Mark Stoops confirms decision to stay at Kentucky

It’s been a wild Saturday night for Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops. There were several rumors on the internet that he was leaving the Wildcats to become the next head coach of the Texas A&M Aggies.

However, things didn’t come to fruition on late Saturday evening and in the early hours of Sunday morning, Stoops himself confirmed his decision to stay as the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats.

I know there’s been much speculation about me and my job situation the last couple of days. It’s true I was contacted about a potential opportunity this weekend, but after celebrating a big win against our rivals with players I love like family, I knew in my heart I couldn’t…

— Mark Stoops (@UKCoachStoops) November 26, 2023

“I know there’s been much speculation about me and my job situation the last couple of days.” Stoops wrote in his statement on Twitter in the early morning hours of Sunday morning. “It’s true I was contacted about a potential opportunity this weekend, but after celebrating a big win against our rivals with players I love like family, I knew in my heart I couldn’t leave the University of Kentucky right now. I have a great job at a place I love, and I get to work with the best administration and greatest fan base in college football right where I’m at. I’m excited to say I’m a Wildcat!”

Stoops has an excellent situation at Kentucky. His contract currently runs through 2030 and pays an average of $9 million annually. The deal is 75 percent guaranteed. The Wildcats currently have a 7-5 overall record this year, after they defeated in-state rival Louisville, 38-31.

Mark Stoops has done an excellent job of building UK

He’s done a fantastic job with the Kentucky Wildcats program over the years. He guided Kentucky to four straight bowl wins from 2019-2022–the first time in school history that’s ever been accomplished. In 2018, he even brought Kentucky their first 10-win season since 1977. Following that season, he earned SEC Coach of the Year honors. Stoops also led the program to 10 wins again in 2021, the second time in four years.

Kentucky went 2-10 in his first season as their head coach. And slowly but surely, he’s been able to build the Wildcats back to prominence. He was first hired as the head man there, back in late November of 2012.

Stoops has had several different coaching stints across the college landscape including Wyoming, Houston, Miami (Florida), Arizona, Florida State, and now, Kentucky.

During his playing days, Stoops played in the secondary at Iowa under Hall of Fame coach, Hayden Fry. He played in four bowl games in his college playing career with the Hawkeyes. Eventually, Fry went on to hire Stoops as a graduate assistant during the 1990 and 1991 seasons.