Not sure who’s joined, left and stayed with UK’s football staff? Here’s a recap.
Given recent events, college football seems relatively unimportant. Spring comings and goings, even more so.
It’s likely you’re aware of the Vince Marrow saga that played out earlier this winter and ultimately culminated in a hefty contract extension for the University of Kentucky’s recruiting ace. You’re forgiven if you’ve not closely followed other coaching changes — and non-changes — that have played out otherwise.
Thankfully, movement should finally be finished. Here’s a recap of who’s left and who will be coaching as part of Mark Stoops’ staff whenever the season kicks off in September.
Still here
Vince Marrow: The holder of many titles — associate head coach, tight ends coach, recruiting coordinator and NFL liaison — signed a new contract agreement in February netting him an annual raise of $300,000. Marrow was publicly courted by Youngstown State for its head coaching vacancy, decided to stay at UK, and then soon after was chased by Michigan State for a role similar to the one at Kentucky. He opted to stay in Lexington, keeping one of Stoops’ longest-tenured assistants — Marrow came to UK alongside Stoops in 2013 — in place.
Eddie Gran: UK’s co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach will enter his fifth season on staff. He signed a one-year contract extension, which during that season — 2022 — will put into effect a $75,000 pay raise. If Gran coaches that season he would make $950,000.
Brad White: The first-year defensive coordinator performed his job well enough to warrant an extension and a near-immediate raise. His base pay rate, effective next season, increased by $250,000 from its prior total, bringing his annual salary to $875,000. White also coaches UK’s outside linebackers. The 2020 season will be his third on staff after having worked for the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts from 2012-2017.
Darin Hinshaw: Kentucky’s other co-offensive coordinator is coming off his fourth season as the Wildcats’ quarterbacks coach. Hinshaw’s contract is set to expire on June 30 but the Herald-Leader was told this month that an extension (and probably a raise) was believed to be forthcoming once the remainder of UK’s staff was in place (at that time, UK had one known opening).
John Schlarman: A former standout Wildcat who starred for Highlands High School in northern Kentucky, Schlarman started his second coaching stint at UK as part of Stoops’ original staff in 2013 by way of Troy University (he was a UK graduate assistant from 2000-2002). It is not known whether Schlarman, whose offensive line was a semifinalist for the national Joe Moore Award, will receive a raise or extension prior to the 2020 season. The agreement he signed last year is set to pay him $490,000 next season.
Steve Clinkscale: The Youngstown native will enter his fifth season as Kentucky’s defensive backs coach. Clinkscale’s unit helped UK finish as one of the country’s best pass defenses, and set him up for a nice pay day: He signed a new agreement in February that bumped his annual salary to $500,000 from $400,000 and gave him an extra year, through June 30, 2022.
Jon Sumrall: Sumrall is the least-tenured of the returning Kentucky coaches — he joined the staff last season as an inside linebackers coach — but his debut was deemed worthy of an annual raise (to $650,000 from $550,000 in 2020) and a one-year extension through June 30, 2022. Like Schlarman, Sumrall is a former UK player; he played from 2002-2004 and was a graduate assistant from 2005-2006 under Rich Brooks.
Newcomers
Frank Buffano: The “newest” addition to Stoops’ staff was announced by the school Wednesday. Buffano, who’s already been on staff as UK’s director of football operations since 2013, was hired as a safeties coach. Like Stoops and Marrow, Buffano is a graduate of Cardinal Mooney High School in Youngstown, Ohio. He worked as an assistant under Stoops for five years while Stoops was the defensive coordinator at Arizona before coaching the secondary at Youngstown State from 2010-2012. Buffano’s contract details have not yet been made available.
Jovon Bouknight: UK acted with haste following the resignation of former wide receivers coach Michael Smith this month and brought in Bouknight, who was at a couple of spring practices before the season was canceled by the Southeastern Conference. He coached receivers at Oregon last season and before that spent 10 years at Utah State. Bouknight’s starting annual salary is $320,000.
Anwar Stewart: The former UK player and graduate assistant was tabbed to replace defensive line coach Derrick LeBlanc, who left for the same job at Arkansas, in January. Stewart was part of Stoops’ support staff during the 2017 and 2018 seasons before spending last year as the defensive line coach at Appalachian State. He’ll make $300,000 annually through June 30, 2022.
Other notes
▪ Dean Hood was UK’s special teams coordinator and helped Clinkscale with the defensive backs before agreeing to become Murray State’s head coach in December. UK did not hire a coach with the specific title of special teams coordinator, and will split responsibilities regarding that unit among assistant coaches and other support staff, most notably Louie Matsakis, a quality control assistant who was working with the unit.
▪ UK hired Greg Manusky as a quality control assistant this week. Manusky played in the NFL from 1988-1999 and had coached in the NFL since 2001. He most recently was the Washington Redskins’ defensive coordinator from 2017-2019.
