New Kentucky assistant speaks ‘same language’ as Stoops

Kentucky made its newest coaching hire official Tuesday, with Mark Stoops naming Cincinnati co-defensive coordinator Steve Clinkscale as the Cats’ defensive backs coach.

Clinkscale becomes the third coach plucked from the Bearcats staff this offseason. The previous two were co-offensive coordinators Eddie Gran and Darin Hinshaw.

“I am very impressed with Coach Clinkscale’s knowledge and the way he handles himself with players,” Stoops said in a release that did not disclose terms of Clinkscale’s contract with Kentucky.

For Clinkscale, the big draw to Kentucky was a chance to work with a former defensive backs coach in Stoops.

“I’ve been wanting to work with Coach Stoops since he’s been at Kentucky,” Clinkscale said in the release. “This is a great opportunity for me and my family, and I’m getting to work with someone who is like-minded. We speak the same language when it comes to defense.

“I was walking through the training facility with my wife and I told her, ‘This feels like a dream come true.’ I’m very happy and I can’t wait to get on the practice field.”

Clinkscale, a native of Youngstown, Ohio, like Stoops and tight ends coach Vince Marrow, has spent the previous three seasons as defensive backs coach at Cincinnati, where he also was the co-defensive coordinator last season and called the plays.

He replaces UK defensive backs coach Derrick Ansley, who left to join the Alabama staff.

Kentucky, which starts spring practice March 8, returns a wealth of talent in the secondary, including true freshmen Chris Westry and Derrick Baity at cornerback and redshirt freshman safeties Mike Edwards and Darius West.

In his three seasons at Cincinnati, Clinkscale helped the Bearcats advance to three straight bowl games: Belk Bowl (2013), Military Bowl (2014) and Hawaii Bowl (2015).

Cincinnati’s defense ranked third in the American Athletic Conference, allowing 217 passing yards per game.

Before joining the UC staff, Clinkscale spent a season on the staff at Illinois as the cornerbacks coach, helping the Fighting Illini rank in the Top 20 nationally in pass defense, surrendering less than 200 yards passing per game.

Clinkscale also coached at Western Carolina for a season and spent seven seasons before that coaching at his alma mater, Division II Ashland University.

This latest hire probably completes a whirlwind staff shakeup this offseason that included the firings of offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson and wide receivers coach Tommy Mainord, and the departures of running backs coach Chad Scott to North Carolina and Ansley to Alabama.

This story was originally published March 1, 2016 at 2:22 PM with the headline "New Kentucky assistant speaks ‘same language’ as Stoops."