Mark Stoops addresses the media during SEC Media Day at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia on Monday, July 16, 2018. Photo by Keyli Chisesi | Go Big Blue Country.
ESPN’s Marty Smith said Mark Stoops Knew he would be Fired if he had Lost to Mississippi State in 2016
It’s no secret that Mark Stoops was on the brink of getting fired early in the 2016 season, regardless of what anyone tells you.
The program was fresh off consecutive 5-7 seasons that began with a lot of promise (5-1 start 2014, 4-1 2015). Kentucky had already lost to Southern Miss in the home opener and followed that with an embarrassing loss at Florida. However, Kentucky did rebound to get to 3-3 heading into a home game with Mississippi State on October 22, 2016.
Kentucky defeated the Bulldogs on a 51-yard field goal by Austin MacGinnis as time expired, jumpstarting a strong finish to a 7-5 regular season record that included a win vs. rival Louisville.
On Tuesday, Marty Smith of ESPN made some interesting comments about that game. He informed listeners on the Paul Finebaum Show that Stoops told him he would’ve been fired if Kentucky had lost that game.
Interesting. Marty Smith on the Finebaum show said Mark Stoops told him he knew he’d be fired if UK didn’t beat Miss. State in 2016.
Honestly, I agree with that and I’ll go a step further. If Kentucky had dropped the game to South Carolina earlier that season, it would have marked the end for Stoops in Lexington.
