Why ‘medical episode’ reinforced to Liam Coen he made right decision to return to UK
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This was not the week Liam Coen expected to have as he started reviewing film of Kentucky football’s closer-than-expected win over Eastern Kentucky and preparing for the Wildcats’ next game against Akron.
While Coen and the other UK coaches were developing the weekly plan Sunday afternoon he experienced what UK has called a “medical episode” that sent him to UK’s Chandler Hospital.
By Tuesday, Coen was back at UK practice. After Wednesday’s practice, he met with reporters for the first time since the incident, thanking UK’s medical staff for their quick response and thorough care.
“There’s not a ton I remember from the situation, but just probably need to sleep better, need to eat better, need be a better version of myself in terms of doing the things we ask our players to do from a health standpoint and those things,” Coen said. “I think it was a good wake-up call, which is probably a good thing at the end of the day.
“I can’t thank enough BBN, the support, the people, the outreach. That was really cool. It was really cool to be at a place you could tell everybody does care. I appreciate that. My family appreciates that.”
Coen did not share specific details of the medical episode but did say he had never experienced something like it before.
Doctors cleared him to return to coaching Tuesday. He will be on the field as normal when the Wildcats take on Akron on Saturday.
“Woke up Monday morning pretty good, at 8 a.m. feeling ready to go, iPad in hand,” Coen said. “It was just one of those things. Kind of a freak thing. I feel really good right now. Just trying to take it a little bit easier. Maybe it’s good for my life moving forward that I just chill out a little bit.
“... I appreciate everybody’s support and care and concern, but I’m here and I’m good.”
Coen, 37, recently began his second stint on Mark Stoops’ UK staff.
He previously served as Kentucky offensive coordinator for the 2021 season and returned to UK in January after one season as the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams. The EKU game was Coen’s second at the helm of the offense since his return to Lexington.
Against EKU, Kentucky’s offense struggled for much of the first half, failing to score on its first six possessions against the FCS opponent. A touchdown just before halftime sparked a turnaround on the way to a 28-17 victory.
With doctors clearing him to return to the practice field, Coen’s focus has shifted back to fixing the errors that have led to inconsistent offensive performances through two games.
“We’re obviously happy to have him back,” wide receiver Tayvion Robinson said. “It scared everybody, but he’s back, he feels good and we’re all excited for Saturday.”
How does a coach “try to take it a little bit easier” while coaching against the gauntlet of an SEC football schedule?
Coen thinks one of his strengths is a calm demeanor on game day.
“I don’t know if you were one of our players that you would think that I’m a basket case on game day,” Coen said. “You try not to be because ultimately our job as coaches on Saturday is to try to be a caddy. And try to be a next-shot mentality, next-play mentality. Move on from good, bad, ugly, whatever it was. So, I’ve always felt pretty good about where I lie on Saturdays.
“It may be some of the other days of the week aren’t the same.”
While avoiding specifics to protect Coen’s privacy, Stoops made it clear during his Monday news conference the day after the episode that UK’s other coaches were shaken by the experience.
“Obviously with everything going on, we are very close,” defensive coordinator Brad White said Tuesday. “We take it all personal. Wins, losses. If somebody on the team, their son is playing a football game, we want them to win, we take that high school game seriously. So we’re all connected in this.
“It’s something that makes this place special. It’s the reason that Coach has been able to have the (staff) continuity that he has, because he’s built that. We’ve all been through a lot for my five-plus years now. It’s a family.”
That feeling of family was reinforced for Coen this week.
“I came back here in order to be around people that care and be around a community that cares,” he said. “The players, the staff, family, friends, all that. This has been difficult but it’s also been eye-opening in a lot of ways as to you ended up making the right decision to come back to a place that people do care about you. And that’s been pretty cool.”
Saturday
Akron at Kentucky
When: 7:30 p.m.
TV: ESPNU
Records: Akron 1-1, Kentucky 2-0
Radio: WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1
Series: Kentucky leads 1-0
Last meeting: Kentucky won 47-10 on Sept. 18, 2010, in Lexington
This story was originally published September 14, 2023 at 6:59 AM.
