:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/68516710/liam_coen.5.jpg)
UPDATE
Liam Coen has officially been named Kentucky’s new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
The Kentucky football program and Mark Stoops have found their new man for offensive coordinator, and it’s Liam Coen, assistant quarterbacks coach for the Los Angeles Rams.
John Brice of Football Scoop broke the news Tuesday morning. Cats Illustrated’s Justin Rowland has also confirmed the news.
Cats Illustrated can confirm that Liam Coen will be Kentucky's next offensive coordinator.
— Justin Rowland (@RowlandRIVALS) December 15, 2020
KSR’s Matt Jones adds that Coen will also be the quarterbacks coach for Kentucky.
Coen spent three seasons with the Rams under Sean McVay, working with quarterback Jared Goff and was a part of the staff during the Rams’ Super Bowl appearance in 2019, where he was assistant wide receivers coach. Coen was promoted to assistant quarterbacks coach this season.
While working with the Rams wide receivers from 2018-2019, Coen helped produce two 1,000 yard receivers, twice.
Coen previously held an offensive coordinator position at the University of Maine. He was also passing game coordinator at Rhode Island and UMass. According to his bio on TheRams.com, his Maine squad in 2017 produced 24.6 points per game, 388.4 total yards per game, and has the fourth best scoring offense in the Colonial Athletic Association.
Coen spent his playing years at UMass, where according to his bio, he broke every major school passing record as Quarterback and led UMass to the FCS National Title game in 2006.
Coen has not spent time calling plays at a major program before so there is not much to judge when it comes to if he can create an explosive offense like what Mark Stoops wants to contend in the SEC.
However, Stoops and his staff saw something in Coen that made them pull the trigger and bring him on as Kentucky’s new OC, looking to re-invent the way the Wildcats play football after a stagnant past few seasons, with an actual quarterback at the helm, for previous OC Eddie Gran previous QB coach Darrin Hinshaw.
Coen’s experience working with Jared Goff should help the likes of Beau Allen and Joey Gatewood in terms of quarterback development. Not to mention, Coen worked with the likes of three very great NFL wideouts such as Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, and Brandin Cooks.