Jay Boulware gaining steam to be UK’s new special teams coordinator, per reports

It appears one coordinator search is coming to a close for the Kentucky Wildcats football program.

While much of the attention is on the offensive coordinator search, it cannot be overstated how crucial it is for UK to find the right special teams coordinator, given how mightily this unit struggled for most of the 2022 season.

Thankfully, it appears Mark Stoops has found his man.

According to Cats Illustrated’s Justin Rowland and KSR’s Matt Jones, Jay Boulware is gaining steam to be the Cats’ new special teams coordinator and running backs coach.

The 50-year-old Boulware, who played collegiately with the Texas Longhorns from 1991-92 as an offensive tackle, last coached in 2020 as Texas’ associate head coach/special teams coordinator/tight ends coach. He was not retained when then-head coach Tom Herman was fired.

That stint came after Boulware spent seven years at Oklahoma as the special teams coordinator and running backs coach. That was when current UK inside linebackers coach Mike Stoops was the associate head coach and defensive coordinator, so that prior connection is likely helping get Boulware to Lexington.

Boulware coached in the SEC for four years at Auburn from 2009-12. He has additional stints with Iowa State, Arizona, Utah and Stanford.

Overall, Boulware has over a decade of experience coaching special teams in Power 5 leagues, so he’d bring a wealth of experience to a unit that desperately needs it.

Jay Boulware Coaching Career

• 1994–1996 Texas Longhorns (GA/TE)
• 1997–2000 Northern Illinois Huskies (TE/co-OL)
• 2001–2003 Arizona Wildcats (TE/RB/ST)
• 2004 Stanford Cardinal (RB)
• 2005–2006 Utah Utes (TE/co-ST)
• 2007–2008 Iowa State Cyclones (ST/RB)
• 2009–2012 Auburn Tigers (ST/TE)
• 2013–2019 Oklahoma Sooners (ST/RB)
• 2020 Texas Longhorns (AHC/ST/TE)

If this turns out to be the hire, how do you feel about it?