Kentucky athletics director Mitch Barnhart made it clear this week that he remains confident in head coach Mark Stoops and the direction of the football program, even though there has been fan frustration growing during a difficult stretch.
“Make no mistake about it, we want success,” Barnhart told the Lexington Herald-Leader following Tuesday’s Champions Blue Board of Governors meeting.
“We want to work through it. We’ve worked through these things before.”Barnhart pointed to Stoops’ long track record
of stability and development since taking over a struggling program in 2013. Under Stoops, Kentucky enjoyed eight straight bowl seasons, a feat once unthinkable in Lexington, but with college football’s rapid transformation, with NIL to the transfer portal, Barnhart acknowledged the last couple of years have tested the program.
Kentucky is currently fighting to stay in the bowl picture, as they have faced criticism for inconsistent play and missed opportunities. Barnhart said he understands fans’ “angst and desire” for Kentucky to return to those “magical runs” that defined Stoops’ mid-2010s rise, but he emphasized that the staff is still putting in the work to get there.
“Mark is working hard,” Barnhart said. “Are we where we want to be? Absolutely not, but we will continue to battle and see if we can find it. We’ve got seven games left and an opportunity to get better every week.”
Barnhart also praised Stoops’ reputation as a developer of talent and a key part of Kentucky’s identity, while noting that the modern game now requires balancing homegrown growth with the influx of ready-made players through the portal.
Finally, Barnhart reiterated his belief that Stoops is the right person to guide Kentucky forward.
“I’m thankful that he’s done a lot for us,” he said. “I want to make sure that we fight with him and give him the best chance we can to go forward.”
