Mark Stoops is in the mix for Texas A&M head coaching vacancy

Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops is a candidate for the most prominent head coaching vacancy in college football.

Kentucky Sports Radio first learned of Stoops’ connection to the Texas A&M head coaching position on Thursday. Overnight Friday Billy Liucci of TexAgs.com shared that Mark Stoops is a “name I’ve been hearing a lot” over the last few days.

That has been amplified in the hours leading into the final regular season Saturday in college football. The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman, the coaching carousel’s primary inside source, added Stoops to his short list of candidates at Texas A&M. Nicole Auerbach echoed that sentiment, adding that Mark Stoops is a “name to watch.”

The other names involved in the Texas A&M coaching search start with Duke head coach Mike Elko, a former A&M defensive coordinator. Kansas head coach Lance Leipold and Kansas State’s Chris Klieman are also on the short list. The wild card is Ryan Day. The Aggies are expected to make a push if the Ohio State head coach loses The Game to Michigan on Saturday.

UPDATE: Pete Thamel also reported that Mark Stoops is a top candidate for the Texas A&M job on College Gameday.

“One name that’s expected to emerge in the next 24 hours is Kentucky coach Mark Stoops,” Thamel said. “He coaches a rivalry game against Louisville today and the next 24 hours will be critical for his candidacy.”

Latest of the search at Texas A&M, which wants to hire a coach by the end of the weekend. ⁦@CollegeGameDay⁩. pic.twitter.com/YXfZdNEP3P

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 25, 2023

Matt Fortuna is also echoing that buzz.

ICYMI last night: Keep an eye on Mark Stoops and Texas A&M

⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️ https://t.co/Wh9SvwhVTX

— Matt Fortuna (@Matt_Fortuna) November 25, 2023

Why this Mark Stoops report is different

This is not the first time Mark Stoops’ name has been mentioned in coaching searches. What’s different about this one is the source of the information. When Florida State and LSU had openings, his side was lobbying for the position through back channels via local media. All of the information this time has been leaked from the Texas A&M side, which leads me to believe this isn’t just a coach putting his name in the mix to benefit his own bottom line.

While the folks I’ve talked to in Bryan College Station believe this is a real possibility, there’s one thing that’s hard to look past: Mark Stoops is a Jimbo Fisher disciple. His most recent job outside of Lexington was working alongside the guy they just paid $76 million to walk away. If they’re looking for a clean slate, this doesn’t make much sense.

Regardless of the outcome in Saturday’s Governor’s Cup, the next six weeks will be eventful. From the coaching carousel to the transfer portal, subscribe to KSR+ to make sure you don’t miss a thing.

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