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Kentucky coach Mark Stoops made it clear after UK’s 35-14 loss at Georgia Saturday that a radio talk show report that he offered to take a reduced buyout to walk away from his coaching job last year was not true.
ESPN Radio’s Alan Cutler said on his show that after UK’s 4-8 season in 2024, Cutler told UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart he would take a reduced buyout to leave UK after 12 seasons..
“Sources are telling me that Mark Stoops went to Mitch Barnhart after the Tennessee game and said he wanted out and he would negotiate the buyout,” Cutler said on his show.
Kentucky would have to pay Stoops approximately $38 million if he were fired after the season, and would be required to make the payment almost immediately after his dismissal.
Lexington Herald-Leader writer Jon Hale asked Stoops about the report after Saturday’s UK game.
“I’d hate to give anything like that legs,” Stoops told Hale. “There’s zero … I told you last year. You guys can write or say anything you want about me, but I told you last year, there’s zero chance I’m walking away. You know what I mean? Zero.
“There’s no quit in me, so that’s unequivocally, 100 percent false. Anyone who says otherwise is lying.”
Cutler certainly will take exception to Stoops’ statement and defend his source without identifying who it is. Kentucky officials have denied the rumor, and two sources I trust have told me no way happened or that Stoops would walk away for a reduced buyout.
Stoops made it clear he had no more to say about the report when a media member wanted to ask about it again.
“I don’t want to address that crap anymore,” Stoops said.
He might not want to, but he’s going to have to keep addressing his future. He’s not beaten Georgia in 13 tries. Kentucky is 3-17 in its past 20 Power Conference games and has lost eight straight SEC games and 12 of its last 13.
Kentucky has gone 7-20 in conference games the last four seasons and 9-23 against power conference opponents in the last three years.
However, Stoops remains confident he can bring the winning back even if UK fans are much more doubtful.
“Listen, I’ve been there. We talked about those and knocking down some pegs, and moving up. I’ve been there and done that. It’s hard. You’ve got to have the right pieces in place,” Stoops said. “We’re not exactly where we want to be. We’re better than we’ve been in the recent past, but we’re still not where we want to be.”
18 Responses
He also said, "Got to go back to work." How many times have we heard that?
How many times will we hear it in the next 6 years.
“…better than we’ve been in the recent past…”
Based on what? Ugly situation that shows zero signs of improvement, resolution or change.
Stoops knows that nobody else wants him and he is not going to go anywhere as long as we keep on paying him that top 5 salary that only winning coaches should make.
Do a little research on this stupid contract.
I understand that 2031 expiration is effective today, but at the end of the season, as has been the case, the contract expiration date advanced a year upon completion of the current season UNLESS the AD Barnhart, takes affirmative action to prevent the additional year.
Thus far, this 1 year extension has automatically applied, year after year, and there is no reason to believe that will not be the case again this year.
Therefore, there is no end to this madness under such a contract. 2031 will become 2032 in 2026, and so the band marches onward. As the termination date advances, the calculation of the buyout amount adjusts again to about 75% of the remaining payments due under the contract.
Barnhart has done this to UK at least 2 times before. The first time is Tubby Smith right after Barnhart arrived. The second time is Calipari. Now it is Stoops.
Barnhart must go. Stoops and his entire staff must go.
Today is not soon enough.
May be wrong but I was under the impression that the auto incremental year was applicable after a 6 win season. Even I I’m correct that would amount to $9M for a lackadaisical season and a trip to the WeedWhacker Bowl. Oh, the humanity.
Paul, you may be right. I have not seen the contract. However, I have obtained information indicating it takes an action by Barnhart to avoid an automatic extension.
Barnhart is at the heart of this storm.
The big money dudes in the state need to pull some cash together and make sure they find Stoops SOMEWHERE to go. I really don't think this coaching staff believes, and I don't think this team believes. Every week it is the same thing. Has UK ever scored more than 14 pts in their existence? Look at all the Dogs yesterday that were able to fight and pull out the upsets. This team takes 1 step forward and 3 back. The OL did better protect and the QB shows some good promise but all other aspects tanked. I am even ready to send Mr. White and the rest of the coach staff packing.
Mark.. its over.
He knows its over. Give him his $40 million, and he will leave.
He may “negotiate” with Barnie and agree to leave if he gets &50 million & share a little of the extra with his co-negotiator.
It is my understanding that barnhart is not the only one to blame.im am almost certain the president of the university and the board of trustee's had the final say if the contract was finalized
Mark says he's stayin'. Suddenly that statement has become bad news.
Unfortunately every dollar we give Stoops to leave is a dollar we can’t spend to reconstruct the team ala Virginia. Catch 22.
Stoops' problem is that he doesn't know HOW to fix the problem, because he IS the problem.
When you rehire an OL coach that couldn't cut it with the best OL in the country and stabbed you in the back on the way out, you are showing just how desperate you are as a coach. But then, after that, you hire an OC that nobody was standing in line for and had the worst losing season at his previous school in recent history, you are once again showing how desperate and clueless you really are.
Stoops is the ONLY constant variable through all of his problems. He needs a mirror and a wake up call.
Stoops is still the most detached coach I have ever seen on the sideline. You can tell that he really doesn't have a clue what is going on or what he can to to reduce or reverse. You rarely see him talking to any coaches or players. On the other side brother Kirby never stops coaching and is always in somebody's face with good or bad play. I am determined to not listen to another pre/post game speech from him. We need to clean the dirt and smell out of the closet.
If he stays.. he will undo anything positive he's done in years gone by.
Exactly!
The question then is “ why isn’t there?” That’s your job and you’ve been here for over a decade. I’m tired of excuses! And I’m tired of the inability to get and keep good OC. That’s on you also. You have had good years no doubt but you have proven that you lack the ability to maintain. And you keep getting these top transfers that prove not to be top transfers. It’s like a broken record ( Cal was doing the exact same). But he had the decency to step away.
Sometimes you just have to admit that it’s time to move on.
You’re losing the fanbase more each year
Barnhart should resign also for these ridiculous contracts. That’s just stupid!!
We can absolutely get another coach that is better than Stoops.
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