Mark Stoops respects the basketball tradition at Kentucky. (Vicky Graff Photo)
For the first time that I can ever remember, UK football media day(s) will have a different format this year.
Instead of the traditional format where the head coach and coordinators address media members and take questions before players are made available for interviews, this year coach Mark Stoops will address the media on Monday at 10 a.m. at Kroger Field before speaking at the Lexington Kick Off Luncheon at 11:30 at the stadium.
Four days later on Friday, Aug. 1, coordinators Bush Hamdan and Brad White will address the media with player interviews to follow. However, before Hamdan and White speak, UK athletics director Mitch Barnhart will talk to the media for 20 minutes. While Barnhart has occasionally spoken at media day, it has not happened often.
With rumors about the potential revenue split and how much money UK basketball and UK football will be receiving, it’s likely that will be Barnhart’s first time to address what will happen and likely will take up most — or maybe all — of his time with the media.
Stoops was on ESPN Radio’s “Unsportsmanlike with Evan, Canty and Michelle” Wednesday and was asked by Evan Cohen if he thought football or basketball programs opposite of a blue blood program are the best jobs in college sports knowing that might ignite Stoops after the dust-up he had with UK coach John Calipari a few years ago.
Instead, Stoops was very diplomatic and honest.
“Well, I’m not going to agree with you. That’s your theory and you can certainly say that. I can’t say that. The basketball, the history of this place is remarkable. Traditionally, heck, we’re top one, two, basketball tradition forever. We need to stay there. Everybody knows that. Everybody roots for that,” Stoops said.
If basketball was going to get revenue-sharing money from UK that would take away from the football program, it would not seem like Stoops would be so congenial. But he was also that way at last week’s SEC Media Days when he avoided any type of controversy with the basketball program — which was probably smart after UK’s 4-8 finish in 2024.
“For myself, there’s good and bad with every job,” Stoops said. “To the start of your point, when you said the best job you have, to me I look at it is the best job is the one I have, and I mean that. I love my job.”
Stoops brought up just like he did at SEC Media Days that he is “grateful” for the job he has.
“You go through ups and downs. This has been a challenge for everybody the last two or three years. Last three years in particular. It’s been a real challenge for head coaches at every school,” Stoops said. “We all have our obstacles, and we all have our good. I think it’s up to us to embrace that.”
Stoops has remained relatively quiet all summer and so have his assistant coaches and players. He was careful again Wednesday on ESPN Radio not to rock the boat.
“I love the resources that I have here. The support that I’ve had here. The fan base that I’ve had here. I think that makes it a lot of fun,” Stoops said. “You feel a great obligation to deliver for the people that have been so good to you. That’s kind of what I’m focused on.
“I didn’t like the year we had a year ago. I have a lot of work to do, but let’s embrace that challenge. Let’s go to work every day and let’s put a great product on the field that people in Kentucky are proud of.”
7 Responses
Stoops needs to understand that he is on a very hot seat. Fans aren't going to rally to support him unless he gets back to winning 8 to 10 games a year…starting this year! He can't expect the University to dole out more funds either…not into the dry hole that he has dug.
Yes, we don't need to keep hearing how motivated Stoops is this year or how positively political he has been this year, but we do need to see production on the field. This team needs to bowl qualify or Stoops needs to be bought out.
Ky football hasn't won 8-10 games in a year but a handful of times in its 135 years of existence. Stoops has done it better than any coach ever. Now all the "fans" demand it. Bunch of delusional people. Stoops shouldn't have raised the expectations by winning so much. If he had went to a bowl every other year and won it every other time he went, fans would be happy. That would have been way better than when he got there.
I think coach stoops is an awesome coach and that nil is probably the best thing to happen for the Kentucky football program. It allows the coaching staff to really go out there and find the talent that is needed for the SEC, it's a gauntlet in the SEC. And it takes great coaching and great talent to compete in this league. Now that he has all the resources available to get the program back up to power it's time to put up or shut up.
We'll see what kind of product Stoops puts on the field this season. With all the Portal recruiting hype, it has be better than last year. That said, I think the sport is starting to die. NIL has fallen right into the hands of the Big 10. Still more big time Corp. sponsors up north than down south. If that truly pans out, the SEC will eventually have to back away from the current agreement and form its own league which will spit TV revenues and take value away from everyone. Secondly the product is currently at risk for being overexposed in most TV markets. Who wants to see Jackson State go up against Ohio State.
It's sort of like late night comedy since Johnny Carson retired. To many, to not so funny and in the end just a political show. The people who can make money from College football will make a lot and then move on leaving a lot of unused stadiums in the wake.
Stoops goes to EIGHT straight bowls and misses one. Now it's FIRE HIM!! Idiots!
That's what's I think Jimmy. I guess they want hire Joker back!