Can Rich Scangarello’s move to coaches’ box help struggling Kentucky football offense?

Mark Stoops had the joke ready even before Kentucky football kicked off its 21-17 win over Missouri.

Offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello had decided to coach from the coaches’ box instead of on the sideline for the first time this season, and the Wildcats’ head coach knew that move would be a topic of conversation after the game regardless of the outcome.

“I was busting his chops before the game,” Stoops said. “I said, after (the game) in the press conference I’m going to tell them it was too cold for you.”

While Scangarello did pick the coldest game of Kentucky’s season to date to make the move, the blustery conditions at Memorial Stadium were not the impetus for the switch.

Scangarello decided multiple mistakes in the 44-6 loss at Tennessee were enough evidence that his in-game evaluations needed more help. By coaching in the box, Scangarello could see the entire field and more accurately diagnose the cause of any miscues in real time.

“Honestly, it’s much easier to call a game from up there,” Scangarello said. “Just to help distribute information to all the coaches so things get fixed faster. I’d known it for a little bit.

“You make compromises when you do either, but to me, I would rather let Will (Levis) be down there by himself and try and orchestrate things up top so we can get adjustments done faster and see when things really happen what was really behind the mistake so we have the right answer.”

The immediate result of the move was positive as Kentucky marched 71 yards on eight plays when its offense first took the field to score on an opening drive for just the third time this season.

Kentucky’s offense stalled from there. though, leaving some doubt about whether the new vantage point could actually do much to fix the plethora of issues that had plagued the Wildcats for most of the last month.

Levis was sacked six times. Kentucky scored just once on the five first-half possessions that reached Missouri territory. Ill-timed penalties continued to be a concern.

“Some of it is self-inflicted,” Scangarello said. “Some of it is them making plays.”

Missouri’s defense, which entered the game ranked 18th nationally in yards allowed per game, certainly contributed to the struggles.

Kentucky was the Tigers’ fourth consecutive opponent that failed to gain 300 yards. Only one team has scored at least 30 points against Missouri this season.

The offensive performance might have been better received if kicker Matt Ruffolo had not missed two first-half field goals, but scoring 21 points and gaining 242 yards is not exactly a clear sign that Scangarello’s move to the coaches’ box had the desired effect.

Kentucky’s final drive did at least offer some hope.

Trailing for the first time with eight minutes left in the game, the Wildcats received the ball near midfield after a Missouri squib kick bounced off a Kentucky player and ricocheted to another Wildcat. On the first play of the ensuing drive, Levis hit freshman Dane Key for a 19-yard gain. A 3-yard Chris Rodriguez run followed, after which Missouri was flagged for a personal foul due to a horse-collar tackle.

The penalty yardage gave Kentucky first-and-10 at the Missouri 21-yard line. Scangarello dialed up a screen pass to freshman wide receiver Barion Brown, who sliced through the Missouri defense to reach the end zone.

But a holding penalty brought the ball back to the 21-yard line. Two Rodriguez runs that netted just 4 yards followed, and a false start penalty backed Kentucky up to third-and-11 at the 22-yard line.

When Missouri’s defense gave Kentucky the look it hoped for on third-and-long, Levis found Key again near the first-down marker. The Wildcats’ freshman touchdown record-holder then made two defenders miss to find the end zone for the go-ahead score.

“I actually didn’t make that great of a throw,” Levis said. “It was enough separation to where it worked out, but he did a good job of catching the ball and making two guys miss. Playmakers got to make plays like that in big-time situations like that. He stepped up for sure.”

Playmakers stepping up in big moments might be the more important cure to Kentucky’s offensive struggles than its coordinator changing his vantage point for the game, but with Levis playing through injuries (he was wearing a walking boot on his left foot again after the game) the Wildcats need all the help they can get.

Levis reported no preference about Scangarello’s location. The benefit of a coordinator on the sideline is direct communication with his quarterback, but with Scangarello in the box, graduate assistant and former UK tight end C.J. Conrad handled most of the communication with Levis on the sideline.

Scangarello had typically coached from the box during his previous stints as an offensive play-caller, including with the Denver Broncos in the NFL. NFL rules allow for greater communication on the sideline though with coaches able to dissect plays on their tablets in games and communicate directly with quarterbacks through their helmets.

“It’s so much easier,” Scangarello said. “It’s a lot harder in college. It’s just one of those things you don’t realize. I can see it with my own eyes as a play-caller and help get the right information to the right people. That’s one part of it.

“Plus, it’s nice taking the emotion out of it. When you’re on the sideline, the crowd and all of it, that can affect things, too. You get caught up as a play-caller in that emotion. Up there, you kind of remove that and get your thoughts clear and plan things out. Hopefully, execute.”

Failing to score 20 points in three of four games sent a clear message some change was needed in Kentucky’s offense. Saturday’s offensive performance still left plenty of room for concern, but the result was at least enough to ensure Scangarello will remain in the box for the rest of the season.

There he will hope Kentucky’s game-winning drive at Missouri is a sign of things to come.

“I don’t want to say that was a reason we didn’t win a game or anything like that,” Scangarello said. “I just know it helps me be more effective for the players and the coaches up there. I can call a much cleaner game. I think going forward it will help.”

Next game

Vanderbilt at Kentucky

When: Noon Saturday

TV: SEC Network

Radio: WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1

Records: Vanderbilt 3-6 (0-5 SEC), UK 6-3 (3-3)

Series: UK leads 48-42-4

Last meeting: UK won 34-17 on Nov. 13, 2021, in Nashville

This story was originally published November 5, 2022 at 6:27 PM.

Jon Hale

Lexington Herald-Leader

(859) 414-6776

Jon Hale is the University of Kentucky football beat writer for the Lexington Herald-Leader. He joined the Herald-Leader in 2022 but has covered UK athletics for more than 10 years. Hale was named the 2021 Kentucky Sportswriter of the Year. Support my work with a digital subscription