Kentucky parts ways with Mark Stoops after 13 Seasons

The University of Kentucky has decided to move on from head football coach Mark Stoops, ending a tenure that transformed the program but ultimately fell short of championship expectations.

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UK Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart announced the decision to fire Mark Stoops on Monday, thanking him for his dedication while signaling the university's ambitions for something more.

"I have informed Coach Mark Stoops that we have decided to go in a new direction at head coach," Barnhart said in a statement on social media. "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."

Stoops' departure marks the end of the longest head coaching tenure in UK football history. He arrived in Lexington in 2013 and gradually rebuilt a program that had long been overshadowed by the school's legendary basketball tradition.

Under Stoops, Kentucky made a historic run of consecutive bowl appearances and achieved what Barnhart called "memorable victories." The program went from perennial SEC bottom-dweller to respectable competitor, occasionally pulling off signature wins against ranked opponents.

But respectable wasn't enough. Despite the progress, Kentucky never quite broke through to compete for SEC championships or reach the college football playoff conversation. The Wildcats' ceiling under Stoops seemed to be a good, not great, program in college football's toughest conference.

Barnhart's statement made clear that Kentucky is raising its expectations. The school has already begun a national search for "someone with proven coaching results and a vision for success for Kentucky."

"We move forward committed to build upon the strong foundation that has been laid and to pursue excellence relentlessly," Barnhart said.

The athletic director emphasized Kentucky's commitment to making "necessary investments" in the program, including fully funding revenue-sharing and NIL opportunities, providing state-of-the-art facilities, and ensuring student-athletes have every resource to thrive.

"Our mission is clear: to build a championship program for the people of Kentucky," Barnhart said. "We embrace this moment with optimism and determination, confident that the next chapter will see Kentucky Football reach new heights and achieve great success."

For Stoops, the legacy is complicated. He stabilized a historically struggling program and gave Kentucky football credibility. But in the modern era of college football- with expanded playoff formats and massive financial investments-stability alone doesn't cut it anymore.

The search for Kentucky's next coach begins now, with Big Blue Nation hoping the next hire can take the program from respectable to elite.

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