There is a difference between being a program builder and being a game manager. Mark Stoops is a pretty good program builder. He took a dumpster fire and turned it into a respectable SEC program for a few years, however there is a clear ceiling and it seems he has hit his.
As the goodwill fades and the losses pile up, one statistic is haunting his tenure more than any other.
Kentucky is 0–47 under Stoops when trailing by more than 14 points at any moment.
Read that again. 0-47.
Not a single time has Kentucky climbed out of a hole after digging themselves into it. That is a huge failure on the coaching staff's part.
Zero comebacks in 13 Years
It doesn't matter if it happens in the first quarter or the fourth. Once Kentucky falls behind by more than two scores, the game is effectively over.
Great coaches find a way. They adjust. They take risks. They claw back. Stoops’ identity of ball control, slow tempo, and bend-don’t-break defense is built to hold a lead, not chase one. It leaves zero margin for error and zero room for comeback magic.
Why this matters now
This stat isn't just a quirky piece of trivia; it is the reason fan patience has evaporated. They know once the chips fall, there is no reason to believe they can ever come back.
BBN knows the script. They watch the game, they see the 14-point deficit, and they know the ending. It’s predictable, and frankly, it’s boring.
Stoops may return in 2026. But if he does, he needs to understand that this stat is the albatross around his neck. You cannot survive in the modern SEC if you are incapable of punching back when you get hit. Well, unless your boss is Mitch Barnhart apparently.