The fired 4-loss Fisher to hire 4-loss Stoops?
The search for the next Texas A&M football coach is officially coming to an end in the near future. The Aggies are expected to soon finalize their hiring of Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops, sources confirmed to GigEm247's Jeff Tarpley. TexAgs first reported the news Saturday night.
After firing former head coach Jimbo Fisher on Nov. 12, A&M athletics director Ross Bjork immediately began looking for his replacement. With Bjork leading the effort, the Aggies held their first national search for a head football coach in several decades.
Mike Elko (Duke), Jeff Traylor (UTSA) and Jedd Fisch (Arizona) were among candidates that A&M considered. But Bjork ultimately picked Stoops, the Youngstown, Ohio product who is the younger brother of former legendary Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops.
Stoops, 56, landed his first head coach job at Kentucky in 2013. Across 11 seasons with the Wildcats, Stoops has compiled a 73-64 record and is the all-time winningest head coach in program history. They improved to 7-5 this season after defeating No. 10 Louisville, 38-31, on the road Saturday.
Before hiring Stoops, Kentucky had only one 10-win season since 1951. Under Stoops, the Wildcats posted 10-win seasons in 2018 (10-3) and 2021 (10-3). Stoops claimed SEC Coach of the Year honors in 2018. Kentucky also finished with seven-plus victories in seven of its last eight seasons and won four consecutive bowl games at one point.
Prior to joining the Wildcats, Stoops served as the defensive coordinator at Florida State (2010-12). He started as a graduate assistant at Iowa (1990-91) before being in various assistant coach roles at South Florida (1996), Wyoming (1997-99), Houston (2000), Miami (2001-03), Arizona (2004-09) and FSU. Stoops also spent time as the athletics director and defensive backs coach at Nordonia High in Macedonia, Ky. (1992-95).
As a player, Stoops was a defensive back for the University of Iowa (1986-89) under College Football Hall of Fame coach Hayden Fry. He helped the Hawyekes participate in four straight bowl games before landing a graduate assistant role.
The search for the next Texas A&M football coach is officially coming to an end in the near future. The Aggies are expected to soon finalize their hiring of Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops, sources confirmed to GigEm247's Jeff Tarpley. TexAgs first reported the news Saturday night.
After firing former head coach Jimbo Fisher on Nov. 12, A&M athletics director Ross Bjork immediately began looking for his replacement. With Bjork leading the effort, the Aggies held their first national search for a head football coach in several decades.
Mike Elko (Duke), Jeff Traylor (UTSA) and Jedd Fisch (Arizona) were among candidates that A&M considered. But Bjork ultimately picked Stoops, the Youngstown, Ohio product who is the younger brother of former legendary Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops.
Stoops, 56, landed his first head coach job at Kentucky in 2013. Across 11 seasons with the Wildcats, Stoops has compiled a 73-64 record and is the all-time winningest head coach in program history. They improved to 7-5 this season after defeating No. 10 Louisville, 38-31, on the road Saturday.
Before hiring Stoops, Kentucky had only one 10-win season since 1951. Under Stoops, the Wildcats posted 10-win seasons in 2018 (10-3) and 2021 (10-3). Stoops claimed SEC Coach of the Year honors in 2018. Kentucky also finished with seven-plus victories in seven of its last eight seasons and won four consecutive bowl games at one point.
Prior to joining the Wildcats, Stoops served as the defensive coordinator at Florida State (2010-12). He started as a graduate assistant at Iowa (1990-91) before being in various assistant coach roles at South Florida (1996), Wyoming (1997-99), Houston (2000), Miami (2001-03), Arizona (2004-09) and FSU. Stoops also spent time as the athletics director and defensive backs coach at Nordonia High in Macedonia, Ky. (1992-95).
As a player, Stoops was a defensive back for the University of Iowa (1986-89) under College Football Hall of Fame coach Hayden Fry. He helped the Hawyekes participate in four straight bowl games before landing a graduate assistant role.
