The Kentucky Wildcats became the sixth SEC team involved in a football coaching change this year when they fired head coach Mark Stoops on Sunday evening. Stoops is owed $38 million, a sum that many thought would prevent this change from occurring. Athletic director Mitch Barnhart, however, made the move, and is now embarking on a national search to replace the man who had been in Lexington for 13 years and compiled an 82-80 record overall.
With the coaching pool already picked over, and the Wildcats getting a later start, which direction will the Wildcats turn to replace Stoops? If you want to know who will be calling the shots for Kentucky in the future, be sure to see what the proven team of experts are saying at CatsPause.com, the 247Sports affiliate that covers Kentucky.
CatsPause is the go-to source for all of the latest Kentucky football, basketball and recruiting scoop. Sign up for a VIP membership now and join the conversation to experience the power of the CatsPause community where Kentucky fans connect and get even more insider information from our experts on staff.
And right now, CatsPause is offering 75% off annual subscriptions*, so now is the time to sign up. The team at CatsPause already has a list out of several potential candidates and there are some surprising names on the list. Head to CatsPause now to see them all.
Top Kentucky football coach candidates
One name the staff has identified as a potential target on the Kentucky football coaching hot board is Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline. An accomplished college and NFL receiver, Hartline joined the Ohio State staff in 2017 as a quality control coach and has worked his way all the way up to play-calling offensive coordinator.
He’s viewed as a dominant recruiter and developer of receivers, working with Marvin Harrison Jr., Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jeremiah Smith and many other first-round caliber talents.
“The Canton, Ohio native has spent all of his collegiate coaching career with the Buckeyes dating back to 2017,” said Josh Edwards of CatsPause. “His brother, Mike Hartline, played quarterback at UK and is a current offensive quality control coach for the Wildcats. For the first time in his career, Hartline is calling plays for the No. 1 nationally ranked program and defending National Champions. His forte has been recruiting and developing wide receivers.” See more candidates at CatsPause.
How to get insider Kentucky coaching search updates
The rest of the list includes several other exciting possibilities, including a big-name Power Four coach who has declined several other opportunities but “perhaps is ready for a new challenge.” You can only see who it is by joining CatsPause.
Who are the top names in the Kentucky football coaching search, and which Power Four coach could the Wildcats go after? Go to CatsPause to see their Kentucky coaching hot board and more, all from a team of reporters with extensive experience covering the Wildcats, and find out.
And remember, CatsPause is offering 75% off an annual VIP membership, so subscribe now before it’s too late.
*Terms: This offer is only available for new members who sign up for an annual subscription to CatsPause. After the first year, subscription will re-bill on an annual basis at the regular rate. 247Sports.com reserves the right to alter or cancel this promotion at any time. Please write support@247sports.com with any questions you may have.
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