Mark Stoops: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

College Football News / Heartland College Sports / January 3

Sam Leavitt Watched Film With This SEC Coach Until Midnight

While Sam Leavitt remains available in the transfer portal, all signs are pointing toward joining new head coach Will Stein at Kentucky. According to a report from KSR’s Jacob Polacheck, Leavitt was seen watching film with Stein until midnight on Friday night.

College Football News / Stadium Rant / December 5

Top 5 Kentucky Wildcats Who Made An Impact Under Mark Stoops

The Mark Stoops era at Kentucky has come to an end after 13 seasons, but the foundation he built for new coach Will Stein will leave a lasting mark on Wildcat Nation.

College Football News / Kentucky Wildcats on SI / December 4

New Kentucky coach Will Stein is an offensive guru and quarterback whisperer

Kentucky football hasn't seen much success in the last few years, going 4-8 and 5-7 in the last two seasons, and that has led to a change of scenery at head coach.

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College Football News / NCAA Football on ClutchPoints / December 2

Kentucky football HC Mark Stoops pens emotional goodbye to Wildcats

The 2025 Kentucky football season ended in another disappointment, as the Wildcats finished 5-7. The season also marked the end of the Mark Stoops era in Lexington, with the Wildcats firing Stoops after two straight losing seasons.

Florida Gators News / A to Z Sports / December 2

Gators HC Jon Sumrall makes first big hire, and it brings continuity that could prove to be invaluable early on

The Florida Gators made their hire of head coach Jon Sumrall official on Sunday afternoon, and it didn't take him long to make his first hire to his coaching staff.

College Football News / Athlon Sports / December 1

$1.75 Million College Football Coach Expected To Replace Mark Stoops At Kentucky

The SEC has gone ramped in the coaching carousel during the final weeks of the regular season. Ahead of conference title weekend, several teams made coaching changes.

College Football News / Kentucky Wildcats on SI / December 1

Kentucky is set to hire Oregon's Will Stein as their new head coach

Well, that was quick. Less than 24 hours after parting ways with head coach Mark Stoops, Kentucky looks to have already found their guy. According to multiple reports, Kentucky is set to hire Oregon Offensive Coordinator Will Stein as their new head coach, with both sides "working on a deal," per ESPN's Pete Thamel.

College Football News / West Virginia Mountaineers on SI / December 1

West Virginia Lands Ex-Kentucky Safety Commit Da'Mare Williams

West Virginia was in the running to land junior college safety Da'Mare Williams (6'3", 205 lbs) before losing out to Kentucky. With Mark Stoops being fired by the Wildcats, Williams reopened his recruitment late last night, and it didn't take very long for him to circle back with the staff at West Virginia.

College Football News / Athlon Sports / December 1

$7 Million College Football Coach Floated as Option to Replace Mark Stoops at Kentucky

The Kentucky Wildcats have become one of the latest teams to join the 2025 college football coaching carousel, following the announcement of the firing of longtime head coach Mark Stoops.

College Football News / Mike Farrell Sports / December 1

Possible Head Coach Candidates for Kentucky

For the first time in 13 years the Kentucky Wildcats (5-7, 2-6 SEC) will be searching for a new head coach. Dean of the conference, Mark Stoops has been let go after an impressive career that has brought 72 wins, far more than any coach in program history.

College Football News / Field Level Media / December 1

Mark Stoops officially out after 13 seasons at Kentucky

Kentucky parted ways on Monday with Mark Stoops, the winningest football coach in school history who "transformed the program and reset expectations" in Lexington.

College Football News / CFB-HQ on SI / December 1

Rising college football coach named 'premium' target to replace Mark Stoops at Kentucky

Following 13 seasons at the helm of the football program, Kentucky has officially fired Mark Stoops. Facing a buyout greater than $30 million but coming off back-to-back seasons without a bowl game appearance, the Wildcats bit the bullet and are bracing for a brand new era.

College Football News / Gridiron Heroics / November 30

Kentucky Wildcats Expected to Part Ways with Head Coach Mark Stoops After 12 Seasons

Kentucky football is moving on from Mark Stoops, the program’s longest-tenured and winningest head coach in history. Sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel on Sunday that the university will officially part ways with Stoops on Monday, closing a 13-season chapter that saw both remarkable highs and recent struggles.

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College Football News / Gridiron Heroics / November 30

Kentucky Wildcats Fire Mark Stoops Following 2025 Season

The Kentucky Wildcats have decided to make a change with their head coach as they have reportedly fired Mark Stoops on Sunday night. Stoops was one of the longest-tenured coaches in the Southeastern Conference, but he has not had as much success lately.

