Mark Stoops Position: Defensive Backs

A member of one of college football's most well known coaching families, Mark Stoops is in his third season as defensive backs coach at Miami. Stoops's two seasons at UM have produced arguably the finest secondaries in the school's proud history.

His 2002 unit featured four new starters and replaced the top five players from the previous season, yet set a phenomenal standard by leading the NCAA in passing defense (119.69 ypg) and pass efficiency defense (83.91 rating), while tying an NCAA record for fewest yards allowed per pass completion (9.5 ypc, matching the mark set by Notre Dame in 1993).

Stoops's 2001 UM secondary will rank among the best in recent college football history as the Hurricanes defensive backs formed the backbone of a defense that led the nation in scoring defense, pass efficiency defense and turnover margin on the way to the National Championship.

Stoops's 2001 unit was blessed with talent as three members of the group were selected in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft in April, but the unit showed drastic improvement over the 2000 season with Stoops playing a large role. Hired by head coach Larry Coker in February 2001, Stoops's secondary made major improvements in almost every category over the previous season. But that improvement has been a hallmark of his coaching career to this point.

The 2001 Miami defensive backs helped the defense notch a school-record 27 interceptions on a unit that made 45 takeaways on the season. The Hurricanes dropped their average passing yards per game yield from 220.6 in 2000 to 138.8 in 2001 (an improvement of 81.8 yards per game), improved an excellent pass efficiency rating in 2000 of 95.87 to a national-best 75.60 in 2001, and improved their interceptions total from a whopping 23 to the record-setting 27 in 2001. Miami defensive backs returned five of those interceptions for touchdowns last season.

Stoops came to Miami in 2001 from the University of Houston, where he was the co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach under head coach Dana Dimel. Before working with the Cougars, Stoops coached under Dimel at the University of Wyoming where his 1997 secondary was the school's best ever. That Cowboys defense ranked sixth nationally in pass defense and intercepted a school-record 24 passes. That 1997 unit ranked sixth in the nation in pass defense (95.0 ypg) after ranking 98th in the nation (300.9 ypg) in 1996, an improvement of 205 yards per game through the air.

Prior to his stint at Wyoming, Stoops coached at the University of South Florida in 1996 after four years as athletic director and defensive backs coach at Nordonia Hills High School in Macedonia, Ohio. Stoops began his coaching career at his alma mater, the University of Iowa, where he served as a graduate assistant from 1989-91.

As a coach, Stoops has coached two consensus All-Americans in Miami safety Edward Reed (2001) and Wyoming free safety Brian Lee (1997). Also, Miami cornerback Phillip Buchanon was named a First-Team All-American by at least one service in 2001. Stoops has worked closely with five players who have went on to become NFL draft choices: Reed (2002), Buchanon (2002), Miami's James Lewis (2002), UM's Mike Rumph (2002), Lee (1998) at Wyoming. He also worked with a pair of prominent NFL free agent signees in Wyoming's Trent Gamble (played 2000-2001 with the Miami Dolphins) and Markese Fitzgerald of UM, who signed with Tampa Bay in 2002.

As a player at the University of Iowa, he was a three-year letterman (1986-1988) at strong safety. He finished his career with almost 100 tackles and two interceptions and attended four bowls with the Hawkeyes, the 1988 Peach Bowl, 1987 Holiday Bowl, 1986 Holiday Bowl, and 1986 Rose Bowl.

Stoops is the brother of University of Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops, Mike Stoops (OU's associate head coach/co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach), and Ron Stoops, Jr. (defensive coordinator at Cardinal Mooney High School in Youngstown, Ohio). Stoops's father, Ron, was a coaching legend in his own right as defensive coordinator for 28 years at Cardinal Mooney High School in Youngstown, Ohio.

The 36-year-old Stoops married Chantel Saner in July 2002.

Personal Information

Stoops's Coaching Career

Bowl Games as a Coach (4)

Bowl Games as a Player

Coaching Accomplishments

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