Mike Stoops Lands Crucial Coaching Role at University of Kentucky
Under his brother, Mark Stoops, Mike Stoops has his new landing spot at the University of Kentucky as the Inside Linebacker Coach. Mike has worked with his older brother Bob Stoops at the University of Iowa and Kansas State University years ago, and then again with Bob at two separate stops in Oklahoma. When Mike started his position as University of Arizona’s head coach, he hired Mark as his defensive coordinator.
After the former University of Kentucky linebacker coach, Jon Sumrall was hired elsewhere, the Stoops brothers knew it was time for a family reunion on the field.
“There’s still a brother connection, but we’ve grown so much since the time we were together at Arizona,” Mike said. “We’re two very different people than we were back then. I think we know what to expect, some of the good things, the bad things, what’s hard.”
Hiring Mike, especially with his years of expertise, came at an opportune time. Mark Stoops says he needed big-picture thinkers to step in and collaborate on the coaching team. He says, “You need all hands on deck. It’s a tough job, so it’s good to bring that experience in.”
Mike served as Arizona’s head coach for eight years and has over a decade of experience working as a defensive coordinator, with positions at FAU and serving as a defensive analyst at the University of Alabama. University of Kentucky football is already experiencing a positive upswing this spring drills.
The two brothers working together will prove beneficial when it comes to collaborating from a team mindset. There was already a strong precedent for Mark to hire his brother within the athletic department after John Calipari, Kentucky men’s basketball coach, hired his son as a graduate assistant ahead of the season. But Mike Stoops’ experience is a huge qualifier and advantage for his work at the University of Kentucky.
Early feedback has been positive from both Stoops’ brothers. “I look at it as another coach,” Mark said. “I have good relationships with the coaches. I treat him the same. He treats me the same.”
As spring practice wraps up, both Mark and Mike Stoops have accomplished a lot, but the real training work will soon begin as the season arrives and coaches complete evaluations. As coaches prep for this season’s strategy, the University of Kentucky is looking ahead to an exciting football season!
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