Earlier this morning, the University of Kentucky announced the firing of its head football coach, Mark Stoops. Before he arrived in Lexington, Stoops, brother of former Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops, was the defensive coordinator at Florida State University from 2010 to 2012, and at the University of Arizona, where he worked with his brother Mike from 2004 to 2009.
FSU is coming off a devastating 40-19 loss to arch rival Florida, which knocked the Seminoles out of bowl contention. FSU’s final 2025 season record of 5-7 marks the team’s second-straight losing season under embattled head coach Mike Norvell. FSU publicly announced that Norvell will return as the head coach in 2026, but made no guarantees regarding any other coaches on staff. FSU’s current defensive coordinator, Tony White, was in his first season at FSU. White runs a 3-5-3 defensive scheme that doesn’t put much pressure on opposing offensive lines. White’s defensive philosophy and strategy were praised in the Seminoles’ season-opening win against Alabama. Still, the Seminoles’ defense proved to be the team’s most significant liability in the majority of their seven losses.
For decades, FSU has been known for producing NFL-caliber defensive linemen consistently, which is why many pundits and fans were puzzled by White’s decision to use three defensive linemen rather than four. While Stoops primarily ran a 3-4 defensive scheme during his tenure at Kentucky, he has also been known to adapt and run a 4-3 or 4-2-5 defense depending on personnel and the opponent. Unlike White, Stoops isn’t strictly tied to one scheme. He has shown a willingness to adjust based on his players and the strengths of opponents.
