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Mark Stoops discusses growing two-way relationship between college, NFL coaches
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Kentucky coach Mark Stoops hired Liam Coen last December to serve as the Wildcats new offensive coordinator, with the goal being to create a more dynamic passing attack in Lexington.
In the season opener, a 45-10 victory over Louisiana-Monroe, that goal was realized, as Kentucky piled up 419 yards through the air, huge numbers for an offense that has been known in recent years for its power running game.
Coen, a star quarterback at UMass from 2004-08, started his coaching career at the college level, but he came to the Wildcats after 3 season with the Los Angeles Rams.
On Wednesday, Stoops said during the weekly SEC coaches teleconference that Coen’s professional experience wasn’t a deciding factor in bringing him to Kentucky to run the offense, but he did add that he’s seeing more NFL coaches move to the college ranks as well as college coaches move to the NFL.
“I think you’re seeing more both ways,” Stoops said. “You’re seeing the NFL pulling guys up from college as much as we’re pulling guys back to the college ranks. Good coaches are good coaches. We’re all just trying to get the best fit for our situation. … It’s just the right personalities, the right fits for our situation here.”
Stoops said he does think Coen’s NFL experience will be a positive factor forKentucky when it comes to recruiting.
“(Recruits) want to learn an NFL system and terminology and the way they teach. I definitely thinks it helps us (recruiting), for sure,” Stoops said.
The Wildcats play host to Missouri in their SEC opener on Saturday, and on Tuesday night as part of the preparation, Coen and Stoops actually watched a replay of a 2019 game between Coen’s old Rams team and the Cleveland Browns.
Why? Because current Tigers defensive coordinator Steve Wilkes was Cleveland’s defensive coordinator at the time.
Mark Stoops said he & OC Liam Coen were up late last night watching the 2019 Rams-Browns game. Why? Coen was on the LA staff; Mizzou DC Steve Wilks ran the Cleveland defense.
Rams rallied for 20-13 W, allowed three sacks, had three turnovers, fairly modest 344 yards of offense.— Dave Matter (@Dave_Matter) September 8, 2021
"Chris Wallace covers college football for Saturday Down South. He has covered college athletics for multiple newspapers and also worked previously for Rivals.com and GolfChannel.com."
