Prior to the 2021 season, Mark Stoops made the decision to change his offensive philosophy and modernize the offense. That is exactly, what he did.
First, Stoops went and hired Liam Coen, then the quarterbacks coach for the Los Angeles Rams, in December 2020. Which was followed by getting Will Levis and Wan’Dale Robinson from the transfer portal.
With a new-look, pro-style offense, the Kentucky Wildcats jumped from 11th in scoring in 2020 (21.8 ppg), to 5th in 2021 (32.3 ppg) and finished with a 10-3 record.
Following the season, the Wildcats lost Coen, Robinson, and several offensive linemen to the NFL. Yet, by retaining Will Levis and Chris Rodriguez, and pairing them with some talented receivers, the outlook and expectations entering 2022 were as high as ever.
Through the first four games, they passed the eye test. Kentucky was 4-0, ranked top 10 in the country, and had passed for over 300 yards in three of those games. However, the team hasn’t looked the same since, especially offensively.
In the six games since, the Wildcats are just 2-4 and have not passed for more than 239 yards. If it wasn’t for a top-three SEC defense, things could look a lot worse.
The amount of talent on the Kentucky Wildcat football team is far better than what their 6-4 record indicates, including losses to South Carolina and Vanderbilt. While injuries and a poor offensive line can be part of the blame, a big portion of the blame has to go on the staff, and a “reckoning” could be coming.
Steven Godfrey of the Split Zone Duo Podcast reports information within the coaching carousel, and he expects to see a lot of coaching turnover in the SEC, including Lexington this offseason.
“One thing that I can tell you is gonna happen is what has been described to me as an ‘assistant coach reckoning’ in Tuscaloosa, College Station, and Lexington”.
Outside of Mark Stoops, Vince Marrow, and Brad White, one cannot say any of their jobs are safe. With several contracts expiring and tension rising, an assistant overhaul may be just what UK needs heading into the 2023 season to bring some life back to the program after the inexcusable loss this past Saturday.
You can check out the full coaching carousel update from Godfrey on Split Zone Duo here.
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