Mark Stoops offers candid thoughts on facing alma mater, recent contract extension

Mark Stoops recently received a contract extension at Kentucky, and the coach talked openly on Sunday night about what it’s meant to him to be in Lexington over 9 seasons.

This bowl season, Stoops’ Wildcats will play his alma mater, Iowa, in the Citrus Bowl, and Stoops said he loved playing there, and that his game jersey was placed in his late father’s casket. Stoops admitted to reporters on Sunday night that it will be a different feeling than playing other games.

Here’s a sampling of what he told the media:

On his contract extension coming off the big win over Louisville… UK means everything to me, Stoops says. It’s where I’ve been the last 9 years around unbelievable people and players. “It’s been a really good marriage between the university and myself.”

— Jeff Drummond (@JDrumUK) December 6, 2021

Mark Stoops says he might break out some film from his playing days at Iowa to make the players laugh ahead of the Citrus Bowl.

— Josh Moore (@JoshMooreHL) December 6, 2021

On what emotions will be like playing Iowa…. Fresh in his mind right now. Too busy to think about, but he’s sure it will be a “different” feeling than other games. Notes that his father has an Iowa jersey in his casket.

— Jeff Drummond (@JDrumUK) December 6, 2021