Mark Stoops slid two places in CBS Sports' annual ranking of head football coaches

Over at CBSSports.com, the college football staff has spent a better part of the spring ranking all of the coaches throughout college football. Today, the list was widdled down to CBS’s Top 25 of Power Five head coaches, including Kentucky‘s own Mark Stoops among the best of the best as he prepares for his eleventh season.

Stoops came in at No. 18 in the new ranking, two spots behind his No. 16 ranking in this exercise last year. Stoops was No. 22 in 2021.

Read Tom Fornelli’s explanation of Stoops’ 2023 position below:

18. Mark Stoops: It’s a sign of the respect Stoops has garnered for what he’s done at Kentucky that he only dropped two spots after a step back last season. Not much went to plan for the Wildcats as a bad offensive line led to a struggle to reach 7-6. Seeing how things shake out in 2023 now that Tennessee is on an upward trajectory will be interesting.

CBSSports.com

Stoops’ spot makes him the sixth-best head coach in the Southeastern Conference in this study, behind Nick Saban (1), Kirby Smart (2), Brian Kelly (6), Lane Kiffin (14), and Josh Heupel (16). He’s two spots ahead of his old boss, Jimbo Fisher (20), who had a 15-spot drop from a year ago.

Stoops in other spring rankings

Last month, Pro Football Focus ranked Stoops at No. 18 in its ranking of head coaches. “The 7-6 record felt like a bit of a dud,” wrote Bruce Feldman.

Before that, Stuart Mandel ranked Stoops at No. 20 for The Athletic. “I recalibrated his ranking,” wrote Mandel, “seeing as he’s finished below .500 in the SEC three of the past four years.”

WATCH: Mark Stoops wraps up Kentucky’s spring practice

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