Mark Stoops was Arizona’s defensive coordinator from 2004-11, a rising star in the business who is now being paid $9 million a year as Kentucky’s head coach. But he’s wobbled a bit lately, finishing 4-8 last season and opening 0-3 in the SEC this year. UK’s schedule in the SEC is so ominous that it seems possible Kentucky could finish 0-8 and Stoops could be the next college football coach to get an unthinkable buyout. In his case, he would be paid $38 million if fired.
Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops reacts during the second half of a game against Georgia, Oct. 4, 2025, in Athens, Ga.
The odds aren’t good. Stoops is one of 16 former Arizona assistant coaches who became a first-time head coach after leaving Tucson. Incredibly, 14 of those 16 were ultimately fired after becoming a head coach. It’s a reflection on how difficult it is to sustain success in college football. Here’s a list of those 14 fired ex-UA coaches who went on to become head coaches for the first time:
– Chuck Amato, 1980-81 at Arizona. Hired as head coach at North Carolina State. Fired after seven years with a 49-37 record.
– Moe Ankney, 1980-85. Hired as a head coach at Bowling Green. Fired after five years at 20-31-2.
– Steve Axman, 1980-84. Hired as head coach at NAU. Fired after eight years at 48-41.
– Dino Babers, 1995-2000. Hired as head coach at Syracuse. Fired after eight years, 41-55.
– Ed Cavanaugh, 1959-66. Hired as head coach at Army. Fired after three years, 10-21-2.
– Bob Davie, 1978-79. Hired as head coach at Notre Dame. Fired after five years at 35-25.
– Sonny Dykes, 2007-09. Hired as head coach at Cal. Fired after four years at 19-30.
– Rich Ellerson, 1992-2000. Hired as head coach at Army. Fired after five years at 20-41.
– Pat Hill, 1990-91. Hired as head coach at Fresno State. Fired after 15 years at 112-80.
– Seth Littrell, 2010-11. Hired as head coach at North Texas State. Fired after seven years at 44-44.
– Ron McBride, 1987-89. Hired as head coach at Utah. Fired after 13 seasons at 88-63.
– Ryan Walters, 2011. Hired as head coach at Purdue. Fired after two seasons at 5-19.
– Jeff Woodruff, 1998-99. Hired at Eastern Michigan. Fired after three seasons at 11-35.
– Bob Valesente, 1977-79. Hired at Kansas. Fired after two seasons at 4-17-1.
The only ex-UA assistants not fired as head coaches are Stoops and Tennessee’s Josh Heupel (2005 at the UA), who is 42-16 at Tennessee.
Not only that, but two ex-UA assistants who had been head coaches before coaching in Tucson — Don Brown and Dana Dimel — returned to head coaching and were fired for a second time. Brown was canned by UMass after going 6-28 in three seasons last year, and Dimel was fired by UTEP after going 20-49 in six years.
One sure way to get to the College Football Hall of Fame is to not get fired. Former Arizona head coach Jim Young, 1973-76, was also the head coach at Purdue and Army. He went 120-71-2. No buyout needed.
