Stoops wants his mom in the stands when he breaks Bear Bryant's record

Mark Stoops has 59 career wins at Kentucky, just one shy of Bear Bryant’s school record of 60. He’ll almost certainly tie that mark in the season opener vs. Miami (Ohio), and break it either at Florida in game two or at home vs. Youngstown State in game three. At SEC Media Days yesterday, Stoops was asked about his ten-year tenure at Kentucky and what it will mean to break Bryant’s record; predictably, he focused more on the former than the latter.

“I really don’t spend much time thinking about that,” Stoops said of the record. “The 10 years in Lexington is something that I am proud of because I know how difficult it is. I know how difficult it is to walk into this league with the great coaching, with the recruiting, and starting like six feet below 14, then trying to climb that ladder as high as we can.”

Entering his tenth year, Stoops has passed Fran Curci for most seasons coached at Kentucky. He’s the second-longest tenured coach in the SEC behind Nick Saban, who is entering his 16th season at Alabama. Stoops being Stoops, he made it clear he’s not resting on his laurels.

“I am proud of that, and I appreciate the work. However, we’re not satisfied. We want to continue to grow. We want to continue to push it. Obviously, some teams at the top of the food chain in the East and the West are doing some really special things. So you have to continue to elevate your game.” 

Although he won’t let the record become a distraction, Stoops admitted he has thought about it, not for himself but for his mother. His brother Bob also owns the all-time wins record at Oklahoma.

“With the record and all that, I appreciate you bringing it up, but it’s not a time to really reflect on that too much. I do honestly just personally think about my mother, because I want her to be there. For her to have two sons that have the all-time wins at Power Five programs, with Bob at Oklahoma, myself as Kentucky, that’s really the only focus I have, is on my mother to be able to be there and share in that moment.”

There is something fitting about Stoops beating his hometown Youngstown State to claim Bryant’s record, but it’d be even sweeter if it happened in the Swamp. I hope Mama Stoops has her bags packed for Florida.