How much would it cost Kentucky to fire Mark Stoops? Kentucky's buyout is massive

Kentucky signed a brand new contract extension with head football coach Mark Stoops back in November 2022. That new contract has made him one of the highest-paid college football coaches. However, Kentucky is regressing or at least plateauing. Many fans are calling for Stoops to be fired. The problem is that contract.

The buyout for the contract started at $4.5 million, went down to $4 million this year, and will eventually reach $3.5 million by July. However, and this is important, that is Stoops' buyout. If he wants out of the contract or if another school hires him, that's what they could pay Kentucky to get him. If Kentucky wants out of the contract, things get a lot more muddy.

You can read the contract yourself at University of Kentucky's legal website.

Approximately, $44 million would be owed to Mark Stoops.

The original contract was from 2012, and the extension, which is labeled in the contract as the "Seventh Amendment," only changes parts of the contract. Things like dates, dollar amounts, and anything Stoops or his agent wanted included (which, if you're curious, personal use of the aircraft is part of it). There are many things that are unchanged, and one of those is the University of Kentucky's termination clauses. Which means the dates a little wonky in there because they all are from the original 2012 contract and must then be translated over to the new window.

Why does this matter? There is a window of time in which Kentucky has to pay 100% of his remaining salary. There's a window of time where it's 80% of his remaining salary, and then there's a window of time where it's 60% of the remaining salary. This is listed as "liquated damages." It's also important to note that this would not be a lump sum payment; it would come in monthly installments. Essentially, you'd be paying him to NOT coach at Kentucky.

All indications are that if Kentucky terminated him at the end of the season, they would owe him around $44 million. That's at the 80% remaining salary level, and if they wanted it to be 60% of his remaining salary, they'd need to wait two more years. The contract does indicate that the percentage of liquated damages would need to be in one payment.

The price is much too steep to actually move on from Stoops. Unless the two parties can agree to a mutually parting of ways, Kentucky and Mark Stoops seem to be stuck together for a few more years.