The Mark Stoops era at Kentucky has officially come to an end, with the Wildcats parting ways with the head coach who had led the program since 2013.
Stoops saw some success during his time at Kentucky, which included two ten-win campaigns and eight bowl appearances. However, after back-to-back losing seasons, the program decided it was time to move on. With Stoops now out, here are five potential candidates to replace him in Lexington.
Potential Mark Stoops Replacements for the Kentucky Wildcats
The 2025 season was rough for Kentucky. The Wildcats finished the year 5-7 and graded out poorly on both sides of the ball, with their offense ranking 49th in the country in PFSN’s CFB OFFi metric and their defense coming in at 54th in PFSN’s CFB DEFi metric.
Even though Stoops had been at the helm for over a decade, it was clear that it was time for Kentucky to move on.
Whoever takes over at Kentucky will have plenty of work ahead of them to turn the Wildcats into a competitive SEC program. Still, several candidates make sense as Stoops’ replacement and could bring much-needed stability to the program.
1) Will Stein, Oregon
While Will Stein is not the most proven name in the 2025 coaching carousel, with his coordinator experience limited to UTSA from 2020 to 2022 and Oregon since 2023, the Ducks’ offensive coordinator still makes a lot of sense for Kentucky.
Stein is a Kentucky native who played quarterback at the University of Louisville from 2008 to 2012. While it might seem unlikely that he would pursue a job at his alma mater’s bitter rival, a return to his home state could be something he is looking for.
Under Stein, Oregon’s offense has ranked in the top ten nationally in PFSN’s CFB OFFi metric every season he has been the offensive coordinator. Bringing that level of offensive firepower to Lexington could be exactly what the Wildcats need to reestablish themselves as an SEC contender.
2) Dan Mullen, UNLV
Dan Mullen made his return to the sideline in 2025 with UNLV after a three-year hiatus following his dismissal from Florida at the end of the 2021 season. He has done an impressive job with the Rebels this year, leading them to a 10-2 record and a Mountain West Conference Championship appearance.
Mullen is undoubtedly looking to make his return to the SEC, and with the Kentucky job opening up, this could be an excellent chance for him to do so.
Given that he has demonstrated his ability to lead a program to success, as evidenced by his accomplishments at UNLV this season, the Wildcats would almost certainly have interest in the former Florida head coach.
3) Brian Hartline, Ohio State
Brian Hartline has been part of Ohio State’s staff since the Urban Meyer era as a wide receivers coach and was promoted to offensive coordinator this season. Although he lacks extensive experience, his name has surfaced in several coaching searches in the last few months.
Hartline’s brother, Mike, played quarterback at Kentucky from 2006 to 2010 and currently serves as an offensive quality control coach for the Wildcats. The opportunity to work alongside his brother could be a strong incentive for the Ohio State offensive coordinator to take the job at Kentucky.
Under Hartline, Ohio State’s offense ranks third in the country this season in PFSN’s CFB OFFi metric. Kentucky would not only be interested in what he could bring to their offense, but Hartline is also one of the top recruiters in the nation, which would likely make the program even more interested in him.
4) Gerad Parker, Troy
Gerad Parker is in his second season as Troy’s head coach. After a 4-8 finish in his first year, he has completely turned the program around, leading the Trojans to an 8-4 record in 2025.
Parker was born and raised in Kentucky and played wide receiver for the Wildcats from 2000 to 2004. With his alma mater’s job opening up, there’s no doubt he will have a significant interest in the role.
While Parker doesn’t have a proven track record as a head coach, bringing in someone who played for the program and understands what Kentucky football is all about could be exactly what the Wildcats need in their next leader.
5) Chip Kelly, Las Vegas Raiders
While Chip Kelly was recently fired after a disastrous start to the 2025 season as the Las Vegas Raiders’ offensive coordinator, it’s hard to deny that he is a proven winner at the college level, dating back to his time at Oregon and UCLA.
Kelly most recently coached in college as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator in 2024, leading the Buckeyes to the nation’s top offense in PFSN’s CFB OFFi metric. With his recent firing from Las Vegas, he’s back on the market and would likely be interested in the Kentucky job.
He is an excellent college offensive mind and a strong recruiter. While hiring Kelly carries some risk given his struggles with the Raiders this season, his college track record alone could make Kentucky seriously consider him.
