Kentucky announced its hire of Liam Coen as its new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach on Tuesday, and the Los Angeles Rams offensive assistant had a chance to explain his vision for the offense.

Coen told reporters that his core value is running the ball but marrying the run and pass is important, and his goal is making the defense cover every blade of grass on the field. Coen is aware that the UK passing game has struggled, and he can help. He said working alongside Kentucky coach Mark Stoops was a key to him accepting the job.

“If you’re not talking about the NFL, you’re talking about the SEC,” he said. “It was my dream to be in the NFL. The unique situation is UK has won a lot of games. I think I can help with the pass game. Everything Coach Stoops has said in the process would happen has happened.”

Coen added that he’s “jacked up” to get back into recruiting, and has missed some of that relationship building during his time in the NFL. He thinks his age, which is 35, can only help in relating to some of today’s players.

Coen said he knows just the basics about the UK quarterbacks Joey Gatewood and Beau Allen. But he said he’ll make every effort to fit his system to what they do best, not the other way around.

On choosing a quarterback, Coen said, “is this kid a competitor? Does he hate to lose.” Coen wants him to compete every single day and every drill. He doesn’t have to have a big arm but he has to be accurate. The more athletic the better, and if he can run he said they’ll use the quarterback run game.

Asked about the play-action passing game, and how important it is to throw to tight ends and running backs, Coen said that’s a big key to what they do. He has seen a little bit of tape on UK’s tight ends and running backs and thinks they have a lot of potential to create mismatches with those guys in the passing game.

The new OC is not only from the same state as defensive coordinator Brad White, but they went to rival high schools in Rhode Island.

“Brad and I don’t know each other personally but I remember what jersey number Brad White wore in high school,” he said. “I think I was eighth grade when he was a senior. I always respected him as a player. I always followed him but never connected. Such a small world.”

H/T Keith Farmer and Jeff Drummond.