The University of Kentucky’s athletic department is facing growing unrest as fans flood social media and message boards calling for the resignation of Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart, following a string of controversial and widely criticized offseason decisions.
The outrage reached a boiling point after the abrupt hiring of unproven head basketball coach Travis Gentry, a former mid-major assistant with no Power Five experience. The decision came just two weeks after several top candidates, including former Wildcat legend Tony Delk, reportedly declined interviews due to concerns over administrative interference.
Compounding the backlash, reports surfaced that Kentucky’s NIL infrastructure remains “disorganized and uncompetitive,” leading to the decommitment of two top-25 recruits and the departure of sophomore standout Malik Edmonds to the transfer portal. Edmonds cited “a lack of institutional support” in a cryptic Instagram story that quickly went viral.
“The program is in free fall,” wrote one fan in a now-viral post on Reddit. “We went from Final Four aspirations to losing our core roster and gambling on an untested coach. It’s unacceptable.”
A Change.org petition demanding Barnhart’s resignation surpassed 25,000 signatures within 48 hours. Local sports radio has been flooded with calls criticizing not only the coaching decision but also the department’s handling of NIL deals, the transfer portal, and overall direction of Kentucky athletics.
Despite the pressure, Barnhart has remained silent—no public statements have been issued since the wave of criticism began.
University leadership has yet to comment, but insiders suggest a “closed-door review” of athletic operations may be underway.
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