Mark Stoops has become the latest college football head coach to joining the coaching carousel after being fired on Monday.
The University of Kentucky has dismissed the the Southeastern Conference’s longest-tenured coach following a 41-0 defeat to bitter rival Louisville in Saturday’s final game of the season.
The loss rounded out a 5-7 record for the Wildcats this season, which marked back-to-back losing records after they finished 4-8 in 2024, and it appeared to be the final nail in the coffin for Stoops.
Athletic director Mitch Barnhart confirmed the decision in a statement shared on Monday morning.
Barnhart said that he informed Stoops they decided to go in a new direction and started a national search for his replacement.
‘We will continue to make the necessary investments to recruit an elite head coach, players, and support staff,’ Barnhart said.
The University of Kentucky has dismissed football head coach Mark Stoops (pictured)
‘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.’
Kentucky decided to bite the bullet, despite owing the 58-year-old an eye-watering $37.7million buyout.
The coach was signed through to June 2031, earning $9million this year, and is still owned 75 percent of his salary, which equates to the staggering sum, according to ESPN.
The buyout falls within the top five buyouts in college football history, four of which have come this year: Brian Kelly’s $54m; James Franklin’s $49m; and Jonathan Smith’s $33m.
Franklin’s payout from Penn State was later reduced as a result of him taking the job at Virginia Tech.
Stoops leaves Kentucky as the winningest coach in the school’s history. He had been at the helm at Kentucky for 13 seasons, going 82-20 in that time.
He steered the team to bowl games every season from 2016 to 2023 and twice finished in the AP top 20.
More to follow.