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By Nelson Espinal
Contributing Sports Reporter
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The SEC is full of coaching vacancies throughout the conference, from top teams looking for a new leader to struggling programs seeking to return to past success.
LSU, Arkansas, Florida, and Auburn have all fired their coaches, and more could still follow as the conference's standards remain high.
More news: Dan Lanning Takes Shot at SEC Teams’ Scheduling After Oregon Beats USC
Read More on NCAA
Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops has held his position since 2013, leading the program through a turnaround that has led to multiple bowl games and two 10-win seasons.
While he has been the program's figurehead for over a decade, there have been calls for the school to move on from Stoops and bring in a fresh voice.
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This season, the Wildcasts are 5-6 entering their final game of the season against the Louisville Cardinals. Despite the record and chatter around his job security, Stoops made it clear that Kentucky is his home.
“Whether you like it or not, I'm a Kentuckian. I've been here as long as anywhere I've been. I left home at 17, haven't been back. This is home," the coach said.
More news: Auburn Set to Take Major Step in Head Coach Search
Stoops has a challenging situation at Kentucky. He is a football coach at a basketball-focused program that limits his access to resources.
Still, amid calls for him to step aside, he has not only reaffirmed his commitment, but his actions also show that he plans to coach at Kentucky next season.
Recently, Stoops confirmed redshirt freshman quarterback Cutter Boley will return to the program next season as the starting quarterback, despite interest from schools across the nation.
Kentucky lost 45-17 on the road to Vanderbilt as the defense got outdone by Diego Pavia and the offense failed to get much going.
Still, despite the brutal loss, the Wildcasts can still earn a bowl bid if they beat their local rivals, Louisville, on Saturday. If Stoops can lead his men to a victory, the speculation around his future will begin to quiet down.
More news: Lane Kiffin’s Handling of Coaching Rumors Is Upsetting SEC Programs
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