Hear me out

[dencat]

Been thinking about this the past week. With some measure of success and hopefully more to come, the likelihood of Stoops sticking around has a pretty good chance. Could the success of the team give Stoops the mindset he could voluntarily leave for another job and still save his legacy at UK? If Iowa or other school comes calling, does he leave and get the fresh start he probably needs, without the stigma of being a fired coach?

[Jaxcat]

It's possible, but I would be surprised if another school offered him comparable money. Walking away from $9M to get, let's say, $5M to preserve his legacy at UK? I don't think so. I mean, Cal walked away for less money so it could happen.

[Matt Dillon]

Even if we win six and get a bowl bid I don't know how many schools that Stoops would be interested in would be interested in him. I would imagine schools with history and tradition want a coach that can deliver more than that. Iowa would probably be interested but as far as I know their coach isn't retiring at the end of this season.

[thughes]

Stoops will also have to find a school willing to pay his buyout clause. If Stoops leaves before June 2026, he owes the university $3 million dollars. If he leaves before June 2027, he owes the university $2,5 million dollars. You can see where this is going. This is all payable with 60 days of the effective date of Stoops leaving. Any college class teaching how to put together a sports contract that's not using Stoops and Cal's contracts as examples of what not to do, then that instructor is failing at their job.

[blueheretic]

I don't see it.

If Stoops has more success. Say....goes to a Bowl Game or just wins 5, Stoops sees that as vindication.

He doesn't see that as a "time to escape".

[CrimsonCats]

I do have to give Stoops some credit. He’s kept the team from just packing it in and quitting, which isn’t a given in a frustrating year like this has mostly been.

That being said, I don’t think winning a couple of late season games against programs that currently seem to be bottoming out really changes too much. Maybe it provides just enough hope that some of our own fanbase makes peace with giving him another year instead of paying the massive buyout to move on, but I wouldn’t think it’s actually raising his stock with the other programs who have enough money to make leaving look like an option for him.

[blueheretic]

I really don't see another program that would come calling for Stoops.

That said, I think he'd find success at other places.

If he can win five games in a season at Kentucky, that translates to 8 or ten wins in the ACC and Big Tenteen in my opinion.

[Jload]

At this point I think he is here AT LEAST one more year. Barnhart will not replace him and he doesn't walk away from the HUGE sum of money he's owed. I know a large part of fan base will not like it, but that's just how it will be. Barnhart said before season he wanted to see improvement , IMO this years club has met or will meet his criterion . For those who don't like it, if you can somehow raise 30+ million dollars and give it to Barnhart to change the current equation, we will just have to live with it.