[Strikeout King]

Mark Stoops just got himself a new contract extension with the University of Kentucky. UK announced today that Stoops’ contract has been extended through the 2018 season. The new deal extends the term from Dec. 31, 2017 to June 30, 2019, giving him five years remaining on his contract.

Mitch Barnhart said, “We are excited about the enthusiasm and recruiting success that Mark and his staff have brought to our football program. We had the nation’s second-largest increase in attendance last season and we have had the two largest spring-game attendances in school history (in 2013 and 2014).”

“In recruiting, Mark and his tireless assistant coaches have made an obvious impact with their first two classes and that momentum is carrying forward for 2015.”

Yahtzee.


http://kentuckysportsradio.com/football-...18-season/

[RunItUpTheGut]

First coach in history to win 2 games and get a contact extension

[zaga_fan]

Good to see that they are giving him their vote of confidence...
but one year into the job and a losing season in the books?
The team he leaves wins a national title without him.

I think he has tons of potential... but no way I sign him through 2018 after one losing season.

[Jarons]

What has he done to prove he is worthy of a contract extension? Since when is 2 wins worthy of an extension?

[Pulp Fiction]

What has he done to prove he is worthy of a contract extension? Since when is 2 wins worthy of an extension?

2 wins with Joker's leftovers.......

Look at the recruits he's signed this season and look at what he's bringing in next season already.

Give him time to get his recruits in place. Stoops will win at UK.

We may not reach Alabama or LSU's level..... but we will win games in the SEC and we will go to bowl games.

[Jarons]

2 wins with Joker's leftovers.......

Look at the recruits he's signed this season and look at what he's bringing in next season already.

Give him time to get his recruits in place. Stoops will win at UK.

We may not reach Alabama or LSU's level..... but we will win games in the SEC and we will go to bowl games.

I don't care what kind of players he inherited, 2 wins is not worthy of an extension, especially losing to WKU. Of the 10 losses 9 were by 10 or more points. If he is such a great coach right now, 1. Why is he at UK? 2. He would have had more than 2 victories with Joker's leftovers. 3. UK would have been more competitive in their losses.
His new recruits may be total duds, those kids have never played on the college level.
I am not saying he is not going to be a great coach someday. Right now he is not IMO. In 5 years I could be eating my words if he leaves for a better football school after some success at UK

[Strikeout King]

I think recruiting played a big part in this. If we still had Joker we wouldn't have the recruits we have now.

[sstack]

This does seem a little premature.

[Brooks4Prez]

I don't care what kind of players he inherited, 2 wins is not worthy of an extension, especially losing to WKU. Of the 10 losses 9 were by 10 or more points. If he is such a great coach right now, 1. Why is he at UK? 2. He would have had more than 2 victories with Joker's leftovers. 3. UK would have been more competitive in their losses.
His new recruits may be total duds, those kids have never played on the college level.
I am not saying he is not going to be a great coach someday. Right now he is not IMO. In 5 years I could be eating my words if he leaves for a better football school after some success at UK

I think that this move is, in large part, based on the bolded part of your comment. Barnhart wants to change the culture of UK football and make it a place where compensation of the football staff and the resources given to them is just as great as the expectations to win and win at a very high level. By giving coaches more money based on huge gins (and the recruiting gains have been HUGE under Stoops) the hope is that Kentucky will become a "better football school." I will say this though, don't think for one second that this is a move that will be justified in UK's eyes by a string of six win seasons and mediocre SEC play, this is a big money move for big money results.

[insideinfo]

BARNHEAD proves again why he is the worst A D in Div 1 or whatever they call it now.

[insideinfo]

I think recruiting played a big part in this. If we still had Joker we wouldn't have the recruits we have now.

Our recruits are still 10th in the SEC. SMOKE AND MIRRORS!!!!!!!!

[insideinfo]

I don't care what kind of players he inherited, 2 wins is not worthy of an extension, especially losing to WKU. Of the 10 losses 9 were by 10 or more points. If he is such a great coach right now, 1. Why is he at UK? 2. He would have had more than 2 victories with Joker's leftovers. 3. UK would have been more competitive in their losses.
His new recruits may be total duds, those kids have never played on the college level.
I am not saying he is not going to be a great coach someday. Right now he is not IMO. In 5 years I could be eating my words if he leaves for a better football school after some success at UK

I'm just like you I hope he proves to be a great Coach,but all he is right now is a family name that has done nothing to get a raise.

[RunItUpTheGut]

Don't let this "great" recruiting class fool you. It may be a start, but its not going to win us a conference championship. As I stated all year, Barker is overrated. Our best chance is Towles to start the next 3 years, and then get somebody like Harris to really kickstart the program.

[Pulp Fiction]

I agree with what Matt Jones from KSR said....

This raise shows the UK players, recruits and fans that UK is committed to winning at football. And they are willing to pay for it. There are some programs (Alabama, Florida, USC, LSU, Florida St., Notre Dame) that will be able to pay and have the 'star power' to pull in any coach they want.

And yes, the 2014 recruiting class was good.... but light years away from where we need to be to compete week in and week out in the SEC.

This team can get four wins this season. Five wins if we get some lucky breaks. Six wins and a bowl game if the stars align.

