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Kentucky Football Takes Subtle Jabs at Former Offensive Coordinator Rich Scangarello

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Kentucky Football offensive coordinators Rich Scangarello and Liam Coen
Via USA Today, IMAGN

As we all know, last season was a bit of a dumpster fire for Kentucky football. Despite finishing with a winning record of 7-6 and making an appearance in the Music City Bowl, things just never felt right with the 2022 team.

Perhaps the biggest downfall for Kentucky was their inability to get anything going on offense. After Liam Coen left UK for the Los Angeles Rams Assistant Coach position, Mark Stoops had to find his new Offensive Coordinator.

Who did Stoops hire as Coen’s replacement? The answer is Rich Scangarello, who was previously the Quarterbacks Coach for the San Francisco 49ers. At the time, this seemed like such a good hire, as he was heralded for his football knowledge.

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Mark Stoops had just replaced one well-established offensive playmaking genius with another. What a steal… right? The difference between Liam Coen and Rich Scangarello, however, is that Coen is a better communicator and was able to better translate his knowledge into a college football offense.

Confusion on the Offensive Line

Liam Coen, who Kentucky just re-hired as their Offensive Coordinator, said that Scangarello’s over-complicated offensive scheming severely hurt the offensive line.

“A little too much sometimes. Too much scheme,” Coen said about Scangarello’s complex blocking scheme, “As coaches, we try to fix things with schemes, when simplifying can actually be better.”

Wide Receivers “Running Around Like Chickens With Their Heads Cut Off”

Even Kentucky wide receiver Dane Key had something to say about his former coach’s offensive strategy.

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Key even went as far as to say that Coen and the coaching staff have actually been “teaching us how to be receivers, rather than just trying to get open, running around like chickens with their heads cut off.”


It’s unfair to make Rich Scangarello the scapegoat for all of last season’s issues. With Will Levis’ injuries, Chris Rodriguez’s suspension, and one of the worst offensive lines in the country, it would have been difficult for any Offensive Coordinator to have success.

Heralded for his football IQ, it is likely the case that Scangarello tried to overcompensate those issues with more schemes. However, at the end of the day, the stats speak for themselves. When Mark Stoops had the opportunity to bring back Coen, he took it.

With Coen back as Offensive Coordinator and a lot of talent at the skill positions, the Wildcats will look to pick up where they left off in 2021.

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Deone Walker Drafted No. 109 To The Buffalo Bills

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Caleb Bowlin | UK Athletics

Kentucky defensive tackle Deone Walker has been selected No. 109 by the Buffalo Bills in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Walker stands at 6-foot-7 and 331 pounds, making the former Wildcat one of the biggest defensive lineman not only in the draft, but in the history of the NFL.

Since earning a starting spot as a true freshman, to now exploding with excitement when he heard his name called, Walker’s unique blend of mobility and enthusiasm will cement him as one of the most beloved Kentucky players in program history.

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Earning All-SEC honors and letting his disruptive play become the Wildcats’ identity, Walker will now cause terror for defensive coordinator Bobby Babich to go alongside his former teammate Maxwell Hairston, who was selected by the Bills in the first round.

Ray Davis also welcomed BBN to Bills Mafia moments after the selection.

The main worry about Walker not only has been his back injury that he played with all of last season, but what technique he’ll be able to play due to his stature that’s unlike any other.

However, even the NFL admitted that Walker could dominate the league.

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Before the draft, Walker visited with the Buffalo Bills, who emphasized interior pressure heavily last season, which is right up his alley. He’s been evaluated as one that can be a high-level backup or a potential starter as the season goes on.

The Bills are taking a swing with Walker, but many who watched him every Saturday at Kroger Field will tell you that this is a home-run pick.

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Maxwell Hairston Drafted No. 30 To The Buffalo Bills

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Maxwell Hairston
Caleb Bowlin | UK Athletics

Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston has officially started the next chapter of his career, selected No. 30 by the Buffalo Bills in the late first round.

At 6-foot-1 and 186 pounds, Hairston has come a long way since signing with the Wildcats as a 3-star prospect out of Michigan in 2021.

Although he missed five games this past season due to injury,  Hairston was still selected to Second-Team All-SEC with 19 tackles, two forced fumbles, an interception and four deflections.

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“Mad Max” took a huge jump in the draft boards after running the fastest 40-yard dash among cornerbacks in Indianapolis, completing the drill in just 4.28 seconds.

At 21 years old, Hairston brings a level of experience from the toughest conference in college football, the SEC, to go along with elite speed and length to make him a potential starter for defensive coordinator Bobby Babich.

As one of the few invited to the NFL Draft, Big Blue Nation had a good look at Hairston with his family before his name was called.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell called the former Wildcats’ name just before the night ended, making the West Bloomfield native’s dreams come true.

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Ray Davis went to social media to share his excitement to have a familiar face in the locker room.

The National Football League shared an emotional video of Hairston embracing his father after the Bills drafted him.

Time will tell how Hairston’s role will pan out in the league, but rest assured, “Mad Max” will go down as one of the best defensive players in the Mark Stoops era.

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Running Back Revamp: Kentucky Adds Former Oklahoma, New Mexico State Transfer

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New Mexico State University Athletics

The Wildcats bolstered their backfield with the addition of former Oklahoma and New Mexico State running back Seth McGowan on April 20, per KSR’s Nick Roush.

Standing at 5-foot-11 and 215 pounds, McGowan brings size and downhill power to Kentucky’s offense. Coming off a productive season at New Mexico State, he rushed for 823 yards and three touchdowns while adding 23 receptions for 277 yards and three more scores through the air.

A former four-star recruit in the class of 2019, McGowan originally signed with Oklahoma and logged 370 rushing yards, three touchdowns and 201 receiving yards with one touchdown during his lone season with the Sooners.

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On May 7, 2021, McGowan was removed from Oklahoma following his involvement in a legal case in which he was arrested and charged with robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. The charges were ultimately dismissed, but he pleaded guilty to larceny from a person at nighttime in December of that year.

After a stint at NAIA school Texas College in 2022, where he did not see game action, McGowan continued his path back to Division I football, playing six games with Butler Community College before transferring to New Mexico State for the 2024 season.

Now, with his past behind him, McGowan has a chance to turn the page and contribute in a major way to the Wildcats’ offense.

Running backs coach Jay Boulware, who helped Oklahoma sign McGowan out of high school, likely played a role in bringing him to Kentucky, where he is expected to have one year of eligibility remaining.

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Along with Nebraska transfer Dante Dowdell, McGowan could be a part of a versatile and punishing backfield tandem for the Wildcats. While Dowdell brings a physical, downhill rushing style, McGowan’s ability to contribute in both the run and pass game adds a dynamic layer to offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan’s pro-style system, which emphasizes balance and explosive playmaking.

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