Stoops reiterates he is not a candidate for job
Kentucky coach Mark Stoops reiterated Monday he is not vying to become the next FSU head coach, knocking down a report he interviewed for the Seminoles’ job.
247Sports.com’s Josh Newberg reported on Saturday FSU officials interviewed Stoops in Cincinnati, Ohio, last week, but he was not offered the job.
Stoops was asked about meeting with FSU administrators following Kentucky’s 50-7 win over UTMartin.
“I love it here,” Stoops said shortly after the game. “I’ve been very fortunate. I have a great administration. … The fans, our players, the recruits. This is where my heart is, this is where I want to be. So, I’m going to be at Kentucky.”
He doubled down on his commitment to Kentucky during a press conference on Monday.
“I don’t want to get any specifics about anything like that and I don’t want to open up speculation and things for the future. I just don’t think it’s appropriate,” Stoops said Monday. “I was pretty clear on [Saturday]. I’m intent on being here and building this program and we have unfinished business and I’m excited about the future.”
His older brother, Bob Stoops, has also turned down interest in becoming FSU’s next head coach. The elder Stoops has not coached since retiring at the end of 2016 season. He won the 2000 national championship with Oklahoma and is currently the head coach and general manager of the XFL’s Dallas Renegades, who begin play in 2020.
Mark Stoops was the Seminoles’ defensive coordinator from 2010-12 under former coach Jimbo Fisher. Stoops has had success since becoming Kentucky’s head coach in 2013. He was named SEC Coach of the Year last season after leading the Wildcats to a 10-3 record, the program’s best mark in 41 years.
“At Florida State, I had a great experience there and it afforded me the opportunity to be [at Kentucky],” Stoops said on Saturday.
FSU athletics director David Coburn said a day after he fired Seminoles coach Willie Taggart he would ideally like to have a new head coach in place before the end of the season. Florida State will soon face greater competition for a head coach with more schools making staff changes. The December early signing period has also motivated schools to move quickly to fill vacancies with the hope of salvaging a recruiting class.
Interim coach Odell Haggins, who reportedly has interviewed for the
FSU job, is 2-0 since replacing Taggart and has led the Seminoles to bowl eligibility.
FSU play rival Florida on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in Gainesville during the regular season finale.