If Miami approaches Mark Stoops about the Hurricane job opening I believe he would listen.
Let me qualify this by saying I do not believe he is one of their "top couple of candidates," per one person I spoke with earlier today, although even that person who is more connected to Miami's end than Kentucky's said they weren't 100-percent sure what the short list would look like.
However, I have spoken to a couple of people with decent knowledge of Miami's end of things and they believe that "it makes sense" that Stoops would be "one of the guys they look at early on" (one person's words). Because Stoops has a reputation for doing things the right way, because of his history with Miami, and because of his well-known improved recruiting at Kentucky and the fact that they've gone from at least 2-10 to a much more competitive team, he would be an early option they "probably will" consider.
Nothing I've heard from Kentucky's end even remotely indicates there has been any direct contact. I'm sure there hasn't been.
However, I have also been told by one of the aforementioned sources that the Miami administration is torn between their belief that they need a blockbuster hire and a more pragmatic acceptance (or resignation to?) of the apparent reality that the job is not as highly thought of as it once was.
Let me make this last point clear. I have not spoken to anyone who has told me explicitly that Mark Stoops is or would be interested in the Miami job. But I also think that, based on what I've gleaned and what's been implied, that Stoops would probably be willing to listen.
I don't think it's going to happen. I don't think there will be an offer. I don't have any reason to believe that Stoops is hoping there's an offer. But I do believe that it's a job he would be open to. And the fact that Miami's prestige is at one of its lowest points in quite some time (not just W/L but overall perceived lack of commitment) means they aren't going to be targeting quite the padded resume they might have in the past.
Let me qualify this by saying I do not believe he is one of their "top couple of candidates," per one person I spoke with earlier today, although even that person who is more connected to Miami's end than Kentucky's said they weren't 100-percent sure what the short list would look like.
However, I have spoken to a couple of people with decent knowledge of Miami's end of things and they believe that "it makes sense" that Stoops would be "one of the guys they look at early on" (one person's words). Because Stoops has a reputation for doing things the right way, because of his history with Miami, and because of his well-known improved recruiting at Kentucky and the fact that they've gone from at least 2-10 to a much more competitive team, he would be an early option they "probably will" consider.
Nothing I've heard from Kentucky's end even remotely indicates there has been any direct contact. I'm sure there hasn't been.
However, I have also been told by one of the aforementioned sources that the Miami administration is torn between their belief that they need a blockbuster hire and a more pragmatic acceptance (or resignation to?) of the apparent reality that the job is not as highly thought of as it once was.
Let me make this last point clear. I have not spoken to anyone who has told me explicitly that Mark Stoops is or would be interested in the Miami job. But I also think that, based on what I've gleaned and what's been implied, that Stoops would probably be willing to listen.
I don't think it's going to happen. I don't think there will be an offer. I don't have any reason to believe that Stoops is hoping there's an offer. But I do believe that it's a job he would be open to. And the fact that Miami's prestige is at one of its lowest points in quite some time (not just W/L but overall perceived lack of commitment) means they aren't going to be targeting quite the padded resume they might have in the past.
