Entering the 2023 season, Kentucky football has a not-so-secret weapon

As soon as he heard the question, Liam Coen shook his head.

What is it like going against Brad White’s defense every day in practice?

“Oh, man, it’s a pain,” Coen said last week. “It’s a pain.”

By the look on Coen’s face, it was as if it was all rushing back to Kentucky football’s old/new offensive coordinator, reunited with the Cats after spending 2022 with the Los Angeles Rams, having now returned to his daily schematic scuffles with his friend from the East Coast, whose high schools were rivals back in the day.

Said Coen: “Brad is hands-down one of the best coordinators in the country, if not the best.”

In fact, heading into Kentucky’s 2023 campaign, starting Sept. 2 against Ball State, you could make a strong case the 41-year-old White is Kentucky football’s not-so-secret weapon.

Despite a struggling offense last season, Kentucky’s defense ranked 11th nationally in scoring defense and 12th nationally in total yards allowed per game.

In his four seasons as coordinator, White’s total defense rankings are 20th in 2019; 45th in 2020 (against an all-SEC schedule during COVID); and 25th in 2021 before cracking the top 15 last season.

A quick background review: A Massachusetts native, White turned down an offer to play at Yale to instead walk on at Georgia. He transferred to Wake Forest, where his defensive coordinator was current Murray State head coach and former UK assistant Dean Hood.

After five years on the staff with the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, White joined Mark Stoops as UK’s outside linebackers coach in 2018, where he helped develop Josh Allen into the No. 7 overall draft pick. A year later, after Matt House left for the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, White was promoted to defensive coordinator.

White’s work has not gone unnoticed, both inside and outside the building.

After leaving Notre Dame, new LSU coach Brian Kelly tried to bring White to Baton Rouge. When that failed, Kelly hired House and won the SEC West.

Meanwhile, back in April, UK restructured and extended White’s contract to June 30, 2026. Currently making $1.5 million, White’s salary increases to $1.7 million on July 1, 2025. Starting in 2024, if still on the staff as an on-field assistant coach as of July 1, White will receive an annual $150,000 retention bonus through July 1, 2026.

Meanwhile, another question for Coen.

What makes White’s defenses so tough?

“He throws so much at you every play,” UK’s OC said. “If you’re just scripting up plays against our defense you have to be ready for odds, open, four-down, four-down over, four-down under, pressure form the boundary, pressure from the field, safety pressure, corner pressure. It’s a lot.

“It’s a lot, so even when you are scripting one run play, you’ve got to make sure that run has answers for all those defensive looks. That’s not easy.”

To be sure, White’s job this season won’t be easy. He must replace veteran starting linebackers DeAndre Square and Jacquez Jones, outside linebacker Jordan Wright, cornerbacks Carrington Valentine and Keidron Smith, safety Tyrell Ajian and nose guard Justin Rogers. That’s to name just a few.

Talking about UK’s first scrimmage last week, White said, “There were some plays guys were really running around flying to the ball. And then there were some plays that you watched as a whole defense where guys didn’t live up to our standards. Every play has to be like it’s the last play.”

Meanwhile, don’t be fooled. Making it difficult on the UK offense is just what this Kentucky’s offense needs and wants.

“Those guys are good. Those guys are really good,” said new quarterback Devin Leary, the transfer from North Carolina State. “Every single day, especially going against Coach White, too, it’s definitely a challenge.”

“Then from a quarterback standpoint, when you stand back and they do such a good job of holding rotations, their safeties play on a string,” Coen said. “They do such a good job of holding rotations on the back end. It’s not easy. This is great for our offense. Every single day we come out and play our defense because they’re arguably one of the best in the country.”

This story was originally published August 20, 2023 at 7:00 AM.

John Clay

Lexington Herald-Leader

859-472-4218

John Clay is a sports columnist for the Lexington Herald-Leader. A native of Central Kentucky, he covered UK football from 1987 until being named sports columnist in 2000. He has covered 20 Final Fours and 42 consecutive Kentucky Derbys. Support my work with a digital subscription