[Pulp Fiction]

UK Will Beat UT Martin, Ohio and ULM.
UK Can Win against Mississippi St., Vanderbilt and looserville.

Unknowns outcomes as of now are Missouri, Tennessee and Georgia.

Probable losses are Florida, LSU and South Carolina.

[zaga_fan]

I agree with what Matt Jones from KSR said....

This raise shows the UK players, recruits and fans that UK is committed to winning at football. And they are willing to pay for it. There are some programs (Alabama, Florida, USC, LSU, Florida St., Notre Dame) that will be able to pay and have the 'star power' to pull in any coach they want.

And yes, the 2014 recruiting class was good.... but light years away from where we need to be to compete week in and week out in the SEC.

This team can get four wins this season. Five wins if we get some lucky breaks. Six wins and a bowl game if the stars align.

If Matt Jones said it...
it HAS to be true.

[Brooks4Prez]

Our recruits are still 10th in the SEC. SMOKE AND MIRRORS!!!!!!!!

It is not smoke and mirrors when you are getting kids who can actually go out and compete with other teams who have SEC caliber talent. There are a lot of players out there who can play at a very very high level. The teams at the top may have more of them but UK has very very rarely had any of them and that is changing.

[Brooks4Prez]

BARNHEAD proves again why he is the worst A D in Div 1 or whatever they call it now.

Name a sport that hasn't improved or had unprecedented success since Barnhart took over as A.D........... And that includes football under Rich Brooks.

[insideinfo]

It is not smoke and mirrors when you are getting kids who can actually go out and compete with other teams who have SEC caliber talent. There are a lot of players out there who can play at a very very high level. The teams at the top may have more of them but UK has very very rarely had any of them and that is changing.

How many games did The Joke win his last year? The same number that got Stoops a raise.

[insideinfo]

Name a sport that hasn't improved or had unprecedented success since Barnhart took over as A.D........... And that includes football under Rich Brooks.

If you call never having a winning record against SEC competition unprecedented success. There not much I can say.

[Jarons]

UK Will Beat UT Martin, Ohio and ULM.
UK Can Win against Mississippi St., Vanderbilt and looserville.

Unknowns outcomes as of now are Missouri, Tennessee and Georgia.

Probable losses are Florida, LSU and South Carolina.

Looking at this schedule, 3 wins tops.

[zaga_fan]

Outcome of Missouri and Georgia are NOT unknown lol

[64SUR]

Kentucky bowl bound...:popcorn:

[panther nation]

I see a improvement over last year but still don't think they make a bowl this year. I see 5 wins but the following year I can see a 7or 8 win season. I have said all along give him three years and he will get this program turned around. So I really look for the 2015&2016 seasons to really show just how good of a coach he is.

[panther nation]

Everyone just needs to have a little patience and it will all come together!!

[Spirit100]

Kentucky bowl bound...:popcorn:

Hallucinogens and popcorn don't mix...

[Brooks4Prez]

If you call never having a winning record against SEC competition unprecedented success. There not much I can say.

Four straight bowl appearances, multiple victories over top 10 teams (including one over a top ranked team and eventual national champion) and multiple weeks in the top ten of the BCS rankings sounds pretty unprecedented for UK football to me.

[judgementday]

BARNHEAD proves again why he is the worst A D in Div 1 or whatever they call it now.

How is he the worse AD?

If you are referring to his hire of Billy G, it appears he has corrected that...

If you are referring to the football program, looks like he is improving that as well...

So tell me how is he the worse AD?

Every, and I mean EVERY athletics program at UK has improved since he took it over.

Did he steal your parking space at the Mall? Did his dog crap on your lawn? You seem to have a pretty strong opinion of a man you probably have never met.

[Strikeout King]

BARNHEAD proves again why he is the worst A D in Div 1 or whatever they call it now.

So a guy that is getting some of the best recruits out their and done stuff no other coach at UK has done in the past several tenures, gets a new contract extension, and yet the AD is the worst?

Please tell me how so because I'd love to hear this one.

[insideinfo]

How is he the worse AD?

If you are referring to his hire of Billy G, it appears he has corrected that...

If you are referring to the football program, looks like he is improving that as well...

So tell me how is he the worse AD?

Every, and I mean EVERY athletics program at UK has improved since he took it over.

Did he steal your parking space at the Mall? Did his dog crap on your lawn? You seem to have a pretty strong opinion of a man you probably have never met.

Let see if you call correcting the Billy G thing by hiring a coach that he would not even return a phone call from 2 years earlier, with a guy that had his last 2 final fours vacated correcting the problem. I call it desperation.
Then after he has run everybody including me out of Commonwealth Stadium instead of hiring a proven winner in Petrino. He goes all hollier than thou and says he has to much baggage, my question to you is how many NCAA games has he had vacated from his resume. And for all the other sports that he has threw a ton of money at, how many championships has that produced. You do not have to throw money to win, you just have hire good people and have a solid game plan. As for as him stealing my parking place he did that to when he raised my parking pass 300% for inferior product. And as for as meeting him he would never take my phone calls, and I tried more than a few times to tell him what he could to with my tickets that I had since the early 80s,