Mark Stoops picks up national Coach of the Week honor after Kentucky’s upset win over Ole Miss
Mark Stoops had as good of a Week 5 as any head coach in college football, and on Tuesday afternoon the leader of Kentucky’s program got his just reward.
Stoops, who’s been the head coach in Lexington since 2013 (time flies), was named the Bear Bryant Awards Fan Favorite Coach of the Week after leading the unranked Wildcats to a stunning 20-17 victory over then-No. 6 Ole Miss in Oxford.
It was just the 5th time in program history that Kentucky beat a team in the top 6. And at a school where basketball reigns supreme and football takes a back seat, Stoops brought Kentucky football to the forefront.
Lane Kiffin’s high-octane Rebels entered the game averaging 55 points and 670 yards of total offense per game. But Kentucky wasn’t impressed by all those numbers, holding Ole Miss to 17 points and just 353 yards of total offense.
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It shouldn’t have been a total shock that the Wildcats defense came to play. Just ask Georgia, which was held to a measly 13 points and 262 yards of offense while escaping Lexington with a 13-12 victory in Week 3.
So, Stoops’ team nearly knocked off the then-top-ranked team in the country in Week 3, and then 2 weeks later it took down the 6th-ranked team in the country in its stadium. It was Kentucky’s 1st win in Oxford since 1978 and was the highest AP-ranked victory of the Stoops era.
Stoops is the longest-tenured head coach in the SEC and Saturday was a crowning moment in the still-going Stoops era.
In Stoops we Trust!
I understand Stoops rationale in the UGA game even though I disagreed with the 4th down decision. I was more upset with the play calling that led to the 4th down. Against Ole Miss, it was a wise decision. He couldn’t afford to punt the ball and let Lane ice the game. Well deserved award.
Nice recognition fo Stoops