By Tom Hurley

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Coaching football is a family tradition for Mark Stoops. When he accepted the task of rejuvenating the UK football program on Nov. 27, 2012, he became the third son of Ron and Eveylyn Stoops to become a head coach at the top level of college football.  Not bad for a eight-member family from the south side of Youngstown, Ohio.

“The Stoops name is big time up there,” said UK freshman safety Marcus McWilson, a Youngstown native. “We love the Stoops family.”

McWilson, a Cardinal Mooney High School alumnus like Stoops, originally committed to Nebraska, but reversed his decision on Jan. 28 — nine days before signing day — in order to play for Stoops at UK.

Stoops’ father coached at Cardinal Mooney throughout his childhood, while both he and brothers Mike, Ron Jr. and Bob starred for the Cardinals defense in high school, like the four-star rated McWilson.

“He’s a Mooney guy so I trust him. I trust him with my life, “ McWilson said at football media day on Aug. 5.  “I know he wouldn’t steer me wrong. To be out here with him is a great feeling. He’ll point me and the rest of the guys in the right direction.”

The Stoops name is rooted in Youngstown football. Ron Stoops coached at Cardinal Mooney for 28 years until his passing in 1988. It was during the many nights in his family home watching his father do football homework when Stoops’ preparation for Saturday’s game against Western Kentucky University began.

He and his brothers would look on as their father analyzed film and drew plays on a projector screen set up against the refrigerator in the family kitchen. Each son would go onto play for the Cardinals, before moving onto college and then into the coaching ranks.

Stoops followed brothers Mike and Bob, playing a key role for Hall of Fame coach Hayden Fry at the University of Iowa. After collegiate careers on Fry’s defensive line, the three swapped pads for clipboards, becoming graduate assistant coaches at their alma mater. The oldest of the four brothers, Ron Jr., trained to be a teacher at Youngstown State before beginning his coaching as an assistant at Youngstown South High School in 1978.

Fast-forward some 34 years to November 2012, and all four were still coaching.

Ron Stoops Jr., was back at Cardinal Mooney coaching the defense as his father had in the 1960s, 70s and 80s.

Bob Stoops was in his 14th season as head coach at Oklahoma, accompanied by Mike as his defensive coordinator.

Mark Stoops, meanwhile, was in his third season as defensive coordinator at Florida State after holding the same position for six years under Mike Stoops at Arizona.

Fast-forward again to Dec. 2, and Mark Stoops arrived in Lexington with his wife, Chantel Stoops, and sons Zack and Will, to be introduced as the third Division I head coach in his family.

“I’m highly motivated to build this program to national prominence,” Stoops said at the press conference.

Stoops has created a new culture in the months since his appointment. He has brought in a highly-ranked recruiting class. Ticket sales are up, with more than 50,000 fans at the spring game in April. Senior players have said they notice a buzz around the state toward the football team usually rexserved for the men’s basketball program. Stoops has reached out to former players, sending care packages to ex-Cats in the NFL full of UK merchandise and inviting them to attend games at Commonwealth Stadium. Players will now wear khakis, dress shirts and blazers on the “Cat Walk” before games.

As he enters his first season, Stoops understands the importance of beginning his tenure on a winning note.

“There’s a lot of excitement around our program and around the state, and nationally, really,” Stoops said Monday. “It’s time for us to go out and prove it and see what we’re all about.  I’m excited, and I think our team will be as well.”

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