Mark Stoops Thanks Big Blue Nation

After spending 13 years at Kentucky, Mark Stoops was fired as the Wildcats’ head coach on Sunday evening. Just a little more than 24 hours after a formal announcement was made by the school, Stoops thanked Kentucky football fans for welcoming him to the Commonwealth.

“To all of my former players, coaches, staffers, and the Big Blue Nation, from the bottom of my heart, thank you,” Stoops shared in a social media post. “Coaching at Kentucky the last 13 years has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I’ve felt your support, your pride, and your love every single day. Kentucky has become my home and I’ll be forever grateful to have been your head coach.”

Stoops was the longest-tenured coach in the Southeastern Conference. With a win at Florida in 2022, he surpassed Bear Bryant (60) with more wins than any other coach in Kentucky football history. Unfortunately, those wins were harder to find in recent years.

Needing one more win to return to a bowl game, Kentucky lost its final two games by a combined score of 86-17. The 41-0 loss to Louisville was Kentucky’s worst in the rivalry.

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Stoops’ buyout is worth approximately $38 million and is due within 60 days of his termination, but On3’s Chris Low reports that an agreement has been made to spread out the payments over a number of years.

Even though it did not end with a bang, Big Blue Nation has reciprocated that feeling of gratitude to Stoops in the days since his termination. He brought the program to peaks previously unseen. Now it’s time for a new chapter. KSR has learned that as the Will Stein era begins, Stoops plans on remaining in Lexington. After all, he’s a Kentuckian.

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