After an offseason of promising an enhanced passing game, Kentucky and new offensive coordinator Liam Coen delivered Saturday in a 45-10 opening win over UL-Monroe.

With memories of Tim Couch, Jared Lorenzen and Andre Woodson dancing in their heads, Kentucky fans found plenty to like in the debut of Penn State transfer Will Levis at quarterback. After his first pass was deflected into an interception, Levis settled in and filled the skies over Kroger Field with deep passes. He was 18-for-26 for 367 and 4 touchdowns before sitting out most of the fourth quarter. The yards and TDs were a career-high. Ten Wildcats caught passes.

Josh Ali and Wan’Dale Robinson teach topped 100 receiving yards, and running back Chris Rodriguez added 121 rushing yards and a TD.

Kentucky’s opener started about as badly as possible. On the third play, Levis was intercepted. UL-Monroe cashed in on the short field with a 12-play, 43 yard scoring drive that ended in a 3 yard touchdown run by Kadyn Roach. The Warhawks hadn’t led in a game since 2019, but they held a surprising 7-0 edge on Kentucky with 8:53 to play in the opening quarter.

From there, it was all Kentucky — largely because Liam Coen’s offense looked nothing like recent Kentucky offenses.

Levis completed a 33-yard scoring strike to Robinson on the ensuing possession, giving UK a lead it would not relinquish. After a three and out, Levis returned to the field and connected on a rainbow of a 58-yard touchdown bomb to Ali, extending UK’s edge to 14-3 with 4:20 to go in the opening quarter.

On the first possession of the second quarter, Rodriguez found the end zone, plunging in from 2 yards out. After a few empty possessions, Kentucky lit up the scoreboard again when Levis hit a 62-yard pass to Robinson, only to complete the drive moments later with a 15-yard touchdown pass to the Nebraska transfer, who showcased his shiftiness in eluding defenders near the goal line in order to score. With a 28-7 halftime edge, Kentucky had the game well in hand.

After a Matt Ruffolo field goal from 45 yards extended the UK edge to 31-7, Levis took control again, completing passes for 21 and 24 yards on the way to his final score of the game, a 4-yard strike to tight end Brenden Bates with 13:07 to play. That pass ended Levis’ day, and arguably the most successful first start for any UK quarterback.

Meanwhile, although Kentucky’s offense will grab the headlines, the defense, after a rough opening series, was dominant. A Kentucky team that was near the bottom of the SEC in sacks last season had 6 sacks by the end of the third quarter. Edge rusher JJ Weaver had a pair of sacks and senior linebacker DeAndre Square had 3.5 tackles for loss. Kentucky held ULM to -2 yards in the second quarter and 7 yards in the third quarter.

Kentucky figures to get a much tougher challenge in Week 2, as they host Missouri. UL-Monroe has a week off before hosting Jackson State. Coach Terry Bowden will seek his first ULM victory then.