Kentucky coach Mark Stoops made it crystal clear he’s not going anywhere. After his team’s crushing 41-0 loss to Louisville on Saturday, reporters asked if he might resign. His answer was quick and firm: there’s a “zero percent chance” he’s stepping down.
“Like, I’m going to walk away? Are you kidding me?” Stoops said, according to ESPN. He told reporters the idea of leaving was completely off the table. “Zero percent chance I walk,” he added.
It’s easy to see why people asked. The shutout loss to their in-state rival was a painful way to end the season. It also marked Kentucky’s second straight losing season. The Wildcats finished 5-7 this year after going 4-8 in 2024. For a program that expects better, two losing seasons in a row is hard to take.
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Stoops has earned some trust during his time at Kentucky
This is Stoops’ 13th season leading the Wildcats. The 58-year-old coach now has an overall record of 72-80. While the last two years have been rough, he’s had some major wins. He led Kentucky to 10-win seasons in both 2018 and 2021. Those kinds of results are rare for Kentucky football, and they buy a coach some goodwill when times get tough.
Stoops believes he still has plenty to offer, but his contract makes things complicated. He’s signed through June 2031 and makes $9 million this year. If Kentucky wanted to fire him without cause, they’d owe him 75% of what’s left on his deal. That adds up to about $37.7 million.
That’s a massive buyout, one of the biggest in college football. It explains why the school would think twice about making a change, even after two bad seasons. Fans aren’t the only ones feeling the heat after disappointing losses, as Liverpool supporters recently turned on their defender following a humiliating defeat. No matter how frustrated fans get, that number gives Stoops serious job security.
Stoops knows the final call isn’t totally up to him. “I’m going to be here as far as I’m concerned,” he said Saturday. But he added that he can’t control what the school decides. “Now I can’t control what decision [is going] to be made. If you’re asking me, I said zero. Zero means zero.”
This isn’t the first time Stoops has had to address his future this season. Earlier this year, a report claimed he met with school leaders to discuss his buyout. Stoops shot that down hard, calling it “unequivocally 100 percent false.” College sports have seen their share of shocking sideline incidents that left players horrified, but Stoops is focused on the challenges ahead. He said then what he’s saying now: “There’s no quit in me.” It looks like he’s ready to prove the last two seasons were just bumps in the road.
Published: Dec 1, 2025 01:30 am