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Mark Stoops

Dec 30, 2021
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The story line of Stoops playing his alma mater got me thinking about his future at UK. I've been very happy with him as the coach and I think that he's been phenomenal at building a football program where I never thought one could be sustained. With that being said I was just wondering what your feelings about the potential of him following Ferentz to be the coach at Iowa whenever he decides to retire? Would he be on your short list of preferred coaches or would you want someone else?
 
The story line of Stoops playing his alma mater got me thinking about his future at UK. I've been very happy with him as the coach and I think that he's been phenomenal at building a football program where I never thought one could be sustained. With that being said I was just wondering what your feelings about the potential of him following Ferentz to be the coach at Iowa whenever he decides to retire? Would he be on your short list of preferred coaches or would you want someone else?
Ferentz isn’t leaving for a while, I suspect Mark will be too old and may not want to be considered.
 
Stoops would be a good choice as he has proven to build a winner at tougher place than maybe Iowa. He would only have about 10 years in him but that is a long time in college football coaching circles
 
Stoops would be a good choice as he has proven to build a winner at tougher place than maybe Iowa. He would only have about 10 years in him but that is a long time in college football coaching circles
He's done the impossible at UK. He's taken leftovers from Big 10 states and SEC states and built a nice little program. He'll never have the assets of a Georgia, Fl, or Tn in the SEC east but if he can beat a couple of those every year and win 8-10 games he'll be a legend.
 
Mark Stoops is on the cusp of becoming the greatest football coach in Kentucky football history.

He isn't leaving Kentucky, and he'll destroy every known Kentucky football HC record.

Kentucky can't afford to get rid of him; and he's smart enough to never leave the gravy train (a.k.a., KF).
 
I do know that Iowa is Mark’s dream job(according to Bobby,) but he won’t wait forever.

I’d be very happy with Mark, but I have to admit, the faking of injuries by Kentucky really disappointed me. I hope he doesn’t encourage that, but I suspect he didn’t discourage it.

Iowa is lucky to have Kirk, and we should be thankful every year he stays…even with his crap offense.
 
The story line of Stoops playing his alma mater got me thinking about his future at UK. I've been very happy with him as the coach and I think that he's been phenomenal at building a football program where I never thought one could be sustained. With that being said I was just wondering what your feelings about the potential of him following Ferentz to be the coach at Iowa whenever he decides to retire? Would he be on your short list of preferred coaches or would you want someone else?
to Kentucky fans - 2022 will be Mark's 10th year at Kentucky, the first 5 of which were struggling to get to a winning record (2 years at 7-6). Now he has turned the corner, so to speak. He probably has things pretty much the way he wants them. He knows the opponents, has the recruiting pipeline established, an offense and a defense he likes - he has established a base to accomplish great things at Kentucky.

In other words, he has worn Blue longer than he wore Black & Gold. Unless he thinks he has hit a ceiling (money, talent, athletic department support), I don't know why he would leave to start over at Iowa.

To Iowa fans - Mark has a conference record of 29-45. His best record in conference play is 5-3 (twice). Unless you think the SEC is much better than the B1G (and it seems most here don't), then why be enamored with him?

I will always be a Stoops family fan, but I just don't see one of them coaching here.
 
to Kentucky fans - 2022 will be Mark's 10th year at Kentucky, the first 5 of which were struggling to get to a winning record (2 years at 7-6). Now he has turned the corner, so to speak. He probably has things pretty much the way he wants them. He knows the opponents, has the recruiting pipeline established, an offense and a defense he likes - he has established a base to accomplish great things at Kentucky.

In other words, he has worn Blue longer than he wore Black & Gold. Unless he thinks he has hit a ceiling (money, talent, athletic department support), I don't know why he would leave to start over at Iowa.

To Iowa fans - Mark has a conference record of 29-45. His best record in conference play is 5-3 (twice). Unless you think the SEC is much better than the B1G (and it seems most here don't), then why be enamored with him?

I will always be a Stoops family fan, but I just don't see one of them coaching here.
If KF were to leave tomorrow, Mark Stoops would be the first call Iowa should make, other than seeing if Bobby wanted the job. My guess is Mark might take it. Yes, he's worn blue longer than he was a player/coach at Iowa, but this is still his alma mater and football will still matter more at Iowa than it does at Kentucky.
 
