Kentucky makes sure Mark Stoops is happy with lucrative extension

Mark Stoops has transformed Kentucky football, so it’s about time the Wildcats gave the head coach a lucrative extension to keep him around.

When Mark Stoops took over as Kentucky football’s head coach in 2013, the Wildcats were a coming out of a 2-10 season.

Since then, he’s lifted them to multiple winning seasons and six straight bowl appearances. This year, Kentucky is heading to the Citrus Bowl.

After a topsy-turvy coaching carousel, it makes sense for the Wildcats to make sure Stoops is happy and willing to stay in Lexington for the long haul. So they just gave him a big pay raise and an extension.

Mark Stoops signs contract extension to stay with Kentucky football

According to reports, Stoops’ extension stretches through 2027. He’s getting a $1.5 million raise for next year and could make as much as $7.5 million in the final year of the new deal.

Critically, he’s also getting an increased pool of funds for assistant coaches. The money allotted for Stoops’ staff is now $6.5 million, per Keith Farmer of LEX18 News.

Stoops is entering his 10th season with Kentucky. His record is 58-53. After losing seasons in his first three years in charge, he’s managed a winning campaign in five of the last six years. In 2020 the Wildcats went 5-6 and won the Gator Bowl.

Now that he’s signed up to an extension, Kentucky can look to the future with more confidence than ever.

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