Mark Stoops One of the 5 Longest-Tenured Coaches in Power Conference CFB

mark-stoops-decisions — Sep 6, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops walks onto the field before the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Mark Stoops is the Dean of the SEC. As another long-time coach looks for a new job, he is now one of the five longest-tenured head coaches in Power Conference college football.

Mike Gundy was a former Oklahoma State quarterback who turned the program in Stillwater into a consistent winner in the Big 12. After a 4-win season in 2005, he took the Cowboys to 18-straight postseason games, most recently capping off a 10-win campaign in 2023 with a win in the Texas Bowl.

It’s been all downhill ever since. Oklahoma State won three games last fall. He was forced to renegotiate his contract with a reduced buyout in the offseason, then proceeded to start 1-2, losing to Tulsa for the first time since the 50s, paving the way for his termination.

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With Gundy off the board, only three power conference coaches have been around longer than Stoops: Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz, Utah’s Kyle Whittingham, and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney.

Stability is desired among athletic directors, but the sport of college football is changing. Adaptability is imperative. It’s the reason why Nick Saban hung up his whistle, and it explains the demise of Gundy and Dabo’s defiance as Clemson struggles out of the gate to start the 2025 season.

Longest Tenured Power Conference College Football Coaches

First Season	Head Coach	School	W/L Record ahead of 2025 (Win Percentage)
1999	Kirk Ferentz	Iowa	204-124 (.622)
2005	Kyle Whittingham	Utah	167-86 (.660)
2009	Dabo Swinney	Clemson	180-47 (.793)
2013	Dave Doeren	NC State	87-65 (.572)
2013	Mark Stoops	Kentucky	77-73 (.513)
2014	James Franklin	Penn State	101-42 (.706)
2015	Pat Narduzzi	Pittsburgh	72-56 (.563)
2016	Kalani Sitake	BYU	72-43 (.626)
2016	Matt Campbell	Iowa State	64-51 (.557)
2016	Kirby Smart	Georgia	105-19 (.847)
2017	P.J. Fleck	Minnesota	58-39 (.598)
2017	Justin Wilcox	Cal	42-50 (.457)
2019	Chris Klieman	Kansas State	48-28 (.632)
2019	Mike Locksley	Maryland	33-41 (.446)
2019	Ryan Day	Ohio State	70-10 (.875)