Mark Stoops makes Top 20 of Pro Football Focus' Coach Rankings

Mark Stoops is one of the top 20 coaches in college football in the eyes of another media outlet. Pro Football Focus’ Max Chadwick released his ranking of the Top 25 coaches in the sport and Stoops is No. 18, just behind Texas A&M’s Jimbo Fisher and ahead of Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy. In his blurb about Stoops, Chadwick (probably unknowingly) mentions the basketball vs. football school debate.

“Normally a basketball school, Stoops has made Kentucky a very respectable football program. Over the last five years, the Wildcats have had two 10-win seasons. Kentucky hadn’t accomplished that since 1977.”

You probably guessed this, but Nick Saban is No. 1 in the rankings, followed by Kirby Smart and Jim Harbaugh. All in all, there are seven SEC coaches in the Top 25, the most from any conference because it just means more.

• 1. Nick Saban (Alabama)
• 2. Kirby Smart (Georgia)
• 6. Brian Kelly (LSU)
• 11. Josh Heupel (Tennessee)
• 13. Lane Kiffin (Ole Miss)
• 17. Jimbo Fisher (Texas A&M)
• 18. Mark Stoops (Kentucky)

Last month, Bruce Feldman and Stewart Mandel posted their Top 25 coach rankings and Stoops also made the cut, coming in at No. 18 on Feldman’s list and No. 20 on Mandel’s. That’s lower than where he was in last year’s rankings, but Feldman is confident that Stoops has set Kentucky up for success in 2023.

“The 7-6 record felt like a bit of a dud,” wrote Feldman of Kentucky’s 2022 campaign. “Stoops’ choice to replace OC Liam Coen with another NFL guy, Rich Scangarello, did not work, but Coen is back in Lexington to run the offense. Stoops’ record over his past five seasons is 40-23 and he’s proven to be excellent at developing talent.”

Time to climb into the Top 15, Stoops.