Connect with us

Football

Looking at Kentucky’s Options for Offensive Coordinator

Published

on

UK Athletics

Despite having a first-round quarterback prospect, a record-breaking running back, and some explosive young receivers, the Kentucky offense finished last in the SEC in terms of yards per game (336.3) and points per game (22.1).

This led Mark Stoops to make a change at offensive coordinator just 36 hours after the Louisville game, firing Rich Scangarello. With the opening, Stoops has voiced his excitement and optimism about what this could bring to the program.

However, he is in no rush and is looking for the “right guy”, understanding Kentucky cannot afford to make a failed second hire. Stoops said that he has talked to “several guys” and suggested that the search may be towards its end.

Advertisement

With that said, let’s examine some of the reported options that Kentucky has at offensive coordinator.

Liam Coen

Current Position: Offensive Coordinator, Los Angeles Rams
Most Recent Career History: Kentucky OC (2021); LA Rams QB coach, assistant WR coach (2020, 2018-19); Maine OC (2017-18)

Why not hire someone that has already proven himself in the same exact role?

In 2021, Liam Coen inherited a Kentucky team that ranked 11th in the SEC in scoring and last in yards per game the season before. Coen overhauled the run-heavy offense and the Wildcats finished 5th in scoring and 8th in yards per game in his lone season.

Advertisement

His work at Kentucky earned him the offensive coordinator position with the reigning Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams, where he spent three seasons as a QB/WR coach. However, the Rams have been plagued with injuries and are just 3-9.

With one more loss, the Rams would be taken out of playoff contention, which could open the door for a Coen return to Kentucky.

While there are many reports that acknowledge there is interest on both sides for a Coen return, and it may even be the most probable result, there are logistics that still need to be worked out. If they do, look for an announcement as soon as Friday.

Gino Guidigli

Current Position: Cincinnati Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach
Most Recent Career History: Cincinnati QB coach, RB coach (2018-2021, 2017); Central Michigan RB coach (2013-16)

Advertisement

While Coen is the favorite to land the job, Stoops has some backup options, and that includes of one the best quarterbacks in Kentucky high school history, Gino Guidigli.

Originally from Northern Kentucky, Guidugli has strong ties to the state after playing for Fort Thomas Highlands, winning three state championships from 1998-2000 and setting multiple records. Guidugli went on to play for the University of Cincinnati, where is currently the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

While only in the OC position for one season Guidigli had a solid first year, as the Bearcats finished 9-3 in the regular season. However, he may be better known for helping develop Desmond Ridder, a four-year starter for the Bearcats into the third QB taken in the 2022 NFL Draft.


Given that Coen and Guidigli are the two reported names, they seem to be two of the front runners. However, do not count out names like Brian Hartline (Ohio State WR coach), Rob Calabrese (NY Jets QB coach), and Brennan Marion (Texas WR coach).

Advertisement

Football

Jamon Dumas-Johnson: A NFL Draft Steal

Published

on

Kentucky Wildcats linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson (2) makes the sign of the cross while taking a knee before the game.
Carter Skaggs | Imagn

Before he transferred to Kentucky, Jamon Dumas-Johnson was an All-American at Georgia, with waves to at least test the NFL draft after winning a National Championship. However, with the decision to play his last collegiate season as a Wildcat, Dumas-Johnson was a cornerstone piece for the Kentucky defense, finishing the season with 7.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks during his 11 starts for the team. 

His athleticism spoke volumes at Kentucky football’s NFL pro day, where current NFL draft boards now list the linebacker as one of the best athletes at the position and has earned himself a “top 10” feel ahead of the draft. Before pro day, publications such as Bleacher Report had him listed as No. 13 at his position. 

Dumas-Johnson proved himself with the highest vertical jump (37.5) and the longest broad jump (10.60) out of the Wildcats who competed in said events, and ran an impressive best 4.50 40-yard dash. At 245 pounds, he also managed to press 16 reps of 225, which could technically be “better” compared to NFL standards, but is impressive nonetheless in hindsight.

Advertisement

At 23 years old, this linebacker exploits explosiveness, agility and can hawk down any playmaker on the field. Out the 31 NFL teams that attended the event (a Cleveland Browns representative did not attend), one will be getting a prize steal of the draft with Dumas-Johnson. 

Continue Reading

Football

Alex Raynor: A Rare Gem In This Year’s NFL Draft

Published

on

Kentucky Wildcats place kicker Alex Raynor (16) lines up a kick.
Jordan Prather | Imagn

Alex Raynor had an illustrious season for Kentucky last year, being named to First-Team All-SEC, as a finalist for the Lou Groza award and as SEC Special Teams Player of the Year.

