For a growing and increasingly vocal portion of Big Blue Nation, the Mark Stoops era has run its course. After a promising rise that culminated in two 10-win seasons, the program has clearly stagnated and is now in a deep backslide.
Yet, no matter how loud the calls for his job get, the longest-tenured coach in the SEC is likely going nowhere. The reason isn’t loyalty or a belief in a turnaround; it’s cold, hard cash, thanks to one of the most coach-friendly contracts in sports history. And for that,
you can thank Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart.
Back in November 2022, fresh off a second 10-win season in four years, Stoops and Barnhart agreed to a massive contract extension. At the time, Barnhart praised the importance of “continuity,” a similar justification used for John Calipari’s lifetime deal that ended in its own basketball-related disaster. The football contract, however, is arguably even more restrictive.
The extension runs through the 2031 season. While it includes a buyout Stoops would have to pay if he left Kentucky for another job (currently $3 million, decreasing 500K every June), the clause that truly handcuffs the university is the buyout Kentucky owes Stoops if they fire him without cause.
The $30 million problem
If Kentucky fires Mark Stoops, the university owes him 75% of his remaining contract, and it is due in a lump sum within 60 days of termination. With more than six years left on his deal, that figure is well over $30 million. Most schools negotiate buyouts to be paid out over the life of the original contract, lessening the immediate financial blow. Barnhart agreed to a deal that requires a massive, immediate payout, making a change financially crippling and really not feasible.
The timing and subsequent performance make the deal look even worse. The extension was signed after a shocking 24-21 home loss to Vanderbilt. Since putting pen to paper, Stoops’ record is a dismal 13-18. The program is currently mired in a nine-game home losing streak against Power Five opponents and went winless in SEC home games last season.
So while fans grow more frustrated with each conservative game plan and disappointing loss, the reality is grim. Coordinators may come and go, serving as the seasonal scapegoats for a perpetually underperforming offense. But the man at the top is protected by a golden parachute so immense it keeps the plane from ever landing. Mark Stoops isn’t going anywhere unless he decides to leave, and it’s all because Mitch Barnhart signed a deal that prioritized one man’s security over the program’s flexibility.
Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time, he spends time with his family, and watching Premier League soccer. Psalm 121:7-8. #UpTheAlbion
