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Mark Stoops and Mitch Barnhart are in a dangerous game of chicken

Related Topics: Mitch Barnhart, Mark Stoops

As Kentucky football’s season continues its downward spiral, head coach Mark Stoops is fighting a battle on a new front: public perception. After reports surfaced this week that he may have approached Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart to discuss a buyout, Stoops issued a fiery and defiant denial.

The initial story suggested Stoops may have initiated talks to leave, while other insiders framed it as a meeting where Stoops challenged the administration: if you want to make a change, pay the full price of his contract.

Following the lopsided loss to Georgia, Stoops left no room for interpretation.