Miami football potential HC candidate Mark Stoops discusses rumors he’s interested

Former Miami defensive backs coach Mark Stoops who is currently the head coach at Kentucky addressed rumors on Monday during his weekly press conference about his connections with the Hurricanes’ potential opening at the end of the season. Stoops has frequently been connected to the Miami football program recently.

Stoops is the brother of legendary former Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops and Arizona head coach Mike Stoops. Stoops was the defensive backs coach for the Miami football program from 2001-2003. Among the players Stoops coached were All-American safeties, Ed Reed and Sean Taylor.

In the three seasons, Stoops was in Coral Gables, Miami had a 35-3 record. When Mike Stoops was hired as the head coach at Arizona, Mark became the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach from 2004-2009. Stoops held the same positions at Florida State from 2010-2012.

Stoops has a 55-51 record in his ninth season at Kentucky. After a 2-10 season in 2013, Kentucky had back-to-back 5-7 records in 2014 and 2015. The Wildcats have winning records in five of the last six seasons and are 6-1 this year. Stoops responded to a question about him being connected to other coaching jobs.

"“I’m not getting in all that I’d rather have it this way than saying you’re trying to run me out of here.”"

Several local and national media outlets have profiled Stoops as the next possible head coach for the Miami football program if head coach Manny Diaz is relieved between now and the end of the season. Brandon Marcello of 247 Sports projects that the “Parting Shots: Miami’s eventual coaching search will be a disaster.”

"“But don’t lose hope, Hurricanes. The next best thing might actually be the best fit. Kentucky coach Mark Stoops is this close to sainthood in Lexington, and though a statue in front of Kroger Field sounds nice, perhaps the program’s winningest coach since Bear Bryant would rather compete for a national championship before retirement age.Miami might offer that promise, and he knows it’s possible in South Florida after serving three years on Larry Coker’s staff in the early 2000s.”"

Coaching for three seasons at Miami and in his ninth season at Kentucky, Stoops understands recruiting in South Florida. Eight players on the Wildcats roster are from South Florida. The Wildcats second-leading receiver Josh Ali and former Miami commit Samuel Anaele are on the Kentucky roster from South Florida.

Diaz earned a bit of a reprieve with the victory over North Carolina State on Saturday. With a visit to ACC Coastal Division leader Pittsburgh on Saturday, the hot seat for Diaz could begin to heat up quickly again with another loss. Miami is favored to win its final four games of 2021 according to the ESPN Football Power Index.