If KF were to leave tomorrow, Mark Stoops would be the first call Iowa should make, other than seeing if Bobby wanted the job. My guess is Mark might take it. Yes, he's worn blue longer than he was a player/coach at Iowa, but this is still his alma mater and football will still matter more at Iowa than it does at Kentucky.
So, just asking - if he was the first call and he took the job, would you be excited about it?
 
If KF were to leave tomorrow, Mark Stoops would be the first call Iowa should make, other than seeing if Bobby wanted the job. My guess is Mark might take it. Yes, he's worn blue longer than he was a player/coach at Iowa, but this is still his alma mater and football will still matter more at Iowa than it does at Kentucky.
I wouldn't begrudge him leaving. I'd be disappointed though. He's made some statements this year though that make me think he's in it for the long haul at UK.
 
The Stoops boys are all too old to be the next Iowa coach. It looks like Kirk's going at least another 5 years. That would make Mark around 64/65 yo. I'm sure Mark is loved at KF and, at 64 or 65 why make a slight to lateral career move?

If Iowa maintains the record it has over the last 5 years into the next 5 years, and I think we'll get better, BF is going to be the HC. Stability with the staff, minimal changes, won't be cost prohibitive, etc.. Of course, with NIL Iowa may be playing in a different league in five years.
 
I hope I'm wrong on this, but I think Nebraska has their sights set on Mark Stoops and will try and make an offer he can't refuse this December. He doesn't bleed scarlet, but he has a B1G pedigree and is a proven P5 winner - and these days, that's more than enough for the Huskers. At this point, Frost is what he is - a solid coordinator, a solid G5 coach, but nothing more. M. Stoops is about 10 years younger than KF, but he'd be at least 60 before he'd take over in Iowa City, and I don't think he wants to wait that long. I don't necessarily think it's *likely* he ends up in Lincoln (I think it's more likely he sticks around Lexington for the long haul), but I do think it's more likely he goes to Nebraska than Iowa if he were to go back to the B1G.
 
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Frost will win enough games this year with all the transfers coming in and not lose all of those close games. Wish he would lose them all but won't happen
 
Frost will win enough games this year with all the transfers coming in and not lose all of those close games. Wish he would lose them all but won't happen

I hope I'm wrong on this, but I think Nebraska has their sights set on Mark Stoops and will try and make an offer he can't refuse this December. He doesn't bleed scarlet, but he has a B1G pedigree and is a proven P5 winner - and these days, that's more than enough for the Huskers. At this point, Frost is what he is - a solid coordinator, a solid G5 coach, but nothing more. M. Stoops is about 10 years younger than KF, but he'd be at least 60 before he'd take over in Iowa City, and I don't think he wants to wait that long. I don't necessarily think it's *likely* he ends up in Lincoln (I think it's more likely he sticks around Lexington for the long haul), but I do think it's more likely he goes to Nebraska than Iowa if he were to go back to the B1G.

Nebraska is Exhibit A in defense of Iowa keeping coaches, even if they are not super-fabulous.
 
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It's almost like KF want's to hang around long enough to eliminate the Stoops bro's from consideration.
 
Kentucky is a better job. Don't see a reason why Mark would leave unless the alma mater draw is that strong. Regardless, timing is everything in a coaching search so if Kirk has another 5 years or even more left then the potential pool of candidates is going to be very different than it is today.
 
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Mark Stoops is on the cusp of becoming the greatest football coach in Kentucky football history.

He isn't leaving Kentucky, and he'll destroy every known Kentucky football HC record.

Kentucky can't afford to get rid of him; and he's smart enough to never leave the gravy train (a.k.a., KF).
Mark Stoops is Kentucky's second-best coach ever but has a way to go to be the best. Bear Bryant took Kentucky to their only NY6 bowl games (a Cotton, Sugar and Orange). He won their only SEC title. He also had the 1950 team that has a very good claim for the 1950 National Championship. If Stoops starts wining SEC titles and taking the Wildcats to NY6 bowl games, then yes.
 