Kentucky Wildcats News / Field Level Media / November 30

Reports: Kentucky plans to fire coach Mark Stoops

Kentucky is set to fire coach Mark Stoops on Monday, per multiple reports. Stoops, 58, has spent the past 13 seasons at Kentucky and is the program's winningest coach at 82-80.

College Football News / CFB-HQ on SI / November 30

Calls mount for major college football program to fire head coach after Saturday's loss

It was the same old story for the Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday. The Wildcats needed a win over in-state rival Louisville to reach bowl eligibility, but it was another collapse under head coach Mark Stoops.

College Football News / Gridiron Heroics / November 29

Mark Stoops Confirms Return to 2026 Kentucky Wildcats

Mark Stoops has been the head coach for the Kentucky Wildcats since the 2013 season and has been through the ups and downs of the program. While he has struggled to get the program going on the right foot over the last couple of years, it will be intriguing to see what his future looks like.

College Football News / Yardbarker / November 30

CFB Week 14 winners, losers: CFP picture crystalizes as top teams lock up likely bids

Another college football regular season is in the books. With conference championships next weekend, this Saturday was the last full weekend of action, and it delivered no shortage of memorable moments.

No. 12 Miami bolsters CFP case with blowout win at No. 22 Pittsburgh

Alessio Milivojevic helps Michigan State avoid history it didn't want

No. 18 Virginia stuffs Virginia Tech, reaches ACC title game

No. 17 USC upends rival UCLA

NC State gets better of rival UNC

College Football News / Kentucky Wildcats on SI / November 29

Kentucky ends season with another embarrassing loss, shutout 41-0 at Louisville

Mark Stoops and his Kentucky football squad hit the road on Saturday as they took on in-state rival Louisville and a very pivitol game, not only for the team's bowl eligibility sake, but also for Mark Stoops' future as head coach after uncertainty has been raised throughout the season.

College Football News / CFB-HQ on SI / November 24

$40.5 million SEC coach sends strong message amid calls to leave program

Mark Stoops became Kentucky’s head coach in 2013 and has overseen the program’s most sustained run of relevance in decades, including multiple bowl appearances and two 10‑win seasons.

Kentucky Wildcats News / Yardbarker / November 16

Mark Stoops, resurgent Kentucky deserve credit for 2025 turnaround

It'd be understandable if you wrote off Mark Stoops and the Kentucky Wildcats after a 2-5 start to 2025.

Texas A&M loses first-place votes in poll; Georgia climbs to No. 4

CFB Week 12 winners, losers

Texas' Steve Sarkisian was outcoached by Georgia's Kirby Smart

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College Football News / A to Z Sports / October 26

'I thought it was stupid, too' - Mark Stoops goes viral for post-game quote after Kentucky's blowout loss to Tennessee

It was a rough night for Mark Stoops and the Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday against the Tennessee Vols. Kentucky's offense couldn't keep up with Tennessee's offense, as the Wildcats fell 56-34 to the Vols in Lexington.

College Football News / Field Level Media / October 4

Mark Stoops says 'zero chance' he steps down from Kentucky

Mark Stoops isn't going anywhere. The Kentucky head coach denied a report that he told athletic director Mitch Barnhart that he wanted to leave the program after a loss in November last season to Tennessee.

Kentucky Wildcats News / Kentucky Wildcats on SI / August 31

Mark Stoops: 'We hurt ourselves' with offensive struggles against Toledo

A win is a win. That's the mindset Kentucky football is looking to have after eventually pulling away for a Week 1 win against Toledo 24-16, a game that shouldn't have been that close, but thanks to some mistakes on both sides of the ball, it was.

Kentucky Wildcats News / Stadium Rant / August 25

Underdog Mentality: Kentucky Football Challenges Are Fixable

The Kentucky football program is always embracing the underdog each season, but this season will tell the tale of whether they can put the storm behind them of last season and the last few years and return to Kentucky football Standards.

Kentucky Wildcats News / Yardbarker / July 28

Mark Stoops tips hand as to who will be Kentucky's starting QB

Head coach Mark Stoops revealed which quarterback would get the nod as the starter if the season were to start today.

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College Football News / Texas Longhorns on SI / July 18

Texas Longhorns vs. Kentucky Wildcats Way-Too-Early Preview: What the Stats Say

The Texas Longhorns and Kentucky Wildcats had only played once before their 2024 meeting -- that came in 1951 when the coaching matchup was Ed Price versus the all-timer Bear Bryant.

Kentucky Wildcats News / Yardbarker / July 7