Mark Stoops is clearly not reading the writing on the wall.
Last week, after Vanderbilt throttled the Cats 45-17, he tried to tell us it was just "one game." Well, today that "one game" became a trend that has officially cratered the program.
Louisville didn't just beat Kentucky; they dismantled a disinterested Wildcats team 41-0. There will be no bowl game. There is no momentum. And frankly, there is no logical reason to feel even halfway decent about bringing Mark Stoops back for Year 14. But it looks like that is exactly what is going to happen.
The head coach stands firm.
"Zero percent chance" Stoops steps down
In the postgame presser, Stoops didn't offer a resignation or even a hint of uncertainty. Instead, he delivered the one piece of news Kentucky fans were dreading.
"You think I'm going to walk away? You kidding me?" Stoops said. "Zero percent chance I walk away. I'm gonna be here as far as I'm concerned."
You almost can't blame him. That defiance is fueled by the massive buyout Mitch Barnhart handed him. Why walk away from $37 million?
The definition of insanity
But the frustration didn't end with his job security. When asked why fans should buy in for next season, Stoops delivered yet another tone-deaf soundbite.
"We're going to work like we always do. We're going to try to build this roster," Stoops said. "You know, we've been in tough spots before, and we're going to continue to improve."
How?
How can you sell "improvement" after getting shut out by your rival? After last season, Stoops told everyone not to "panic." He was wrong then, and he is wrong now. The "work like we always do" approach is exactly what got us here. It clearly is not working, the question is what is Kentucky going to do about it? Micah 7:7.