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Mark Stoops is Kentucky's second-best coach ever but has a way to go to be the best. Bear Bryant took Kentucky to their only NY6 bowl games (a Cotton, Sugar and Orange). He won their only SEC title. He also had the 1950 team that has a very good claim for the 1950 National Championship. If Stoops starts wining SEC titles and taking the Wildcats to NY6 bowl games, then yes.
In today's SEC making NY6 bowls might be a stretch for UK. We had a chance this year but we blew it with losses to UT and Miss State. Had we won one, or both of those games we'd have made a NY6 bowl. Losing to UT sucks.
 
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Kentucky is a better job. Don't see a reason why Mark would leave unless the alma mater draw is that strong. Regardless, timing is everything in a coaching search so if Kirk has another 5 years or even more left then the potential pool of candidates is going to be very different than it is today.
What makes you say Kentucky is a better job? I don't think you would find many people outside of the Kentucky fan base that agree with that statement.
 
What makes you say Kentucky is a better job? I don't think you would find many people outside of the Kentucky fan base that agree with that statement.
You can recruit a more talented roster at Kentucky. The biggest reason Stoops is having success recruiting Big Ten territory is because he can sell the SEC which is not something he would be able to do at Iowa. Stoops would be coaching a lesser talented team each year at Iowa than he would at Kentucky.
 
You can recruit a more talented roster at Kentucky. The biggest reason Stoops is having success recruiting Big Ten territory is because he can sell the SEC which is not something he would be able to do at Iowa. Stoops would be coaching a lesser talented team each year at Iowa than he would at Kentucky.
So by that logic, every SEC job is a better job than Iowa?

I disagree.

Some coaches who are looking for a place to coach might agree with you, but I think the vast majority would look at Iowa as a more desirable job than Kentucky. "Better" is certainly in they eye of the beholder, though.
 
You can recruit a more talented roster at Kentucky. The biggest reason Stoops is having success recruiting Big Ten territory is because he can sell the SEC which is not something he would be able to do at Iowa. Stoops would be coaching a lesser talented team each year at Iowa than he would at Kentucky.
Iowa has over 30 NFL players. Kentucky has closer to 15, but yes, you just can’t great talent at Iowa like you can at vaunted Kentucky.
 
I think Barta will be gone before Kirk.

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I do know that Iowa is Mark’s dream job(according to Bobby,) but he won’t wait forever.

I’d be very happy with Mark, but I have to admit, the faking of injuries by Kentucky really disappointed me. I hope he doesn’t encourage that, but I suspect he didn’t discourage it.

Iowa is lucky to have Kirk, and we should be thankful every year he stays…even with his crap offense.

Agree…..the faked injuries was inconsistent with what most of us view as “Iowa football.”
 
So by that logic, every SEC job is a better job than Iowa?

I disagree.

Some coaches who are looking for a place to coach might agree with you, but I think the vast majority would look at Iowa as a more desirable job than Kentucky. "Better" is certainly in they eye of the beholder, though.
Kentucky had a pretty good 2022 recruiting class but let’s not pretend that they are putting Iowa’s recruiting classes to shame, because they aren’t. UK has done well for itself on the gridiron but any football coach knows they are always going to be second fiddle to the hoops coach. It’s going to eventually drive out “alpha” coaches like Bear Bryant because he knew that no matter what he did, a winning football coach is not going to be revered like a winning basketball coach. That’s why he left for Texas A&M in 1954 because it’s a program that prioritizes football. It’s possible to win a lot of football games at Kentucky, like Mark Stoops is doing now, it just requires a coach that understands his place in the UK sports hierarchy. Stoops is set for life as long as he consistently wins 7-9 games.

That’s a lot like saying Ole Miss is a better job than Southern California because the Rebels play in the SEC West and Southeastern talent completely outclasses West Coast talent. Right now Ole Miss would completely kick USC’s ass and probably will more often than not for the foreseeable future, but looking at the bigger picture how many coaches would consider USC a “dream job” compared to Ole Miss? Ole Miss is gonna have to slaughter Bama twenty years straight before it’s considered a destination job like USC.
 
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