Stoops: 'I'm committed to this'
Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops has a new deal that will pay him approximately $8.6 million per year. (Jeff Drummond/Cats Illustrated)
Jeff Drummond • CatsIllustrated
Managing Editor Edit
@JDrumUK
With NIL, the transfer portal, and conference realignment making college football coaching more challenging by the day, both the University of Kentucky and Mark Stoops wanted to show that they're serious about sustaining the Wildcats' recent success.
The two parties agreed earlier this month to a new contract extension that is aimed to do that, making Stoops one of the highest-paid head coaches in the sport at close to $9 million per year through 2031.
"The stability was important," Stoops said during his weekly Monday press conference leading up to Saturday's matchup with Louisville in the Governor's Cup rivalry game. "Early in the season, there was a lot of noise. I just simply said, 'I'm committed to this. I'm not going anywhere. I'm committed to this place' -- and vice versa."
With Kentucky posting six straight bowl appearances, a pair of 10-win seasons, and ranking fifth in wins among SEC programs during the last five years -- trailing only Alabama, Georgia, LSU, and Florida -- Stoops has become an almost automatic entry on coaching search speculation lists across the country.
It had become a frustrating issue on the recruiting trail.
"I get asked all the time," Stoops said. "... So, I constantly have to talk about that with recruits. Stability, as I say to them, show me any other programs that have been more stable. I'm committed to this place. I've shown it time and time again, and certainly I appreciate the commitment to myself and our staff."
Stoops, who surpassed Hall of Famer Paul "Bear" Bryant as Kentucky's all-time winningest head coach earlier this season, said he has put down roots in Lexington after spending 10 years with the Wildcats.
"This is my home," he said. "This is the place that I've helped build to this point."
And while the 2022 season has not developed as well as he and fans may have expected going into the fall (Kentucky takes a 6-5 record into this week's regular-season finale) Stoops believes there is a lot more that can be accomplished. He also knows the bar has been raised with his new paycheck.
"Do we want more? Yes," Stoops said. "I think we want to continue to grow. Dr. (Eli) Capilouto expects more. Mitch (Barnhart) expects more, and I do, and I want to continue to build, continue to have the continuity, and I want to improve.
"I'm okay with that bar. I can handle the criticism, and I want expectations high."
