When I clicked on this article I actually started at #1 and scrolled and expected to see Mark Stoops ranked in the top 30 or so coaches after the Wildcats 10 win season.
Not only did I not find him in the top 30 but I found him below Neal Brown and Louisville’s new head coach.
Stoops came in at #44.
44. Mark Stoops, Kentucky
Kentucky was the biggest surprise in the SEC last season, as Stoops guided the program to its first double-digit win total (10) since 1977. The 10-win campaign pushed Stoops’ overall record to 36-39 since taking over in Lexington prior to the 2013 season. The Wildcats have won at least seven games and played in a bowl in each of the last three years. After a 12-24 start to his tenure, Stoops is 24-15 since 2016. Kentucky is one of the SEC’s toughest jobs, but this program has made considerable strides since Stoops arrived. Despite the loss of running back Benny Snell and edge rusher Josh Allen, Stoops’ work on the recruiting trail and in player development should allow this team to get back to a bowl in 2019.
Read “Ranking All 130 College Football Head Coaches for 2019” by clicking here.
Ohio State’s new coach, who has never been a head coach, is also ranked ahead of Stoops at #43.
The Kentucky Football program still has a ways to go to garner respect from the national media.
