Disgruntled fans trot out that Mark Stoops’ record after three seasons is nearly identical to former coach Joker Phillips.

Two straight years of losing streaks combined with an alarming vulnerability against mobile quarterbacks — especially given Stoops’ defensive background — have raised the heartburn among Big Blue Nation to levels not yet seen in Stoops’ tenure.

For the second straight year, Kentucky went 5-7 as it faded down the stretch by losing six of its last seven games.

Coaching decisions against Vanderbilt and archrival Louisville, which included blowing a 24-7 halftime lead in a 38-24 loss, have drawn particular ire.

Patrick Towles, the Wildcats’ quarterback who led the team for more than half the year, recently announced plans to transfer. Now Stoops turns full-time to Drew Barker to see if he, like Towles last offseason, can beat out younger teammates — sophomore Reese Phillips and three-star recruit Gunnar Hoak, expected to join the team for the spring semester.

The only other coach under as much scrutiny as Stoops is offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson.

Kentucky quarterbacks threw 16 interceptions — the most by a Kentucky team since 2000 — and 10 touchdowns, UK’s lowest total in a decade. It’s the first time in 15 years that the Wildcats threw more interceptions than TD passes.

Yet Stoops supports Dawson.

“Whether you’re an offensive coordinator or defensive coordinator, there’s only so many good play calls at some point,” Stoops said after Saturday’s loss to Louisville. “You have to win some one-on-one battles. I have a lot of confidence in Shannon. He’ll get the ship corrected and straightened out and get the guys competing at a higher level, and we need to play better across the board.”

Yet despite a 12-24 record, one less win than Phillips — each had a 4-20 mark in the SEC — Stoops is safe, if nothing else, because of hefty buyouts of $15.5 million before next season and $12 million after next season in a contract that runs through June 30, 2020. Stoops’ salary this year is $3.25 million.

“It’s a setback,” Stoops said after the Louisville game. “Nobody wants to see a change more than myself and the staff, and these players that are working hard.”

In Stoops’ corner are the brand-new $120-million renovations to Commonwealth Stadium, and recent recruiting hauls, especially in Ohio, that could begin to bear fruit next season. If nothing else, the program needs more depth after an injury to RB Stanley “Boom” Williams stalled Kentucky’s offense against Louisville.

The university is spending $50 million more on a new football training and practice facility.

“We have a lot of good, young players,” Barker said after the Louisville game. “There’s definitely a lot to look forward to.”

Added Stoops, “This won’t hurt our momentum in recruiting and developing our team and our program. We’re going to continue to get better, believe me.”