A historic day on the SEC teaching carousel ended with the firing of the league’s longest-tenured coach.
Mark Stoops is out at Kentucky after 13 seasons, which included two of the varsity’s 4 10-win campaigns, in 2018 and 2021. Stoops introduced historic stability to the bluegrass, guiding UK to eight consecutive bowl video games and two Prime 25 finishes. However after consecutive dropping seasons and Saturday’s 41-0 loss to rival Louisville, Kentucky pulled the plug. Stoops finishes his tenure at 72-80.
Kentucky has usually been considered being a program content material with bowl appearances and the occasional breakthrough. The SEC is deeper than ever, however this season featured Vanderbilt profitable 10 video games and Ole Miss punching its ticket to the School Soccer Playoff for the primary time at 11-1. If Kentucky needs to change into the subsequent shock breakthrough, it should get the rent proper after which put money into that individual.
Stability has been the important thing trait in Lexington with Stoops, athletic director Mitch Barnhart and college president Eli Capilouto all of their roles for greater than a decade. Barnhart, who employed Stoops, possible can be making the final important rent of his tenure as AD.
Kentucky has a number of intriguing coordinator choices, together with Oregon’s Will Stein, who’s from the state and grew up attending UK video games. Here is a have a look at the candidates for what ought to be a sped-up search, in addition to key gamers to retain and recruits to maintain on board. — Adam Rittenberg
Candidates | Transfers | Recruits
Three candidates for the job
Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein: The 36-year-old Louisville native would possible be the favourite to land the Kentucky job. Though Stein performed quarterback for the in-state rival Cardinals, his mother and father went to Kentucky and Will grew up attending Wildcats video games. He has change into one of many nation’s most revered playcallers and offensive architects after working with a number of notable quarterbacks at Oregon, and would have the ability to restore Kentucky’s main downside the previous few seasons below Mark Stoops.
Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline: Kentucky wants a greater offensive plan and finally extra expertise on offense, and Hartline can tackle each areas. He has assembled the perfect extensive receiver rooms in school soccer the previous few years, and took over the first playcalling duties this season, as Ohio State recorded its first 12-0 common season since 2019. Hartline, 39, is an Ohio native who has solely coached at Ohio State, his alma mater, however he has a connection to Kentucky by his brother, Mike, a former UK quarterback.
Texas particular assistant to move coach Neal Brown: The search won’t get previous Stein and Hartline, however Brown would give Kentucky a homegrown product with Energy 4 head-coaching expertise. A Danville, Kentucky, native, Brown began his school profession at Kentucky earlier than ending at UMass. He later served as Kentucky’s offensive coordinator earlier than going 35-16 at Troy with three 1-0-win seasons. The 45-year-old would possibly get dinged for a way issues ended at West Virginia, a troublesome job, however he nonetheless guided the crew to bowl appearances in 4 of his closing 5 seasons. — Rittenberg
Most necessary gamers to retain
QB Cutter Boley: Will the subsequent Kentucky head coach wager on Boley as his quarterback to construct round? That’ll be an intriguing query relying on the rent. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound redshirt freshman received a chance over 10 begins this season to show he is the QB of the long run and had an up-and-down 12 months with 2,160 passing yards on 66% passing, 17 whole touchdowns and 14 turnovers. Boley completed twelfth within the SEC in QBR (63.3) and confirmed some potential in high quality begins in opposition to Florida, Tennessee, Texas and Georgia.
S Ty Bryant: The 6-foot, 198-pound defensive again from Lexington has began 25 video games over his three seasons with the Wildcats and put collectively an awesome junior 12 months with a team-high 76 tackles and 4 interceptions, which tied for many within the SEC in the course of the common season. Bryant was one of many brilliant spots of a unit that completed thirteenth within the SEC in scoring protection and has yet another season of eligibility.
OL Jalen Farmer: Farmer spent two years in a reserve function at Florida earlier than transferring to hitch the Wildcats in 2024. The 6-foot-5, 318-pound junior has developed right into a two-year starter at proper guard who has performed greater than 1,500 profession snaps and has surrendered simply two sacks, in response to ESPN Analysis. Farmer has yet another season of eligibility and might be one of many high inside linemen obtainable if he elects to switch. — Max Olson
Three key recruits
QB Matt Ponatoski, No. 147 in ESPN 300: Ponatoski is ESPN’s No. 7 pocket passer within the 2026 class. He is additionally a bonafide Main League Baseball prospect who plans to play two sports activities at Kentucky. It is a part of what made Ponatoski such a big recruiting coup for Stoops and his workers when the 6-foot-1 passer from Cincinnati picked the Wildcats over Alabama, Arkansas and Oregon in July. A skinny late-cycle quarterback market and a dedication to Kentucky’s baseball program are at the least two causes Ponatoski would possibly keep put following Stoops’ departure. If he opts to check the water, summer time runner-ups Arkansas — nonetheless with out a 2026 quarterback pledge and residential to a perennially contending baseball crew — may current a touchdown spot.
S Messiah Tilson, No. 26 security in 2026: Tilson, an agile defensive again from Rockford, Illinois, has been the top-ranked defender within the Wildcats’ 2026 class since June. His checklist of spring visits included stops at Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Rutgers and Wisconsin. Given the big selection of colleges who had been initially concerned in Tilson’s course of, he may change into a probably engaging flip goal earlier than the early signing interval opens on Wednesday.
WR Denairius Grey, No. No. 60 extensive receiver: Grey spent 18 months dedicated to Auburn earlier than flipping his pledge to the Wildcats over the summer time. A sophisticated playmaker from Florida powerhouse Chaminade-Madonna, Grey carries intriguing upside on the subsequent degree. With a brand new teaching workers at Auburn and applications throughout the nation nonetheless looking for extensive receiver expertise within the 2026 class, Grey ought to decide up some late flip curiosity. — Lederman