Mark Stoops took UK to eight straight bowl games. (Vicky Graff Photo)
By KEITH TAYLOR, Kentucky Today
Kentucky has parted ways with football coach Mark Stoops the school officially announced Monday.
In a statement released by the university, Kentucky Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart said the school has “decided to go in a different direction at head coach.”
Barnhart said a search for the next coach is already underway and added that Stoops left the program in better shape than the one he inherited more than 13 years ago.
“We move forward committed to build upon the strong foundation that has been laid and to pursue excellence relentlessly,” he said. “We have begun a national search to identify the next leader of Kentucky football, someone with proven coaching results and a vision for success for Kentucky.”
Kentucky President Dr. Eli Capilouto agreed.
“It is critically important that we are competitive and successful in football,” he said. “That is our goal. It is our focus. We intend to be successful.”
The move comes after Kentucky ended the regular season with a 41-0 blowout loss to rival Louisville on Saturday, which followed a 45-17 loss to Vanderbilt in the Southeastern Conference finale two weeks ago.
Stoops is owed $37 million within 60 days of his dismissal, according to his contract. A negotiation would reportedly extend the allotted time frame of the buyout. Nothing was mentioned in the press release concerning that part of the deal.
Stoops is the team’s all-time winningest coach, with a 72-80 record. He guided the Wildcats to eight consecutive bowl appearances and four bowl wins from 2016 to 2023. Kentucky also won 10 games twice under Stoops, in 2018 and again in 2021. However, the NCAA later vacated those wins for violations involving football players being paid for hours they did not work at the university hospital in patient transport. An investigation found no evidence that Stoops knew of the rule violations.
Kentucky slumped to 4-8 in 2024 and 5-7 this season with back-to-back shattering losses to Vanderbilt and Louisville keeping them from becoming bowl eligible.
“Kentucky football is positioned for success,” Barnhart said. “We will continue to make the necessary investments to recruit an elite head coach, players and support staff. That includes fully funding revenue-sharing and NIL opportunities, providing state-of-the-art facilities and ensuring our student-athletes have every resource to thrive.”
After the loss to Louisville on Saturday, Stoops said there was “zero chance” he was walking away. But a meeting on Sunday had a different path for the longtime UK coach who has been on the hot seat much of the season.
In the release, Barnhart praised Stoops for his “dedication and leadership over the past 13 years,” along with a “friendship that is marked by walking these journeys together.
“His tenure transformed the program and reset expectations,” Barnhart said. “His time here was filled with memorable victories, a historic run of consecutive bowl appearances, and a commitment to developing young men on and off the field.”
The coaching search won’t involve former Kentucky linebacker and assistant coach Jon Sumrall, who was hired on Sunday to become the next coach at Florida. Sumrall, who has Tulane in line for a college playoff spot, was in the rumor mill most of the year as a potential replacement for Stoops.
Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein, a Kentucky native who played at Louisville but was a diehard Wildcat fan growing up in Louisville, is a leading candidate. The Ducks are preparing for the College Football Playoffs. Other candidates are expected to emerge this week due to a tight timeline for hiring a new coach.
Kentucky has no time to waste in putting together a roster before the transfer portal opens in January. Current UK players will have an additional 15-day window to enter the portal starting five days after the new coach is hired.
“Our mission is clear – to build a championship program for the people of Kentucky,” Barnhart said. “We embrace this moment with optimism and determination, confident that the next chapter will see Kentucky football reach new heights and achieve great success.”
3 Responses
The following is an excerpt from an article I saw concerning the search for the next head football coach for Kentucky:
According to Pete Nakos of On3, Stein and Hartline are the two names to watch for in Kentucky’s coaching search.
Both have Kentucky connections, and both are elite at what they do. Stein grew up in Kentucky, played for Trinity and then Louisville before starting his coaching career. Hartline’s brother Mike is a Kentucky grad and former starting QB. The similarities keep on going.
Both are young. Both are offensive coordinators at elite programs. But they offer two very different paths forward.
So, who would you rather have for Kentucky?
The case for Will Stein: The architect
Stein is the “X’s and O’s” savant. He is the guy who draws up plays that make other coaches jealous.
The Scheme: His offense at Oregon is averaging 36+ points per game. He adapts to his quarterback (Bo Nix, Dillon Gabriel, Dante Moore).
The Fit: He knows the state of Kentucky intimately. He understands the culture.
The Risk: He has never been a head coach and hasn’t had to recruit at an SEC level as the “face” of a program.
The case for Brian Hartline: The talent magnet
Hartline is the “Jimmy’s and Joe’s” king. He is widely considered one of the best recruiters in the nation.
The talent: Look at Ohio State’s wide receiver room to see the talent he has pulled. Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Garrett Wilson. Hartline got them all.
The ceiling: In the SEC, talent acquisition is 90% of the battle. Hartline closes the gap with Georgia and Alabama on Signing Day.
The risk: He is newer to play-calling than Stein. Can he manage the whole game and the staff while also being the lead recruiter?
If you want to win games immediately with scheme, you hire Stein. If you want to potentially win championships eventually with elite talent, you hire Hartline. That is not to say Hartline is a bad strategist or that Stein can’t recruit; neither of those statements is true, but they both have specialties.
Either would be a step up for Kentucky, but I think Hartline would bring more talent to us.
Stein has be hire as the next coach.
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