Mark Stoops, Kentucky Agree to New Contract: Latest Details, Reaction, Analysis

Mark Stoops' tenure as the head football coach at the University of Kentucky is as solid as it's ever been. The school has reportedly agreed to a long-term contract extension with the coach. 

According to Matt Jones of Kentucky Sports Radio, Stoops' new agreement with the Wildcats goes through the 2019 season:

Per Aaron Smith, Stoops' new deal includes a hefty pay raise starting in 2015:

Matt Jones of Kentucky Sports Radio notes that the Wildcats are taking a gamble with Stoops' deal:

According to Kyle Tucker of The Courier Journal, Stoops will get a lot more money if he can turn Kentucky into a bowl contender each year:

Tucker provided a full transcript of the press conference to announce the deal. 

Kentucky is off to a 5-3 start this season, though a 2-3 mark in the SEC does show there's still a lot of work to be done. Athletic director Mitch Barnhart said that he believes Stoops is the right coach for this university, via Smith:

Barnhart also issued a tweet of his own, noting that Stoops' extension is a sign of faith about where the program is headed even more than about its current progress:

Despite the mediocre conference record this season, the Wildcats have improved dramatically in two years under Stoops. They were winless in the SEC last year (0-8) and 2-10 overall, so needing just one more win to become bowl-eligible is a huge step in the right direction. 

This program has been a laughingstock in the SEC since making its last bowl appearance in 2010. Kentucky won four conference games in three seasons under Joker Phillips from 2010-12. Stoops came into a disastrous situation and turned it around quicker than anyone could have expected. 

Playing in the SEC doesn't do Kentucky any favors, but the progress shown under Stoops provides a legitimate reason for optimism. Credit the school for recognizing it and showing the faith in the second-year head coach to give him a huge raise.  

If you want to talk sports, hit me up on Twitter.