual offensive all-purpose players in the country in Barion Brown, and he doesnt even get the ball thrown to him, he’s like a non-factor in the offense. Absolutely no excuse in the world for that. Any other coach in the country, even if they didnt have a great team, would figure out a way to make Brown at least an all-conference player, if not All-American—everybody but Stoops. That alone idk how he can defend. But there are so many other problems. Atrocious QB play for years with the exception of Will Levis. Years and years of multiple receivers never being able to get open, never being able to get separation from the defenders, confusion and miscommunication on route-running between QB and WR–I mean, it’s just ungodly bad for so long. Stoops has never been able to put together an offense that could just put drives together, move the ball down the field, keep the chains moving, throw the short-to-intermediate passes—just being able to execute the BASICS! I don’t understand why the only semblance of a passing offense under Stoops is throwing 40-50 yard bombs down the field out of nowhere when u can’t even execute a 10-yd pass! And still never getting the tight ends involved in the passing game. This is why people get tired of listening to him talk, and tire of hearing him ramble on thru the same ol coachspeak–its just meaningless blather when it’s all said and done. Stoops has now become the football CAL unfortunately–he has taken CAL’s place in the spot of the coach in LEX that everybody wants gone. Well, not EVERYBODY —but ALOT of people want him gone. I guess, as I said with CAL, based on what Stoops has accomplished here, I guess he deserves one more year to try to right the ship. I, for one, am over him, because I think in 13 years, we have gotten the memo from Stoops on the passing game and the offense in general. To be having the deep, deep issues that we have after all of that time, it’s time for a major change with that football program. We can’t even score any points, or touchdowns—averaging like 12 pts a game–thats one TD and two FGs a game–and u aren’t going to win ANY GAMES IN THE SEC with numbers like that. We won ONE this year–an upset road win over a ranked team on a fluke pass play on 4th and 8 from our own 20-yd line that Stoops elects to punt on 99 times out of 100. The realities of playing in the SEC have come home to roost this year for this KY FB program after two subpar seasons in a row that were a big fall-down from the run this program had from 2018 to 2021. It’s time Stoops start being held to the level of accountability that all other SEC coaches are. The other SEC coaches’ jobs are on the line every single week every single year, but not ours. Our coach gets to operate with no consequences as to his team’s performance and their won-loss record. It’s honestly unfair, especially to the fans. No accountability. U are getting paid big-boy money to produce little-boy results. After 13 years at KY, we don’t ask for 10 wins every year, but we DO EXPECT BETTER THAN 4-8!!!! WE EXPECT A MINIMUM of 6 to 7 wins and CELEBRATE if we are fortunate enough to end up with 9 or 10 wins!! As fans, we don’t ask for much from our football program. But maybe that’s part of the problem. Maybe it’s time we start asking for more! I think Stoops has somewhat taken advantage of us the fans in that regard–like only expecting the bare minimjms so he only tries to accomplish the bare minimums, yet he has the gall to tell us to "PONY UP"! NO, YOU need to PONY UP, STOOPS! The losses to Missouri at home last year and SCAR this year were clear reflections of the shape this FB program is in, and not just the losses themselves, but the performances in those games, and the attitudes and lack of discipline that existed in those games were real indicators of the problems that exist. And that overall SEC home record that dates back to the TN game in 2021 is the statistic that screams the loudest about the issues. 3-10 I believe it is over the last 13 SEC home games. Even Vandy has put on its big-boy britches this year when it comes to trying to utilize the transfer portal and the NIL to start competing on an even playing field in the SEC, and WINNING in the SEC! Vandy now has a better QB and better team than we do, and they proved that on OCT 12th. I think Stoops’ 14th season at KY will be alot like CAL’s 15th season at KY. The fans are going to be putting everything about Stoops’ career and legacy here on what happens next season with recruiting, with player development, with performance, with coaching, with game results, with team attitude and discipline—its all going to be on the line. It’s do-or-die time for Stoops next year. Anything less than back to a minimum of 6 wins and a bowl berth will not suffice–at least not with the fans. I wish I could say I knew it wouldn’t suffice with the administration, but they operate in a bubble world of their own. Our reality does not match theirs, nor do they care about our reality. I have said ever since last year that Stoops, with as much trouble as he has with developing QBs and establishing a passing game, should just go back to the old Eddie Gran/Lynn Bowden offense from 2019—find an athlete who can play and run at QB, and surround him with strong running backs, strong OLINEMEN and tight ends, and just go ground-game all the way, put some option play in the package–play to the strengths that u have established in the past that u can succeed with offensively, the linemen and tight ends have always been better at run-blocking than pass-blocking, and that style plays into the philosophy that Stoops has instilled here anyway, and that he believes in, so why not establish a system offensively that plays into your personal system and that u have succeeded with, given that u have struggled so mightily to find an offensive identity at KY…….
Barnhart is preaching about closing the barn doors AFTER the horses have already run off!
What an asswhooping! Our No. 10 in the nation rated run defense folded like a lawn chair! Can anyone say point shaving?