What did Mark Stoops leave in Lexington on his way out? Well, besides a bunch of frustrated fans, you may be tempted to suggest that Will Stein inherited a clean slate everywhere that it truly mattered. But, upon a closer look, Stoops dropped a parting gift upon his departure in the one unit that was always his biggest weakness: Kentucky's inconsistent offense.
According to PFF College, returning tight end Willie Rodriguez is one of the highest ranked returners at his position in all of the SEC. Coming in at No. 9, Stein's expectedly much-improved offense will benefit from a weapon who has worn the blue and white for two full seasons now.
And on Rodriguez's end, he himself will benefit from a new offensive coordinator, in Joe Sloan, as well as a fresh face throwing him the football, in Kenny Minchey. After a sizable leap last season already, the Cats' veteran tight end appears primed for a massive role in Kentucky's revamped offense.
Highest Graded Returning SEC Tight Ends🔥 pic.twitter.com/kfliUl3hli
— PFF College (@PFF_College) July 29, 2026
Stoops, of course, had his time in the sun at Kroger Field. For a brief period, it appeared he may even ride out the eventual twilight of his career on our sidelines. I won't illustrate a dream that turned into a nightmare for you, though.
In the end, we left with something. The fans in the stands in Lexington should look for Rodriguez to be one of Minchey's primary options this fall.
Willie Rodriguez Should be a Primary Option for Kentucky
Rodriguez, in his sophomore season with the Wildcats, upped his year-one yardage count from 94 to 310, hauling in 23 receptions and a touchdown on the way. Mind you, this was accomplished in the midst of one of the most brutal quarterback carousels in recent Kentucky Football history.
Zach Calzada began the season defining the absolute bottom of the SEC's statistics under center before taking his leave with a shoulder injury as Cutter Boley took over. The latter, while undeniably talented, couldn't crack the code under coordinator Bush Hamdan.
You know what happened next. Calzada graduated, Boley left for Arizona State in the portal, Stoops was removed, and Will Stein came in to pull the sun out of the sea for a near-dead program. Through it all, Willie Rodriguez remains. Kudos to the pass-catcher for sticking that whole thing out.
And as a result of his resilience, I expect Rodriguez to reap the rewards of his patience this season and, hopefully, next. Kentucky Football looks at least marginally better this season from every angle, and as the team continues to climb, it's true-blue Cats like Rodriguez that serve as the glue for the program at its core.
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