Kentucky football is hitting the reset button after a bruising 4-8 season in 2024, and head coach Mark Stoops—the SEC’s longest-tenured sideline boss—isn’t mincing words. With a massive roster shakeup, a stinging critique from Paul Finebaum, and a submerged practice field courtesy of Mother Nature, the Wildcats are making headlines for all sorts of reasons. Here’s the latest on Kentucky’s wild offseason rollercoaster as they gear up for 2025.
Stoops Doubles Down on Toughness After a Rough 2024
Entering his 13th year in Lexington, Stoops isn’t shying away from the mess of last season. “I think the big thing is to stick to who you are,” he told SportsCenter recently, reflecting on a year that left him less than thrilled. “That, for us, is always having an attitude of toughness and discipline. I wasn’t always proud of that last year. Those are things we gotta get back to—the foundation, the roots of who we are. Be tough, be physical, be accountable to each other.” After a campaign that saw Kentucky stumble to a 4-8 record, Stoops and his staff went all-in on a roster overhaul, bringing in a whopping 41 new players to turn the tide.
A Transfer Portal Haul and High School Gems
Kentucky didn’t just tinker—they rebuilt. According to 247Sports, the Wildcats signed 19 players from the transfer portal, landing the ninth-best portal class in the nation. Not stopping there, they inked 21 high school prospects, forming a recruiting class that ranks 24th nationally. It’s a bold move to inject fresh blood into a program desperate for a spark after a disappointing 2024. Stoops is banking on this mix of experience and youth to bring back the grit that fueled Kentucky’s standout 10-win season in 2021. But with no commitments yet from the 2026 class, the future beyond next year remains a question mark.
Paul Finebaum Unleashes on Stoops
Not everyone’s buying the rebuild hype. ESPN’s Paul Finebaum didn’t hold back, torching Stoops for what he sees as a downward spiral. “Mark Stoops makes a lot of money for a coach who hasn’t had a good season in a while,” Finebaum said on his show. “He’s had, if I remember correctly, three inconsistent years out of four. ... The program, to me, looks like it’s spiraling out of control. Four out of the last five seasons have essentially been mediocre or worse. That is a bad, bad trend.” Ouch. Finebaum points to Stoops’ 10-win Citrus Bowl season in 2021 as the lone bright spot in a stretch of mediocrity—5-6 in 2020, 7-6 in 2022, 6-7 in 2023, and now 4-8. For a coach pulling in big bucks, the clock’s ticking to prove the critics wrong.
Flooded Fields and a Trip to Tennessee
Adding a twist to the offseason, recent flooding turned the University of the Cumberlands’ football field—Kentucky’s go-to practice spot for their annual clash with Tennessee—into a swamp. The Courier Journal captured jaw-dropping video of the submerged turf, a stark reminder of the chaos nature can unleash. With the Cats set to face the Vols again in 2025, they’ll be hoping for drier days and a sharper performance after last year’s 28-18 loss in Knoxville. Read here about what you can do to help!
J.J. Weaver Shines Off the Field
Amid the roster revamp and off-field drama, senior outside linebacker J.J. Weaver gave Kentucky fans something to cheer about. On Wednesday night, Weaver was named the eighth annual Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. He’s the second Wildcat to snag the honor—Joshua Paschal won it in 2021—beating out Boise State’s Ahmed Hassanein and North Carolina’s Kaimon Rucker. The award celebrates leadership, courage, and integrity, and Weaver’s win is a bright spot in a season that desperately needed one.
What’s Next for Kentucky?
Stoops has the pieces—19 portal transfers, 21 high school studs, and a renewed focus on toughness. But with Finebaum’s words ringing in the air and no 2026 commitments on the board, the pressure’s on. Can this overhauled roster flip the script on a program that’s been stuck in neutral? Kentucky’s 2025 season might just be the ultimate gut check for Stoops and his crew. Stay tuned—this story’s far from over.