Mark Stoops

Mark Thomas Stoops was born on July 9, 1967, in Youngstown, Ohio. He played college football as a defensive back for the Iowa Hawkeyes from 1986 to 1988, participating in four bowl games. His coaching career began as a graduate assistant at Iowa from 1990 to 1991. After coaching defensively at Nordonia High School, he entered collegiate coaching at South Florida in 1996 as a defensive backs coach. He then moved to the University of Wyoming from 1997 to 1999, followed by a co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach role at the University of Houston in 2000.

Stoops gained further experience as the defensive backs coach for the Miami Hurricanes from 2001 to 2003, contributing to their national championship in 2001. He then served as defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at Arizona from 2004 to 2009, working with his brother, Mike Stoops, who was the head coach. From 2010 to 2012, he was the defensive coordinator at Florida State, where he significantly improved the team’s defense, turning it into one of the nation’s best and leading the ACC in seven defensive categories in 2012.

In 2013, Stoops was appointed head coach for the University of Kentucky football program, a role he continues to hold. Under his leadership, the Wildcats achieved their first 10-win season since 1977 in 2018, culminating in a Citrus Bowl victory. He also earned the SEC Coach of the Year award in 2018. He holds school records for wins (69), home wins (47), SEC wins (31), and wins over ranked opponents (12). His tenure has been marked by consistent bowl appearances and a focus on player development and academic progress within the program.