Texas Longhorns Honor Kentucky’s Mark Stoops with Traditional Welcome Gifts

The Texas Longhorns extended a warm welcome to Kentucky‘s head coach, Mark Stoops, during his inaugural visit to DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium as a head coach. The university presented Stoops with a cowboy hat and spurs, a gesture rooted in tradition for first-time SEC opponents playing at the stadium. The event was captured on video by Maggie Davis of BBN Tonight. In the footage, Stoops is seen shaking hands with members of the Silver Spurs, a student service organization responsible for the gift-giving tradition, before expressing his gratitude and heading to the Kentucky locker room.

This welcoming ritual is part of Texas’s initiative to honor each first-time SEC head coach visiting the stadium throughout the season. Mark Stoops was the first recipient of the thoughtful gift, followed subsequently by Georgia’s Kirby Smart and Florida’s Billy Napier. With the conclusion of the regular season approaching, Stoops marks the last SEC head coach to receive the gifts in 2024, with Texas set to complete their season at College Station in Week 14. This tradition is expected to persist for new SEC head coaches visiting Austin from 2025 onwards.

The friendly gesture holds additional significance given the Stoops’ family history with Texas. Mark Stoops’ brother, Bob Stoops, served as the longtime head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners, a fierce rival of the Longhorns. Despite bygone tensions, this marks Mark Stoops’ debut attempt at triumphing over the Longhorns in Austin. Achieving victory would not only generate changes in the SEC Championship dynamics but might also impact the College Football Playoff race significantly.

Historically, Kentucky has demonstrated its capability to conquer a CFP contender on their turf, offering an enticing prospect for Mark to repeat this feat, especially under the shadow of his brother’s legacy at various Red River Rivalry games. The anticipated matchup between the Wildcats and the Longhorns is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET, airing live on ABC and ESPN+. Currently, Texas holds the position of an 18.5-point favorite, with Kentucky aiming for an upset to maintain their historic bowl streak.