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Kentucky Wildcats Coach Mark Stoops Emerging As Candidate in 'Fractured' Texas A&M Aggies Head Coaching Search?

The rumors continue to fly around the Texas A&M Aggies head coaching search, with Kentucky Wildcats coach Mark Stoops being named as another contender on Saturday

Matt Galatzan

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The rumors surrounding the Texas A&M Aggies head coaching search continue to flood in - the latest of which, coming from inside the SEC.

And by all accounts, that search could be wrapping up as early as this weekend. 

According to a report from ESPN's Pete Thamel, Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops is the latest name that has emerged in the Aggies' search for a new leader.

"One name that is expected to emerge in the next 24 hours is Kentucky coach Mark Stoops," Thamel said on ESPN's College GameDay on Saturday Morning. "He coaches a rivalry game against Louisville (on Saturday), and the next 24 hours will be critical for his candidacy."

Stoops, who has turned the Kentucky program around in recent years, faces off against No. 10 Louisville in Lexington on Saturday morning. 

Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops walks across the field before the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Kroger Field.
Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops walks across the field before the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Kroger Field / Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

This report comes shortly after another college football insider, Bruce Feldman, listed Ohio State's Ryan Day as a possible candidate in Aggieland. 

Thamel also listed UTSA's Jeff Traylor, Utah's Kyle Whittingham, Arizona's Jedd Fisch, and Duke's Mike Elko.

However, it appears that the search for Texas A&M's new leader, as well as the disaster that surrounded the firing of Jimbo Fisher has also caused issues within the search itself. 

"One source cautioned me that things are fractured at Texas A&M," Thamel said. "a lot of people put up a lot of money to pay off Jimbo Fisher, so don't expect this to be a linear search to the finish."

Fisher, of course, received a record buyout of over $75 million due to an unprecedented contract.

The record buyout before Fisher's belonged to Gus Malzahn at $21.7 million.

Report: Ohio State's Ryan Day A Name To Monitor For Aggies Opening

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Matt Galatzan
MATT GALATZAN

Matt Galatzan is the Managing Editor and Publisher of Texas Longhorns On SI and Texas A&M Aggies On SI and a long-time member of the Football Writer’s Association of America. He graduated from the University of Mississippi, where he studied integrated marketing communications, with minors in journalism and business administration. Galatzan started in the sports journalism industry in 2014 covering the Dallas Mavericks and SMU Mustangs with 247Sports. He then moved to Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation network in 2020, eventually being taking over as the Managing Editor and Publisher of the Longhorns and Aggies sites a year later. You can find Galatzan on all major social media channels, including Twitter on @MattGalatzan.

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