Mark Stoops explains why he's remaining at Kentucky after Texas A&M coaching rumors

After a whirlwind few hours, Mark Stoops announced on X (formerly Twitter) early Sunday morning that he is staying at Kentucky — not leaving to coach at Texas A&M.

Jimbo Fisher was fired at Texas A&M on Nov. 12, earning a fully guaranteed $77.6 million buyout. On Saturday, Stoops' name emerged as the Aggies' replacement for Fisher at Texas A&M, with AggieYell reporting that, "barring a last minute collapse," he would coach the Aggies.

Stoops did not directly address the rumors after Kentucky's win over Louisville on Saturday. Nor did he give a firm denial, fueling the fire:

“Come on, you know better than that," Stoops said. "This is a big win for our state and our program and our team. You know how good I’ve been at keeping my concentration and focus on this team."

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Following that, Stoops himself announced he would stay at Kentucky. So, what changed? Here's what to know:

Why did Mark Stoops stay at Kentucky?

While Stoops acknowledged he had been "contacted about a potential opportunity this weekend," he said he ultimately did not want to leave the Wildcats' football program:

"I know there’s been much speculation about me and my job situation the last couple of days," Stoops wrote on X. "It’s true I was contacted about a potential opportunity this weekend, but after celebrating a big win against our rivals with players I love like family, I knew in my heart I couldn’t leave the University of Kentucky right now.

"I have a great job at a place I love, and I get to work with the best administration and greatest fan base in college football right where I’m at. I’m excited to say I’m a Wildcat!"

In the statement, Stoops says it was his decision not to take the position at Texas A&M and to stay at Kentucky, where he makes $9.01 million in 2023. Per his statement, it appears his decision was swayed at least in part by the Wildcats' 38-31 upset victory over No. 10 Louisville (10-2, 7-1 in ACC play).

Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork has previously said to expect the next football coach to have an incentive-based contract to avoid the pitfalls of a fully guaranteed deal (like the massive contract Fisher received).

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“We have to get this contract right,” Bjork told the Aggie Fan Zone radio show (via the Houston Chronicle). “We can’t do what we did before. … We’ve level-set with everybody we’ve talked to and said, ‘Here are the parameters, and here is the structure.’

“It gives you an incentive structure that is way different than what we’ve had before. You can have a base package that has to be competitive, but then it’s like, we’re not giving bonuses to go to the Liberty Bowl. (You make) the CFP, the first round, the quarterfinals, the semifinals, you host, you win the national championship. You win the national championship, you’ll get paid like a national championship coach. That’s how we’re putting this package together.”

Kentucky did not announce a raise or additional compensation for Stoops after his announcement that he was returning, so his contract remains the same, despite his reported flirtation with the Aggies.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Why is Mark Stoops staying at Kentucky after Texas A&M rumors?