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Mark Stoops offers candid comments about Liam Coen’s return to Lexington
By Keith Farner
Published:
Mark Stoops made an interesting hire this offseason when he brought back offensive coordinator Liam Coen from the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams after Coen held the same role at Kentucky 2 seasons ago.
“The difference is there’s a confidence level, again, that doesn’t mean that it’s just going to happen, or it’s going to be easy,” Stoops said. “But Liam is much more proven at this point than he was when he came in the first time. That’s the difference and I think the confidence level’s there.”
Stoops noted how the game changes and evolves and players and coaches must stay on top of it.
“He definitely, from going to the NFL, going through the obstacles that LA faced, that happens at our level as well, so you learn to deal with things when they’re going well, and how to handle things when they’re not going well, how to adapt and find solutions and so I have a lot of confidence in him and excited about that.”
Stoops admitted that hiring NFL coordinators is difficult because of the timing differences between the end of the college and NFL seasons.
“That part of it can be challenging,” Stoops said. “I talked to some very talented people and ultimately circled back to Liam and feel very fortunate to have him back.”
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
