Tonight, some clarity has come.
Multiple sources share with FootballScoop that Kentucky is expected to part ways with their longtime head coach.
Stoops will be owed a buyout of $38 million, not counting buyouts owed to his assistant coaches. Chris Low reports tonight that Stoops has agreed to accept payment over “a number of years instead of paying $38 million buyout within 60 days”.
While official word from the school is expected as early as tomorrow, sources share that the search for the program’s new leader is already underway.
Stoops was staunch in his comments about his future in recent weeks, sharing after their most recent loss to Louisville over the weekend when asked if being outscored by a combined margin of 86-17 to Vandy and rival Louisville to end the season would be enough to push him into retirement, he responded, “Like, I’m going to walk away? Are you kidding me? … Zero percent chance I walk.”
“I’m going to be here as far as I’m concerned,” he continued. “Now I can’t control what decision [is going] to be made. If you’re asking me, I said zero. Zero means zero.”
The winningest coach in Kentucky history, Stoops is 62-80 and 25-68 in SEC play at the historically down-trodden program. Within that mark, though, Stoops went 10-3 with a Citrus Bowl win and a No. 12 AP final ranking in 2018, and a (since vacated) 10-3 mark with another Citrus Bowl win and a No. 18 finish in 2021.
Beyond the peaks, there’s no doubt that Stoops brought consistency to the bluegrass during a time when it was considered one of the toughest jobs in college football, as he led Kentucky to a bowl game in eight straight seasons from 2016-23.
After wrapping up his 13th season at the helm in 2025 with just five wins, Stoops was not only the longest tenured head coach in Kentucky football history, but was also the most senior head coach in the SEC – a league that is now set to see six new head coaches come 2026.
Stoops is the longest-tenured head coach in the SEC and fifth-longest in FBS, trailing only Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz, Utah’s Kyle Whittingham, Air Force’s Troy Calhoun, and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for all the latest coaching news and job information.
