Kentucky coach Mark Stoops’ name has popped up frequently as a speculative contender for the vacant Florida State head coaching job, but with key games looming, the coach isn’t going there.
Stoops said Monday that he had no interest in addressing the Florida State rumors, and his focus was entirely on the Wildcats’ upcoming game against Tennessee.
“It’s something that you don’t really want to address in season,” Stoops said, via Jon Hale of the Louisville Courier Journal. “I guess it’s better than the alternative. For us, for myself, it’s 100% concentration on Tennessee. That’s all I want, that’s all I want our team to focus on. That’s all you can do. I guess with success, you’re going to have some of that.”
This is basically the only thing Stoops can say at this stage. He was Florida State’s defensive coordinator from 2010 to 2012 under Jimbo Fisher, so he has natural ties to the university, and he’s shown the ability to turn around a program at Kentucky. Those are appealing resume points as the Seminoles look to replace the fired Willie Taggart. Stoops would be a solid option, and probably less risky than another high-profile name that apparently has interest in the position.
