Paul Finebaum names which HC "quickly" needs a turnaround in fortunes next season

After failing to lead Kentucky to a bowl game for the first time in nine years, Paul Finebaum believes Mark Stoops is under pressure at the program ahead of the 2025 season. The Wildcats finished with a 4-8 record last season, their worst since Stoops’ first season at the program.

In Saturday's installment of "The Paul Finebaum Show" on SEC Network, Finebaum noted that Stoops has to find a way to get Kentucky back on track next season or have his job on the line. Stoops is the longest-serving coach in the Southeastern Conference and helped build the Wildcats to their current level.

"He's been given everything under the sun, the facilities, the support," Finebaum said. "He's being given a chance to make it better, and I think he needs to do it very quickly."

Paul Finebaum also made a prediction about the future of Kentucky football under Stoops. The SEC Network analyst doesn't visualize a resurgence in the program anytime soon. The SEC has become more competitive with the arrival of Texas and Oklahoma, making it difficult for a program like Kentucky.

"I think under the current construct, I do not see UK getting dramatically better," Finebaum said. "Mark Stoops really resurrected the program; he had it going for a long time. The problem is it has fallen off a cliff now. I don't see any reason to believe it's coming back. So, that's the issue."

Despite Paul Finebaum's prediction, Mark Stoops is seeing good signs in spring practice

Despite Paul Finebaum's lack of confidence in Kentucky, Mark Stoops is seeing positive signs in his team as it reached the halfway mark of spring practice. With much to improve within the team from last year, Stoops values the opportunity to address those issues on the field.

“I really like where I’m at for spring,” Stoops said Saturday afternoon. "Obviously, there’s a ton of work to be done, but I love this team’s energy. I like their focus, the way that we’re working. We’re getting better across the board.

“Off the field, the guys are working really hard to be united, spend time with each other, get to know each other. On the field, it’s been great competition. It’s been fun. It feels good to get out there and work on some of the areas where we fell short a year ago."

Stoops is navigating Kentucky’s current rebuilding phase after a challenging 2024 season with a significant roster turnover. The team's goal will be to prove many analysts, including Paul Finebaum, wrong regarding their prediction for the Wildcats in 2025.