After guiding Kentucky through its best season in nearly a decade, Mark Stoops has been rewarded.
Kentucky announced Wednesday afternoon that Stoops’ contract has been extended by two years. The head coach’s previous deal had been set to run through June 30, 2020; the extension pushes that date out to June 30, 2020.
Stoops will earn $3.5 million in 2017, with the new contract calling for annual $250,000 raises. In the last year of the contract extension, and barring any additional tweaking, Stoops could earn $4.75 million.
Additionally, if the Wildcats win at least seven games but no more than nine in a season, the contract automatically extends by one year. If the team wins 10-plus games, it extends by two years. “Stoops will continue to receive $250,000 for each win beginning with the seventh win of each season and $50,000 per semester in which the team grade-point average is 2.75 or higher,” the release stated.
Participation in an SEC-affiliated bowl will net Stoops a $100,000 bonus, provided the Wildcats win at least six games that season. There’s also a $50,000 bonus for earning a spot in a non-SEC bowl game, with the same six-win threshold. Last season, UK qualified for a bowl game for the first time under Stoops and the first time under anyone since 2010.
“The last four years have been a grind for Mark and his staff, but he has never wavered in his commitment to building Kentucky football into a consistent winner,” a statement from athletic director Mitch Barnhart began. “While the work isn’t close to finished, we believe Mark is the coach to take us there. We are thankful to Mark and Chantel for all they have done to this point and we look forward to our program’s bright future under his leadership.”
The Wildcats’ 7-6 record last season was the program’s best since hitting the same mark in the last season under Rich Brooks in 2009. The first three seasons with Stoops in control, UK posted a 12-24 mark.
In SEC play, they are just 8-24 since 2013, although they were 4-4 in conference play this past season. The Wildcats have finished seventh (2013), sixth (2014), tied-fourth (2015) and tied-second (2016) in league play with Stoops as head coach.
“I want to thank Dr. (Eli) Capilouto, Mitch Barnhart and the Board of Trustees for their continued support,” Stoops said. “When we came here, doing a rebuild in a challenging situation, I said that full support from everyone involved was imperative and we have always received that. We needed great commitment, we’ve had great commitment and we’re continuing to get great commitment.”
If Stoops is fired by UK, he’s entitled to receive 75 percent of the remaining guaranteed compensation on the contract. If Stoops leaves of his own accord, he’d owe the university $1 million regardless of how many years are left on the deal.