List of Kentucky Wildcats head football coaches
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The Kentucky Wildcats college football team represents the University of Kentucky in the East Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The Wildcats compete as part of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. The program has had 37 head coaches since it began play during the 1881 season.[1] On November 27, 2012, Mark Stoops was introduced as Kentucky's 37th head coach.[2]
The team has played more than 1,150 games over 122 seasons of Kentucky football.[1] Both the inaugural 1881 squad and the revived 1891 squad have unknown coaches according to university records in winning two games and losing three.[1] Since 1892, eight coaches have led the Wildcats in postseason bowl games: Bear Bryant, Fran Curci, Jerry Claiborne, Bill Curry, Hal Mumme, Rich Brooks, Joker Phillips[3] and Mark Stoops.
Two of those coaches also won conference championships: Bryant and Curci won a combined three as a member of the SEC.[4]
Stoops is the leader in both seasons coached, with ten, and all-time wins, with 66. At the time of this writing is entering his 11th season as coach of the Wildcats.[5] Fran Curci was the previous leader with 9 seasons coached.[4] Bryant was the previous leader in games won, with 60 victories during his eight seasons with the program.[4] Jack Wright has the highest winning percentage of those who have coached more than one game, with .875.[4] Bernie Shively has the lowest winning percentage of those who have coached more than one game, with .200.[4] Of the 36 different head coaches who have led the Wildcats, Bryant[6] and Jerry Claiborne[7] have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Indiana.