Kentucky fired Mark Stoops after 13 seasons, following a second consecutive losing campaign for the program’s all-time wins leader, the school announced Monday. Per his contract, Stoops is owed his full $38 million buyout within 60 days of termination, which could make it one of the most expensive firings in college football history.
It’s a steep price to pay for a Kentucky athletic department that is all-in on men’s basketball and getting a late start on a coaching carousel that has been spinning for two months. But amid lopsided season-ending losses to Vanderbilt and Louisville, Stoops lost the goodwill he briefly regained in the first half of November.
“I want to thank Mark for his dedication and leadership over the past 13 years, and as importantly, the friendship that is marked by walking these journeys together,” Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart said in a statement. “His tenure transformed the program and reset expectations. His time here was filled with memorable victories, a historic run of consecutive bowl appearances, and a commitment to developing young men both on and off the field.”
Kentucky will conduct a national search for Stoops’ replacement and target “someone with proven coaching results and a vision for success for Kentucky,” Barnhart added.