Mark Stoops’ exit from Kentucky comes with one of the most expensive coaching buyouts in college football, and the school is now negotiating how to pay it. After two consecutive sub-.500 seasons, Kentucky decided to move on from its all-time winningest coach. Sources say both sides are working to restructure how the payout is delivered.

“Chris Low reports that Stoops agreed to spread out his buyout for years instead of 60 days,” wrote ESPN Radio host Matt Jones. “That’s huge and likely is how this ultimately ended up happening. Kudos to him for doing that.”

By moving on from Stoops, the University of Kentucky (UK) triggers a hefty clause in his deal. Under the 2017 amendment, the school owes him 75% of his remaining salary, paid within 60 days if he’s fired without cause. With that change, the veteran coach is now owed a nearly $38 million buyout. Here’s where the negotiation comes into play.

Last week, Stoops made it clear he had no plans to walk away on his own. But when Kentucky officials approached him about a separation, he signaled he was open to a deal. Now, Stoops is willing to negotiate a payment plan that would let UK spread out the buyout instead of dropping the entire sum in one hit, according to On3’s Low.

While his buyout is among the five largest in the SEC, none of those clauses came without Stoops proving his talent.

He carried the Wildcats on eight straight bowl trips from 2016 to 2023. He delivered breakthrough seasons in 2018 and 2021, both ending with 10 wins, and stacked signature victories over longtime roadblocks like Louisville and Florida. Considering that success, he earned a contract extension through 2030. But as the SEC sharpened, Kentucky began to slip. Over the last two seasons, the Wildcats missed the postseason entirely, winning only nine combined games.

Still, Stoops leaves with an 82-80 record and a legacy that stretches far beyond numbers.

Now, while Stoops will showcase his talent wherever he goes next, the real question is who Kentucky will choose as his official replacement.

Potential candidates to replace Mark Stoops

With Kentucky having hit the reset button, the search for Mark Stoops’ successor is officially on. After back-to-back losing seasons, the Wildcats are eyeing fresh leadership with a spark. Now, at the top are two rising offensive masterminds: Oregon’s Will Stein and OSU’s Brian Hartline.

Stein has quickly earned a reputation as a QB whisperer, developing Heisman finalists and NFL talent with ease, while Hartline has produced elite WRs year after year and is one of the most respected recruiters in the country. Here’s where Stein has an edge. He has family ties to the UK, as his father played football for them, while his mother attended the school.

But beyond these two, Kentucky suddenly has a coaching board stacked with firepower and variety. They have SEC veterans like Brian Kelly and Dan Mullen, each with decades of high-level success, along with fast-rising JMU HC Bob Chesney. Now, the Wildcats stand at a crossroads.

Do they chase explosive offense with a young innovator? Or do they lean on a steady SEC-tested veteran? Whatever direction Kentucky chooses, the next hire will need to get the program back on its old track.