Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR) - December 1, 2025, Hour 1

Brief Overview

This pivotal episode of Kentucky Sports Radio, hosted by Matt Jones with Ryan Lemond and Drew Franklin, centers on the end of Mark Stoops' tenure as University of Kentucky football head coach. The hosts break down why Stoops’ departure, while shocking just weeks earlier, became inevitable after an embarrassing loss to Louisville, and reflect on Stoops' legacy and the transformation of UK football during his era.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Firing of Mark Stoops

• Circumstances Leading to Firing

  • Kentucky’s season ended in disaster with a 41-0 loss to Louisville, following another blowout the previous week.
  • Consensus among all hosts: If the team had shown fight, even in a loss, Stoops likely would still have his job. Instead, the team "quit."
    • Matt Jones: "If it's close, they show some fight, he's our coach today." (03:57)
    • Ryan Lemond: “I think they finally convinced him...a change had to be made.” (06:42)

• Shift in Decision-Making at UK

  • The decision to move on from Stoops wasn’t primarily driven by AD Mitch Barnhart or President Eli Capilouto, but by a more modern board and new donors who pressed for change.
    • Matt Jones: "There's kind of a new decision making body ... I think it was a different group of folks who kind of said, we have to make a change." (05:51)

• The Buyout & Stoops’ Graceful Exit

  • Stoops agreed to take his massive buyout over several years rather than all at once—a move seen as gracious and legacy-preserving.
    • Matt Jones: “Stoops agreed to take the money over a period of years…that’s a big step in him preserving his legacy here.” (09:23)
    • Drew Franklin: “I wouldn't have done it ... It took a lot for Stoops to do that.” (10:30)
    • Ryan Lemond: "That completely changed my attitude about Mark Stoops." (11:14)

Processing the End of an Era

• Fan Sentiment & The Moment the Tide Turned

  • Even steadfast Stoops supporters flipped after the embarrassing losses and lack of effort:
    • Matt Jones, to Ryan: "Mr. 'I'm keeping him no matter what.' You… called in and said you flipped based on Saturday." (14:40)
    • Ryan Lemond: "At the end of the Louisville game, it was just plain and obvious… you had to make a change." (14:59)
  • Fan and donor willingness to support the program for another year with Stoops was waning.

• Relief, Not Sadness

  • The general tone was one of relief: the timing was right, the party didn't drag on. Stoops and UK "broke up at the exact right time." (16:46-17:10)

Mark Stoops' Legacy at Kentucky

• Historic Achievements

  • Widely considered UK's best football coach ever.
  • Took over during a low point (2–10 season) and led the team to multiple 10-win seasons, bowl wins, and NFL player development.
  • Culture change: Kentucky began producing and recruiting top talent, developed a hard-nosed, tough-SEC identity.
    • Matt Jones: “He put more people in the NFL in 10 years than the prior 35 years combined.” (20:55)
    • Ryan Lemond: “He totally changed the culture of UK football … he did it on a continual basis.” (22:41)

• Signature Moments Recalled

  • Florida wins: Breaking the “never beat Florida” streak, especially the win in The Swamp (23:03–23:15).
  • Beating Louisville: Lamar Jackson fumble game, locker room video, multiple consecutive wins.
  • Other milestones: Missouri “punching the ceiling,” Tennessee win with John Schlarman honored, big bowl wins (Penn State), Lynn Bowden era, Bud Dupree interception, JoJo Kemp Wildcat runs.

• Mark Stoops, the Person

  • “Flawed but ultimately a good person” (21:47).
  • Built strong relationships with donors, helping modernize and fund the program.
    • Matt Jones: "He made football a sport that matters at this school." (48:10)

Why Did It End?

• Loss of “Fastball” and the NIL Era

  • Hosts agree Stoops lost the spark—“lost his fastball”—the last 2–3 seasons. His “blue-collar” edge faded; he seemed less energized (35:03–35:51).
  • The rapid shift to Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) left Stoops' tried-and-true “recruit and develop” approach behind; program fell behind the curve.
    • Drew Franklin: “Everything, the Stoop's formula didn't work anymore. The sport evolved all around him, and what he was doing just didn't stick with the sport.” (37:17)
    • Mitch Barnhart's slow adoption of NIL hurt program momentum and led to bitter feelings.

• Personal Life and Coach Burnout

  • Acknowledge that personal challenges changed Stoops’ demeanor.
    • Matt Jones: "He just never felt comfortable in those last couple years … wasn’t the same energy." (41:12)

Memorable Quotes & Notable Moments

• On the Inevitable Firing:

  • Ryan Lemond: “If it's close, they show some fight, he is our coach today.” (03:57)
  • Matt Jones: “We broke up at the exact right time…still spend their kids’ birthdays together without hating each other.” (16:46)

• On Stoops’ Buyout Concession:

  • Drew Franklin: "I wouldn't have done it…It took a lot for Stoops to do that." (10:30)
  • Ryan Lemond: "Completely changed my attitude about Mark Stoops…maybe walk off in sunset holding hands." (11:14)

• On Stoops’ Impact:

  • Matt Jones: “He leaves this program is a lot more attractive as a job now than it was when he got here.” (21:11)

• On Stoops the Recruiter:

  • Matt Jones: “He was so good at getting the guys that would just invest in basketball to also invest in football.” (47:35)

• On Why It Ended:

  • Matt Jones: "He wasn’t the same person…just not what it was." (35:51)
  • Drew Franklin: "When the era changed and we fell way behind on NIL, everything the Stoop's formula didn't work anymore." (37:17)

Important Segment Timestamps

| Segment/Event | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------------------|--------------| | Show Open & Setting the Theme | 02:37 | | When Did Stoops’ Fate Become Sealed? | 03:57–04:30 | | Changing Power Structure at UK | 05:09–06:38 | | Buyout Negotiations & Stoops’ Graceful Exit | 09:23–11:14 | | Reflections on the End, Fan Sentiment | 14:40–17:20 | | Stoops’ Achievements & Highlight Reel | 19:43–24:10 | | Most Memorable Wins & Player Development | 23:05–24:55 | | Listening to Fans & Donor Impact | 45:39–47:35 | | “Why Did It End?” — NIL & Burnout Discussion | 35:03–37:17 |

Audience & Former Player Feedback

• Callers uniformly expressed admiration and gratitude, supporting both Stoops’ achievements and the decision to move on after Louisville.
• Acknowledged that, thanks to how Stoops and UK have managed the transition, he may return in future years to applause and respect rather than bitterness.

Natural Flow & Tone

• Highly conversational, candid, and emotionally charged—blending nostalgia, relief, and realism.
• Distinct mix of Kentucky pride, down-to-earth insight, and football-obsessed banter—very much the style KSR listeners expect.

Conclusion

Hour 1 of this episode served as both a eulogy and a celebration of the Mark Stoops era at UK. The hosts deftly balanced praise for Stoops’ achievements, honest analysis of why the era had to end, and genuine gratitude that Kentucky football is now positioned as a more prestigious and attractive program for the next head coach—a testament to Stoops’ impact. Hour 2 (not covered) was set to focus on the search for Kentucky’s next head football coach.