What's next for Kentucky football after end of Mark Stoops era?

Mark Stoops, winningest coach in Kentucky football history, was fired Sunday night after back-to-back sub .500 seasons, according to reports.

A program record of eight consecutive bowl game appearances that began in 2006 ended last season with a 4-8 record and a 41-14 drubbing from archrival Louisville at home. Stoops' 13th season at the helm, in which UK went 5-7, ended Saturday with a 41-0 loss to UofL at L&N Stadium, marking Kentucky's largest margin of defeat in series history.

Goodwill among the fanbase began to fade last season, as UK dropped six of its last seven games. Patience has worn thin in Lexington since then. So much so that fans found ways to be dissatisfied after wins this season.

“Auburn gets rid of Freeze and Kentucky gets stuck with Stoops,” one wrote to the Lexington Herald-Leader after UK’s Week 10 victory. “I’d argue Auburn got that win.”

Stoops is responsible for the most successful window Kentucky football has ever experienced. How did things go so wrong? Who did UK miss out on by waiting too long to make a change? And what can the Wildcats look to as a model for moving forward?

What is Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops' buyout?

By firing Stoops before the end of his contract term (June 30, 2031), UK owes him 75% of his remaining salary within 60 days, according to an amendment made to his contract in 2017. That 75% amounts to about $37.69 million, as of Dec. 1, 2025, which ranks No. 5 in the SEC.

However, On3 reported that negotiations are underway regarding how much Stoops is owed and when UK will pay him.

What issues has Mark Stoops faced at Kentucky?

Bush Hamdan returning as offensive coordinator this season marked the first time Kentucky had the same OC in consecutive years since Eddie Gran from 2016-20.

While Hamdan came back, associate head coach and recruiting coordinator Vince Marrow left to become Louisville’s first ever general manager. Marrow had been with Stoops since he arrived in Lexington 13 years ago.

A lack of consistency on staff didn't help with recruiting, which is something Kentucky has a hard time with because of its geography (being in close proximity to huge brands like Ohio State and Tennessee) and status as a bottom-tier SEC team.

Investment is an important factor in determining success, but so is talent evaluation. And UK has struggled with the latter, particularly at the quarterback position and particularly lately.

CBS reported that quarterback Zach Calzada received $1.25 million to transfer to UK from Incarnate World. The seventh-year senior struggled from the onset, completing 47.2% of his attempts for 234 yards with zero touchdowns and one interception before sustaining a shoulder injury against Ole Miss in Week 2. He was never able to retake the starting job from redshirt freshman Cutter Boley.

Calzada not panning out was the latest in a long line of quarterback issues for UK after Will Levis and Devin Leary. Kentucky had to replace its entire quarterback room after 2023, and only one scholarship player returned from 2024. Former blue-chip recruits Brock Vandagriff (Georgia transfer) and Gavin Wimsatt (Rutgers) struggled mightily last season. As did Calzada this year, even before injury.

Meanwhile, schools like Louisville and Indiana have been better at identifying difference-making transfers. Take Jack Plummer, who came with coach Jeff Brohm from Purdue and led the Cards to the ACC championship. Or Tyler Shough, who was awarded the title Comeback Player of the Year by the Associated Press and tied the program record for most passing touchdowns in a Louisville debut. And then there's Fernando Mendoza, who could very well win the Heisman as a Hoosier after three years with the Cal Golden Bears.

What coaches could Kentucky have hired this year without Mark Stoops?

Many fans eyed Jon Sumrall — former UK linebacker (2002-04), assistant coach and co-defensive coordinator — as a potential replacement for Stoops. But after two seasons and an 18-7 record at Tulane, Florida announced it hired him to replace Billy Napier Sunday.

According to the Associated Press, Sumrall finalized a six-year, $44.7 million contract plus incentives. The Gators will compensate him an average of $7.45 million annually.

Other Group of 5 rising stars include Alex Golesh (South Florida) and Ryan Silverfield (Memphis).

Golesh went 23-15 in three seasons at USF and was hired by Auburn Sunday. According to Yahoo! Sports, Golesh's contract with Auburn is for six years and an average salary of $7.4 million annually. With performance-based incentives, that number could rise to $12 million.

Silverfield went 50-25 at Memphis, including two 10-win seasons in 2023-24. Arkansas announced it was hiring him as its next head coach Sunday. Details of his contract with the Razorbacks have not been widely reported.

What investments has UK made into its football program?

Kentucky has made a number of investments into its football program over the last several years.

The school reported having spent $45.25 million on football during the 2024 fiscal year, a $15 million increase from 2019 (not adjusted for inflation), according to the Knight-Newhouse College Athletics Database. That number surpasses Louisville — which reported having spent $38.78 million on football during FY2024 — but lags behind Indiana — which spent $61.59 million in FY2024, which encompassed the hiring of head coach Curt Cignetti.

UK’s Board of Trustees approved internal loans up to $141 million this summer to help pay players under college athletics' new revenue-sharing system, and to help fund several facility projects, including routine maintenance and new luxury seating areas at Kroger Field.

While UK declined to reveal how it is spending its revenue-sharing budget by sport, the department has confirmed the maximum amount allowable under the House settlement will go toward its football, basketball, baseball, softball and volleyball programs. That number comes out to $18 million after scholarship increases.

Reach college sports enterprise reporter Payton Titus at [email protected] and follow her on X @petitus25. Subscribe to her "Full-court Press" newsletter here for a behind-the-scenes look at how college sports' biggest stories are impacting Louisville and Kentucky athletics.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky football coaching search, what's next after Mark Stoops era?