L'Damian Washington says heartfelt goodbye to BBN after leaving staff

When L’Damian Washington showed up in Lexington, the wide receiver room was a question mark wrapped in an “or.”

Daikiel Shorts Jr. had left for Nebraska after one season. Hometown star Dane Key followed him to Lincoln. Mark Stoops was still the head coach, but even he admitted before the year that there was no obvious WR1 and very little separation anywhere on the depth chart.

“I wouldn’t put any ‘or’ in there that I didn’t believe could go out and play winning football,” Stoops said at the time. “Sometimes it’s a rotational thing… no clear separation.”

That “no clear separation” ended up being a curse early in the season, too many bodies, not enough defined roles. Washington’s job was to make something functional out of uncertainty.

By the time his brief Kentucky run ended, the numbers said he did exactly that.

Why L’Damian Washington’s short Kentucky football stint still mattered

Kentucky’s pass catchers combined for 229 receptions, 2,423 yards and 15 touchdowns, with production spread across a wide cast:

• Kendrick Law: 53 catches, 540 yards, 3 TD
• Hardley Gilmore IV: 28 for 313 and a score
• Ja’Mori Maclin: 13 for 189 yards — and 4 touchdowns
• DJ Miller and Cameron Miller: 26 combined grabs for 350+ yards and 2 TDs
• Tight ends Willie Rodriguez and Josh Kattus chipped in 40+ catches and 3 scores

There wasn’t one alpha who soaked up all the targets. Instead, Washington coaxed usable, winning snaps out of almost every seat in the room. Fifteen different receiving touchdowns on the season is exactly what you’d expect from a coach trying to elevate the whole group instead of force-feeding a star who wasn’t there yet.

Cameron Miller and DJ Miller both made strides and plays to win games down the stretch. They were growing and developing, exactly what you want to see from freshman.

Then came the goodbye.

Washington took to X and kept it simple:
“Thank you @UKCoachStoops & BBN!!”

No drama, no subtext, just gratitude as Kentucky’s staff turns over and Will Stein puts his own fingerprints on the offense.

With Stein now in charge and a new receivers coach on the way, Washington’s time in Lexington will be remembered as a bridge year, one where a patched-together room didn’t collapse, a lot of young wideouts grew up, and the passing game stayed respectable while the program shifted into its next era.

To find out who is going to be on Will Stein's staff, click here.