Mike Stoops joining Kentucky football staff, per report

The Kentucky Wildcats are getting a new assistant coach, and it’s a name you’ve likely heard before.

According to John Brice of Football Scoop, Mike Stoops will be joining the Kentucky football staff as a defensive coach. Mike, as you probably know, is the brother of Mark Stoops.

Multiple sources tell FootballScoop that Stoops is slated to join the staff of his brother, University of Kentucky head man Mark Stoops, in a defensive assistant role working with the Wildcats’ linebackers.

Mike, now 60 years old, has an extensive coaching history in the college ranks, most recently as the Florida Atlantic defensive coordinator this past season. He was previously a football analyst at Alabama from 2019-20.

The elder Stoops most notable coaching job came as the Oklahoma Sooners defensive coordinator and associate head coach from 1999-2003, which included a 2000 national championship.

Mike then became head coach of the Arizona Wildcats from 2004-11, and he was joined by Mark, who was the defensive coordinator until 2009 when he became Florida State’s defensive coordinator.

Let go by Arizona in 2011, Mike then returned to Oklahoma to be the defensive coordinator and associate head coach from 2012-18 before being fired and landing at Alabama, where he was part of the Crimson Tide’s 2020 national title-winning team.