Kentucky Wildcats announce Eddie Gran hiring

The Kentucky Wildcats have officially announced the hirings of Eddie Gran and Darin Hinshaw.

Gran has been named assistant head coach of the offense/offensive coordinator as well as running backs coach, Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops has announced in a press release Tuesday. The two worked together previously with the Florida State Seminoles from 2010-12, and Stoops wanted Gran as soon as he needed a new OC this offseason.

"Having worked with Eddie at Florida State, he is an outstanding coach with great experience, including a lot of years in the SEC," Stoops said. "He is a great leader with tremendous passion for the game."

Gran joins the Kentucky staff after a three-year run as the offensive coordinator of the Cincinnati Bearcats.

"I'm very excited to be at Kentucky," Gran said. "I had the opportunity at Florida State to work three years with Coach Stoops, and No. 1, it's his passion for football and what he stands for - family. I really got know Chantel and the kids as my kids were able to be with them for three years. All of that matters in this profession and being around great people is important.

"I'm excited about the challenges. It's a great conference. It's the best conference in America and if you're a college football coach this is the level you want to be coaching. I spent 15 years in the SEC and being in those stadiums and the defenses you will be facing, it's what you want if you're a competitor and if you want to play against the best."

Eddie Gran Coaching Career

Kentucky - Head coach of the offense/offensive coordinator, running backs coach - 2016

Cincinnati - Offensive coordinator, running backs coach - 2013-15

Florida State - Associate head coach, offensive coordinator, running backs coach - 2010-12

Tennessee - Special teams coordinator, running backs coach - 2009

Auburn - Special teams coordinator, running backs coach - 1999-2008

Ole Miss - Special teams coordinator, running backs coach - 1995-98

Idaho State - Wide receivers coach - 1994

Cincinnati - Wide receivers coach - 1992-93

Miami (Fla.) - Graduate assistant  coach - 1990-91

East Carolina - Graduate assistant coach - 1989

SE Missouri State - Running backs coach - 1989

Cal Lutheran - Wide receivers coach - 1987-88

Gran is also known as one of the better recruiters in college football. He helped Florida State obtain the nation's top-ranked class in 2011 and was named by ESPN.com as one of the top 25 recruiters of the year in 2011. That class helped lead FSU to a run of success that included multiple conference titles, BCS Bowls and a National Championship in 2013.

While teaming with Stoops on the Florida State coaching staff, Gran served as associate head coach, running backs coach and special teams coordinator, helping lead the Seminoles to their first ACC Championship since 2005, first 11-win season since 2000 and ninth Orange Bowl appearance in 2012.

At Cincinnati, Grand led a record-setting offense in 2013, as the Bearcats led the AAC in total offense (472.1) and rushing offense (168.3) with the offense totaling a school-record 6,137 yards.  In 2015, those marks were eclipsed. Through games of Dec. 26, Cincinnati ranks seventh in the nation in total offense at 537.8 yards per game, having accumulated a staggering 6,992 total yards. UC is sixth in the nation in passing offense with 359.9 yards per game and also rushed for 177.9 yards per game this season.

Gran has four daughters, Bently, Dillan, Sydney and Lucy Grace, and is deeply involved in the community. Gran runs the Sydney Gran Foundation, a charity designed to support children's hospitals and other families whose children are facing serious illness. Sydney, the third of the Gran's four daughters, was born with the rare disease called Holoprosencephaly, and passed away before her sixth birthday in 2005. Additional information on this charity can be found at www.sydneygranfoundation.org.

Welcome to the big Blue Nation Coach Gran!