If you were expecting a resignation speech or a somber apology tour on the postgame radio show, you don’t know Mark Stoops.
Fresh off a historic 41-0 beatdown by Louisville, the first time Kentucky has been shut out in the rivalry since 2004, Stoops didn't sound like a man packing his bags. He sounded like a man digging his heels in. Even though he coached one of the worst games in his tenure as Kentucky football coach.
In a radio appearance that swung between defensive and defiant, Stoops addressed the "rough day," his job security, and the mysterious "resources" he believes will fuel a quick turnaround.
'Zero percent chance' Mark Stoops is leaving
Let’s get the big one out of the way first. When asked about his future, Stoops shut down the rumors with the subtlety of a sledgehammer.
"I'm not going nowhere on my account," Stoops said. "I'm going to work my tail off... We are better."
Not sure where he thinks they are better than last year. Quarterback play is about it. But the schedule was significantly easier than first thought, and against any halfway decent team Kentucky looked absolutely terrible.
This echoes his postgame press conference where he stated there was a "zero percent chance" he would walk away. He knows the contract. He knows the buyout. And he is daring the administration to make a move he knows they can't afford.
The 'resources' tease
Perhaps the most interesting comment wasn't about the game, but about the checkbook.
Stoops has spent the last two years subtly (and not so subtly) complaining about Kentucky’s NIL situation. But on Saturday night, his tone shifted to optimism.
He noted that rosters can "turn quicker than you used to" and that he is "very optimistic" about the next steps. He nots that they are getting "resources" now to fix the issues he created. Funny how that works.
The Kentucky 'core' is coming back?
Stoops dropped a massive hint about the offseason, claiming he has a "large group of very good players who are signed to come back next year."
He wouldn't name names, but he did single out one player who is absolutely critical to the future: Cutter Boley.
"Cutter is all in," Stoops confirmed. "I don't speak for anybody... But that's up to him, when, where, how he is going to mention it."
Keeping Boley is step one. But retaining the rest of the young nucleus, guys like DJ Miller, CJ Works, Steven Soles, Hardley Gilmore, Willie Rodriguez, will be the real test of those "resources."
Stoops isn't leaving. He believes the money is coming. And he thinks the roster is better than the 5-7 record shows. He is wrong, but you can't fault his belief. Kentucky was bad this year, they were not "better" as he said. They were in fact worse in almost every way when playing a team who was even remotely good.
"We just couldn't get any sparks... one of those days," Stoops said of the shutout.
For the fans who just watched their team get run off the field by a rival missing half its offense, "one of those days" feels like a massive understatement. But whether you like it or not, Mark Stoops is planning to be the one to fix it. We don't like it, do you? Micah 7:7.