The Kentucky Football program recently made headlines with the firing of Offensive Coordinator Rich Scangarello. It seems the bell rang loudly across the Bluegrass State as the fanbase has voiced its disappointment in the underwhelming offensive production displayed by the Cats over the course of the entire season.
Coming into the season ranked, expectations for this program full of returning contributors were through the roof, but what we received was a barrage of bubble screens, lackluster performances, and a quarterback that didn’t seem to meet the hype built by analysts across the country.
Now that the regular season has concluded, and Scangarello is gone, Kentucky fans are left with a few glaring questions. Who will be the next Offensive Coordinator for the Wildcats? Will they meet expectations and gain the approval of the Big Blue Nation? Will Stoops return to the ranks of the NFL in his search for his third OC in as many years, or will he conduct his investigation elsewhere this time?
Regardless of how any of those questions are answered, one thing is for certain: If Stoops plans on taking the next step with this Kentucky Football Program and becoming a REAL contender in the SEC, a big-time change is going to have to take place that results in broad-spread support of the program and its coaching staff.
Personally, I have my own shortlist of potential candidates that I would like for Stoops to consider. Some of the names on my list include the likes of Dan Mullen and Liam Coen (We can dream can’t we?).
On the other hand, I think it could be crucially beneficial to reach back into the depths of the UK alumni and bring in a guy familiar with the program — such as an Andre Woodson or Mike Hartline type guy. There have even been reports circulating of Kentucky considering reaching out to former NFL Wide Receiver Brian Hartline, Mike’s brother, which I feel would also be a solid hire.
With Kentucky football set to make its hiring announcement in the very near future, here are a few qualities I think are necessary in order for the next Offensive Coordinator to be successful in the short and long term.