As the record holder for the longest field goal in program history, and arguably one of, if not the, most consistent kickers to ever be a Wildcat, Raynor now looks to the NFL Draft in the next chapter of his book. 

Recently, at Kentucky football’s NFL Pro Day on Tuesday, March 11, Raynor kicked off the event with his workout. 

Advertisement

Although he would miss a routine kick for him inside of the 45, he would continue to move back, nailing a 55-yard kick and nearly making a 60-yard kick. 

The best moments of his workout came when Raynor would line up behind the UK logo inside of Nutter Field House and would nail a 65-yard field goal.

That, although it’s an indoor kick and is not faced with the NFL pressure, would be one of the longest field goals in NFL history. 

Historically, it’s extremely rare for kickers to be drafted any higher than the 6th, more commonly going in the late rounds on the third day. 

Advertisement

However, Raynor would hold as one of the rare occasions to go higher than projected, due to his historic year as a Wildcat.

Wherever the young man from Georgia ends up in the pros, don’t be surprised if you hear his name every reoccurring Sunday.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Football

The State of Kentucky Football

Following their worst season in nearly a decade, Kentucky Football faces a steep rebuild and rising expectations.

Published

on

Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops has been linked to the Texas A&M job.
Chet White | UK Athletics

After charting a 4-8 record in the 2023-24 season, including a 1-7, second-to-last finish in the SEC, Kentucky Football looks lost for the first time in a long time.

It can be argued that the program never really broke through to the “higher echelon” of college football in the first place, but even then, they’ve been consistently better than they were historically known to be. Until now.

With that aforementioned .333 record, the Cats weren’t able to earn a bowl game. That marks the first time since the 2015 season that Kentucky Football won’t appear in postseason competition, and, excluding the 2020 season (for COVID-related reasons,) it’s also the only time the Wildcats have finished under .500 since then.

Advertisement

What about the last time the team had less than five wins? 2013, in Stoops’ first season. The deeper you dig, the worse it appears.

Losing to Louisville in blowout fashion at the end of last month felt like the straw that broke the Cats’ back. It was clear that whatever would happen next wouldn’t be simply transitional, and thus far, the early offseason has evidenced that.

The Big Move

It began with an exodus. Star wideout Barion Brown elected to transfer to LSU for his senior season. His receiver running mate, Dane Key, left for Nebraska. In addition to the team’s two primary deep threats, Chip Trayanum, the promising back and former Buckeye who spent much of this year battling injuries, took his talents to Toledo.

In total, the Cats have lost nearly two dozen players to the transfer portal, and that’s not even counting the guys headed to the NFL draft (like Deone Walker and Maxwell Hairston,) as well as the graduates.

Advertisement

To put it bluntly, next year’s team will share little more with the players from this past season than the blue and white on their jerseys. It’s a brutal overhaul, though one Coach Stoops and his staff are trying to get the jump on, to their credit.

Fresh Faces

Among a growing list of incoming transfers, a few names in particular stand out. Chief among them is Zach Calzada, a quarterback whose upcoming season at Kentucky will mark his fifth year playing football in his third different jersey.

The journeyman spent this past season at Incarnate Word, where he threw for 35 touchdowns and only nine interceptions. He completed 344 passes on the year, almost doubling that of his previous two. 

Before his two-year stint at IW, Calzada spent the beginnings of his college career at Texas A&M where, among a mixture of steadily improving statistics, he led the Aggies to an impressive home win over the still Saban-led Alabama Crimson Tide. Whether or not his recent success in the Southland Conference will translate back to the SEC is yet to be seen, but, at least on paper, this pickup makes sense for Kentucky following a year of unsparing QB play across the board.

Advertisement

Along with Calzada, the Cats have hauled in J.J. Hester, a 6 ‘4 senior receiver from Oklahoma, Dante Dowdell, a power back coming off a 12-touchdown season for Nebraska, and Sam Greene, a defensive end transferring in from USC, among a handful of others. We’ll have a team. 

Though, even considering the roster turnover, that wasn’t the question. That still remains, “what will that team do?”

Potential vs. Progress

Kentucky is 18-25 in their last three seasons of football; a steady decline that has been made worse by the fact that the program’s outlier 10-3 finish in the 2021 season has since been disqualified by the NCAA due to a rule violation. All in all, the last half-decade has been, at best, barely getting by.

How long will this trend continue? The only thing we know for sure is that nobody is sure. Answering that question requires the analysis and knowing of many moving parts, not all of which are at widespread disposal.

Advertisement

But this much is clear: the longtime variable nature of Kentucky Football came to a head this year, and the product we’re about to see is going to have to be radically different from the one we’ve just seen in order to right this ship.

For better or worse, the 2024-25 season will likely go down as the most important yet in the Stoops era at UK.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending