Kentucky football hot board: Jon Sumrall the favorite, but who else could be considered?

UPDATE: There will be no coaching search at Kentucky. At 1:02 a.m. Sunday, Mark Stoops tweeted he was staying at Kentucky hours after reports surfaced he was set to accept the Texas A&M job.

There is a clear favorite to replace Mark Stoops at Kentucky if the football program’s winningest coach makes good on reports that he is set to leave UK for Texas A&M.

Troy coach Jon Sumrall played at UK and coached for Stoops in Lexington. He helped recruit several of the best players on the current squad and has the personality to maintain Stoops’ recruiting success in Lexington.

But coaching searches have a tendency to turn in unexpected ways. Starting with Sumrall, here is a look at several candidates to replace Stoops, should he depart Lexington.

Jon Sumrall (Troy head coach)

Why it makes sense: Sumrall, who played for Guy Morriss and Rich Brooks at UK, coached on Stoops’ staff as inside linebackers coach and then co-defensive coordinator from 2019 to 2021. In two seasons as Troy’s head coach, Sumrall is 22-4. He found significant success recruiting the Deep South while at UK. Linebacker Trevin Wallace was among his best signees. Sumrall returning to Lexington would surely be a boost to the Wildcats’ chances of keeping Wallace and other players who will receive interest from the transfer portal or NFL draft in Lexington.

Why it might not work: For all his success at Troy, Sumrall has not proven himself as a head coach at the Power Five level where managing name, image and likeness concerns will be a stiffer test. Former Stoops assistant Neal Brown once looked like the heir apparent at UK after succeeding as Troy’s head coach but has found that success harder to replicate at West Virginia.

Brad White (Kentucky defensive coordinator)

Why it makes sense: Entering the season, White might have been the odds-on favorite to one day replace Stoops after leading a defense that ranked 11th nationally in points allowed per game and 12th in yards allowed per game in 2022. White has turned down interest from multiple high-profile defensive coordinator openings to remain at UK and is viewed as a future head coach. As evidenced by J.J. Weaver’s emotional press conference following the Louisville win Saturday, White has forged a strong bond with many of UK’s defensive players.

Why it might not work: The UK defense took a step back in 2023. White has become the target of intense criticism from some portions of the fan base for what they view as a too-conservative defensive style, making his promotion a difficult sell. Athletic director Mitch Barnhart would probably have some reservations about promoting from within after that strategy backfired when he hired Joker Phillips as football coach and Kyra Elzy as women’s basketball coach.

Liam Coen (Kentucky offensive coordinator)

Why it makes sense: Just more than a year ago Coen was viewed as a future NFL head coach when he was hired as Sean McVay’s offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams. Luring him back to Lexington was viewed as a major coup and helped erase much of the bad taste of the 2022 season. Coen’s work helping develop Will Levis into an NFL quarterback has to be viewed as one of the program’s best selling points on the recruiting trail.

Why it might not work: Despite all the hype surrounding his return, Coen’s offense disappointed this season. He still looks destined to lead his own program one day, but this might be too soon. If Sumrall does land the job, convincing Coen to remain in Lexington as offensive coordinator might be priority No. 1.

Vince Marrow (Kentucky associate head coach)

Why it makes sense: Other than Stoops, no person was more impactful in the Wildcats’ rebuilding project than Marrow as the staff’s Ohio recruiting ace. He helped land future stars Benny Snell, Lynn Bowden, Josh Paschal and many others. The fan base loves him. He might be the most popular position coach in the country at his current school.

Why it might not work: For all his recruiting success, Marrow has never coordinated an offense or defense outside of two stints as an interim play-caller for bowl games after Stoops had fired his previous offensive coordinator. Marrow’s close relationship with mega-boosters Joe and Kelly Craft would help in the NIL era, but he probably needs to prove he can run his own program at a smaller level before being handed an SEC job.

Neal Brown (West Virginia head coach)

Why it makes sense: As mentioned above, Brown, who played at Kentucky and was Stoops’ first offensive coordinator at UK, was once viewed as the most likely Stoops replacement. That hype lessened as he found himself on the hot seat at West Virginia though. An eight-win season this year has righted the ship in West Virginia, and the Boyle County native knows what it takes to win at Kentucky.

Why it might not work: It feels like the time to hire Brown passed a few years ago. Regardless of his local ties, it would be a difficult sell to the fan base to hire a coach that was on most “hot seat” lists entering the season.

Brian Hartline (Ohio State offensive coordinator)

Why it makes sense: Long considered one of the best recruiters in the country, Hartline could follow the same path that Stoops and Marrow used at Kentucky in mining Ohio for talent. It is only a matter of time until someone hires Hartline as a head coach, so why not the school where his brother Mike was once quarterback?

Why it might not work: An SEC head coaching position would be difficult to turn down, but Hartline has shown little inclination he wants to leave Ohio State despite years of rumors attaching him to other positions. He might be content to stay in Columbus under the hope he replaces Ryan Day as the Buckeyes’ head coach one day.

Jamey Chadwell (Liberty head coach)

Why it makes sense: No Group of Five conference coach has had more recent success than Chadwell, who has won at least 11 games in three of the last four seasons at Coastal Carolina and Liberty. His Liberty team is in contention for a New Year’s Six bowl berth after a 12-0 regular season. Chadwell grew up in Anderson County, Tennessee, not far from the Kentucky border.

Why it might not work: Chadwell was mentioned as a candidate at Mississippi State earlier in this coaching cycle, but 247Sports reported at the time he was content to stay at Liberty. That same report listed Tennessee as one of Chadwell’s dream jobs, which makes the fit with Kentucky awkward. FootballScoop.com reported Chadwell’s buyout to leave Liberty after one season is $4 million.

Jason Candle (Toledo head coach)

Why it makes sense: With a 65-33 record in eight seasons at Toledo, Candle has more than proven his ability to coach. The Ohio native has deep ties to the Midwest that adds hope he could replicate some of the recruiting success that Stoops and Marrow brought to Kentucky. His offense ranks 18th nationally in points per game this season.

Why it might not work: After four seasons of nine or more wins at Toledo, Candle runs the risk of being typecast as a small-school coach. At 44 years old, there’s still plenty of time for Candle to make the jump to a Power Five conference school, but he has never even served as an assistant coach at that level. That would be a risky hire for an SEC program.

Will Stein (Oregon offensive coordinator)

Why it makes sense: In Stein’s first season as offensive coordinator, Oregon ranks second nationally in points (45.3) and yards (540.3) per game. That success follows a year in which Stein’s UTSA offense was ninth in yards per game (486.1) and 12th in points per game (38.7). Stein is a Louisville native and former Trinity High School star who played sparingly in four seasons at U of L.

Why it might not work: Regardless of Stein’s status as a Broyles Award semifinalist, the fact he is a Louisville alumnus might rule him out at Kentucky. It would be fun to have two Trinity alums battling in the Governor’s Cup rivalry though with Jeff Brohm entrenched at Louisville.

Jimbo Fisher (unemployed)

Why it makes sense: For the symmetry if nothing else. A Stoops for Fisher trade would certainly make headlines. A coach with a national championship on his resume would be quite the win for Kentucky, even if he was just fired.

Why it might not work: Fisher has 76 million reasons to be picky about his next job. There’s no real tie to Kentucky either.

Mark Stoops staying at Kentucky after reports he was headed to Texas A&M

If Mark Stoops is leaving, he left Kentucky fans with one whale of a going-away gift