LSU dumps Brian Kelly, but Kentucky sticks with struggling Mark Stoops

Another day, another SEC coaching change sends ripples across the college football landscape, and Mitch Barnhart keeps his head buried in the sand hoping Mark Stoops can come out with a win. He wants so desperately to jump around and say, "See guys, SEEEEEE, Mark is really good." But Stoops is not giving him any ammo this year. It is only getting worse.

LSU announced Sunday it is parting ways with head coach Brian Kelly, negotiating a reported $54 million buyout. This move comes despite Kelly compiling a respectable 34-14 record over roughly 3 and a half seasons, including two 10-win campaigns and three straight bowl victories.

For LSU, a program with national championship expectations, "respectable" wasn't good enough. Which begs the question for Big Blue Nation: Why is it that mediocre is good enough in Lexington?

A tale of two timelines

Compare Kelly's recent tenure and subsequent firing to Mark Stoops' situation at Kentucky. During the same approximate timeframe Kelly was going 34-14 at LSU, Stoops has gone 20-24 at Kentucky, including a dismal 4-8 season. Kelly made roughly $9.4 million annually; Stoops makes $9 million.

Yet, Kelly is out, while Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart appears steadfast in his support for Stoops, preaching patience even as the losses and embarrassing statistics mount.

Stats that should force action

It's difficult to imagine any other major conference program tolerating the kind of statistics currently defining the Stoops era at Kentucky:

• A 10-game SEC home losing streak dating back to September 2023.
• Tennessee having won more SEC games at Kroger Field (3) since December 2021 than Kentucky (2).
• A staggering 1-13 record against Kentucky's last 14 Power Four opponents.
• An overall head coaching record at UK now standing at 69-78.
• A career SEC record of just 36-67.

This screams inept, and yet there are no discussions going on about Mark Stoops' future with the program. That screams embarrassing. The only bright spot Saturday night was Cutter Boley, that really is it.

Different standards, different outcomes

LSU, despite Kelly's winning record, decided that merely being good wasn't acceptable for their standards. They made a difficult, expensive decision to pursue greatness. Kentucky, meanwhile, seems trapped by loyalty and perhaps an AD's diminishing legacy, clinging to a coach whose program has demonstrably regressed over the past four seasons.

Brian Kelly's firing isn't just news from Baton Rouge; it's a glaring spotlight on the vastly different expectations, and consequences, within the same conference. While one blue-blood demands excellence, Kentucky appears content to just cash paychecks from the SEC, leaving frustrated fans wondering what it will finally take for change to come to Lexington.

But if you want the answer to that question, the answer is easy: Once Kroger field looks like it did at the beginning of the game like it did at the end of the last one.

Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time he enjoys downtime with his family and Premier League soccer. You can find him on X here. Micah 7:7. #UptheAlbion