Kentucky Soccer Thrown a Lifeline as $38M Mark Stoops Hurdle Takes Twist
There was a time when Kentucky soccer appeared on the trail to turning into a constant SEC contender underneath head coach Mark Stoops, with the workforce reaching 10 wins in each 2018 and 2021. However that optimism has pale shortly.
After a 4-8 season in 2024 and a 2-2 begin in 2025, requires Stoops to be fired have grown louder. The issue with firing Stoops is his $38 million buyout, although one analyst believes there could be a manner for Kentucky to work round it.
Can Kentucky Keep away from Mark Stoops’ $38M Buyout?
Stoops grew to become Kentucky’s head coach in 2013 and holds a 79-75 report, main the Wildcats to 4 bowl wins out of eight appearances and posting two double-digit successful seasons.
However current years have been tough. After a 7-6 marketing campaign in 2023, Kentucky went 4-8 in 2024 and sits at 2-2 in 2025, with each losses coming as blowouts to SEC opponents.
The Wildcats have struggled throughout the board this season. Kentucky ranks 67th within the nation on protection in line with PFSN’s CFB DEFi metric, whereas the offense ranks even decrease at 98th within the nation in line with PFSN’s CFB OFFi metric.
Most followers need Stoops gone, however his firing comes with a hefty $38 million price ticket, due in a lump sum throughout the first two months, one thing Kentucky seemingly doesn’t need to pay outright.
Nevertheless, FOX Sports activities’ Aaron Torres believes the Wildcats might work round paying the total quantity directly. Whereas they could not be capable to keep away from the $38 million totally, Torres notes Kentucky might renegotiate the buyout and unfold the funds out over time.
“You possibly can renegotiate it in a number of methods,” Torres mentioned. “You will get the $40 million, perhaps it’s the Bobby Bonilla $40 million over 40 years, I don’t know. Possibly you negotiate it to $20 million, and also you give him $2 [million] for 10 years. I don’t know.”
This may increasingly appear unlikely, as Stoops would in the end must agree to not obtain practically $40 million abruptly, which is difficult to think about anybody turning down.
Nevertheless, Torres notes that Stoops seemingly isn’t too keen on his job proper now and will need out of Kentucky as a lot as Kentucky needs him out, which in flip might make him keen to renegotiate the buyout.
“However what I do know, is that if it was me and I used to be Mark Stoops and I used to be virtually 60 years previous, and in addition I used to be residing in a world the place I knew no one wished me on the job, no one wished me on the town, I don’t know that’d be like a factor that I might be tremendous excited to point out up for each day,” Torres mentioned.
It’s an fascinating level from Torres, and as he notes, Sam Pittman, who was relieved of his duties as Arkansas head coach earlier this week, agreed to barter his buyout, exhibiting it’s attainable Stoops might do the identical.
A method or one other, it’s clear Stoops’ time in Lexington is coming to an finish. If Kentucky needs to maneuver on earlier than 2031, when his contract expires, they’ll must pay some type of buyout. And if the pinnacle coach is keen to barter in any respect, it’s seemingly he’ll be fired by the top of the season.
