Mark Stoops agrees to stay through 2028

By Tres Terrell:

Mark Stoops has agreed to stay in Lexington until at least 2028, per UK AD Mitch Barnhart.

Mark Stoops has agreed in principle to a contract extension with amended terms, Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart announced on Tuesday. The contract will run through June 2028 and continues guaranteed extensions for any season with seven wins (one-year extension) or 10 wins (two-year extension). The agreement takes into account the Wildcats’ current 9-3 campaign, which already had earned a one-year extension through June 2027, regardless of the outcome of UK’s upcoming bowl game.

Although nothing has been officially signed, it is in the works and will be contractually agreed upon very soon.

“We have been in discussion with Coach Stoops in recent weeks and are excited about his ongoing commitment to Kentucky,” Barnhart said. “Coach Stoops has done an outstanding job in building the UK football program and we look forward to continued success under his leadership.”

“I’m excited to continue to build this program to national prominence,” Stoops said. “We’re on our way and I’m more confident in Kentucky football than I’ve ever been… I thank President Capilouto and Mitch Barnhart for their support. The continuity among us for the last nine years is extremely valuable and I’m looking forward to more success together.”

“Mitch and I came to an agreement a week or two ago and shook hands on it Saturday afternoon.”

The two rumored amended terms were an increase in the recruiting budget, and a new indoor practice facility. In reality, they already have an indoor facility, but they want the track that wraps around the field to be gone because it cuts into the end zones of the field, so what will likely happen is that they will take that track out and extended their indoor field, and build the track team their own brand new facility since they do not have one yet.

All being said, where this program stands today wouldn’t have been possible if Stoops hadn’t come through those doors, and Mitch Barnhart needs to make sure he has everything he wants until the day he retires. It seems to be mutual now.

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