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The college football world was hit with a bombshell report on Saturday saying that Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops would soon take the Texas A&M job.
It was widely rumored that Stoops was set to become Jimbo Fisher’s replacement in College Station after spending more than a decade in Lexington.
Barring a last minute collapse, sources tell https://t.co/zQ9IHLlF7I Kentucky coach Mark Stoops is likely to be the next head coach at Texas A&M.
— Mark Passwaters (@mbpRivals) November 26, 2023
AggieYell broke the report late Saturday night, saying that “barring any last-minute collapse,” Stoops would take over at the helm. If that is true, the collapse came in record-breaking fashion.
Shortly after that news went viral, Texas A&M fans rushed to social media to bash Mark Stoops. Many believe that the immediate negative reaction caused Aggie brass to change their minds.
I like Mark Stoops a lot. Which is irrelevant to my next thought.
I’ve never seen a revolt over a potential hire like the one I’m seeing from Texas A&M folks tonight. Near universal outrage.
— Josh Pate (@LateKickJosh) November 26, 2023
“If Texas A&M fans really strong-armed their school into not hiring Mark Stoops, we have a new dumbest fanbase in America.”
The jokes wrote themselves online.
“Since he only coached there for 30 minutes, I’m told A&M’s buyout for Mark Stoops is only $27 million.”
Stoops has since responded to the report.
Mark Stoops posts about Texas A&M speculation.
I know there’s been much speculation about me and my job situation the last couple of days. It’s true I was contacted about a potential opportunity this weekend, but after celebrating a big win against our rivals with players I love like family, I knew in my heart I couldn’t…
— Mark Stoops (@UKCoachStoops) November 26, 2023
“I know there’s been much speculation about me and my job situation the last couple of days,” the Kentucky head coach wrote. “It’s true I was contacted about a potential opportunity this weekend, but after celebrating a big win against our rivals with players I love like family, I knew in my heart I couldn’t leave the University of Kentucky right now… I’m excited to say I’m a Wildcat!”
Many immediately reacted to the post.
“Translation: I did tell Texas A&M leadership that I would be accepting their offer to become head football coach, but once word leaked out and I was getting absolutely roasted and dunked on, both myself and Texas A&M University cowardly pretended it never happened. Go Wildcats!”
“PR team working overtime.”
“You’re So Last Summer by Taking Back Sunday is blasting on volume 1 trillion in the Stoops household tonight.”
“You were put in the friend zone.”
It appears Mark Stoops is staying at Kentucky (for now), and the Texas A&M gig is still open.