Mark Stoops signs contract extension with Kentucky. Here's what you need to know

Mark Stoops' name has been linked to openings at both Auburn and Nebraska. But Kentucky football recently ponied up to sweeten Stoops' contract and ensure he remains the Wildcats' coach.

Stoops signed a contract extension Nov. 11, which will make him one of the nation's most well-compensated coaches.

The deal, while not publicly announced, had been in the works for more than a month, according to UK athletics director Mitch Barnhart.

"Continuity has become more and more important in today’s landscape, and make no mistake about it, the job that Coach Stoops has done is well known and highly regarded throughout the college football world," Barnhart said in the release. "This extension also recognizes what Coach Stoops has done over the past decade, with unprecedented achievements in the history of Kentucky football, and reinforces his commitment to UK as we strive for continued success in the future."

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Stoops is eager to continue working toward lifting the program to greater heights.

"I’m very appreciative of (UK president) Dr. Capilouto and Mitch Barnhart for the relationship we have and the consistent commitment they have shown to the program,” Stoops said in the release. "The continuity we’ve had has been crucial to our growth and is even more important as we move forward with the changes in college football. As Mitch said, we’ve been working on this for awhile, as I wanted to reaffirm my commitment. I’ve loved it here and am excited about our future."

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Here is what you need to know about Stoops' reworked deal.

Did Mark Stoops sign a contract extension with Kentucky?

Yes. Mark Stoops is set to remain in Lexington for the foreseeable future after agreeing to a contract extension last week.

How long is Mark Stoops' contract extension with Kentucky for?

Stoops, in his 10th season as Kentucky's football coach, signed a deal one day before the team's 24-21 home loss to Vanderbilt. Though the university posted a release online, it never publicly announced news of the contract, which will pay Stoops $9 million annually beginning in February 2023. The extension runs through the 2030 season.

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How much is Mark Stoops' salary with Kentucky right now?

Stoops is making $6.76 million this season. His contract included a unique incentive for every year the Wildcats won at least seven games: it automatically triggered a one-year extension. If his teams won 10 games, a two-year extension was triggered. That trigger is removed in his new deal.

How much is Mark Stoops' salary with Kentucky going to be under extension?

The extension will pay him $9 million annually starting in February.

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Did Stoops' buyout language change with this agreement?

Yes, significantly.

Under his previous deal, Stoops would have owed the university $1.75 million if he left the school at any time with five or more years remaining on the contract. With the new agreement, Stoops will have to pay $4.5 million if he leaves before June 30, 2023. After that date, the buyout decreases, $500,000 per year, through June 2030.

What bonuses will Kentucky's Mark Stoops get in extension?

There are only two performance-based incentives in the new agreement.

Stoops will receive $100,000 whenever the Wildcats appear in a non-New Year's Six bowl. If UK wins eight games in a season, that bonus increases by $50,000.

Stoops will earn $300,000 if Kentucky plays in a current New Year's Six bowl, or any bowls added to an expanded College Football Structure in the years to come. Should the Wildcats reach the playoff semifinals, the bonus increases to $500,000. A national championship game appearance nets Stoops $650,000.

If UK wins a national title, Stoops would pick up an $800,000 bonus.

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How does Mark Stoops' extension compare to others in SEC, college football?

Stoops' $9 million salary would tie for sixth most nationally among Division I coaches at public institutions, according to USA Today's database on college football coaching salaries. (Private universities, such as Notre Dame and Southern Cal, do not disclose their contracts with Marcus Freeman and Lincoln Riley, respectively.) The only coaches in college football known to have bigger salaries than Stoops' new deal are Nick Saban (Alabama), Dabo Swinney (Clemson), Kirby Smart (Georgia), Brian Kelly (LSU) and Mel Tucker (Michigan State). Texas A&M's Jimbo Fisher also makes $9 million per season.

There also are coaches who have agreed to new contracts not yet reflected in the database; Ohio State coach Ryan Day recently signed a deal that will pay him $9.5 million annually.

The contract extension means Stoops — for now — is Kentucky's highest-paid coach. Men's basketball coach John Calipari makes $8.5 million per year through the 2024-25 season, with that number set to rise to $9 million annually in July 2025.

How long has Mark Stoops been at Kentucky?

Stoops is in his 10th season at Kentucky, taking over prior to the 2013 campaign. His 10 seasons coached are a program record. If he coaches through the end of his current deal, he'll be UK's coach for 18 years.

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What is Mark Stoops's coaching record at Kentucky?

Following Saturday's 16-6 loss to top-ranked Georgia, Stoops is 65-58 with the Wildcats. He became UK's all-time winningest coach earlier this season, passing the legendary Paul "Bear" Bryant.

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In addition to the all-time wins mark, Stoops also ranks first in school history for home victories (45) and wins in SEC play (32). He has led the Wildcats to a pair of 10-win seasons the past five years as well as seven consecutive bowl berths. The Wildcats have won four consecutive bowl games.

Kentucky has won 19 straight contests versus non-conference opponents, the longest active streak in the FBS.

What does Mark Stoops's extension mean for Kentucky football?

The contract extension sends multiple messages to prospective recruits as well as coaches around the country: Kentucky is more committed than it's ever been to finding real, lasting success on the gridiron.

That he's making more than Calipari, for the moment, is one sign. That the only coaches who will make more than Stoops are those with national championship rings (Saban, Swinney, Smart and Fisher) or schools with more football pedigree (Day at Ohio State, Kelly at LSU and Tucker at Michigan State) is another.

It also tells recruits, be it high school, junior college or the transfer portal, that Stoops will remain in Lexington for the long haul. As every program tries to navigate the new world of college athletics — with the transfer portal and name, image and likeness forever changing sports as we know them — coaching stability will be more important than ever.

The Wildcats now have that.

Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @RyanABlack