Kentucky Parts Ways with Head Coach Mark Stoops After 13 Seasons
Kentucky has parted ways with head football coach Mark Stoops, according to multiple sources familiar with the decision. The formal announcement is anticipated Monday, ending the tenure of the program’s longest-serving modern-era coach.
Stoops concluded his 13th season in Lexington with a 5–7 record, following a 4–8 campaign in 2024. Over his time with the Wildcats, the 58-year-old coach amassed a 72–80 overall record, or 82–80 including the later-vacated 10–win season in 2021. Despite the uneven final years, Stoops brought unprecedented stability to the program. Kentucky reached a bowl game every year from 2016 through 2023 and finished in the AP Top 20 twice.
However, momentum stalled over the past two seasons, prompting university leadership to make a change. Stoops was under contract through June 2031 and earned $9 million this year. His buyout—set at 75% of his remaining salary—will total approximately $37.7 million.
The decision comes on the heels of a difficult end to the season. Kentucky closed the year with a 41–0 loss to in-state rival Louisville on Saturday. When asked after the game whether he might step down, Stoops dismissed the idea outright, saying, “Like, I’m going to walk away? Are you kidding me? … Zero percent chance I walk.”
With the move now imminent, Kentucky will begin its search for a new head coach as the college football offseason begins to intensify.
