Teams are talking to Kentucky’s Liam Coen. What kind of job has he done at UK?
There may be only a handful of NFL games remaining this season in the great big world of football, but the sport’s off-the-field news cycle is ramping up to full speed.
Enter Liam Coen. Or is it exit Liam Coen? The Kentucky football offensive coordinator has interviewed for the open Chicago Bears’ offensive coordinator position and is also someone who may be in the mix for a similar job at Ohio State.
How real is this? The Bears reportedly have talked to at least five candidates to be their new play-caller — Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, Seahawks quarterbacks coach Greg Olson, San Francisco 49ers passing game coordinator Klint Kubiak, ex-Baltimore Ravens OC Greg Roman and Coen. As for Ohio State, Football Scoop reported coach Ryan Day told his staff he will hire an offensive coordinator. If true, Coen may or may not be in the mix.
Some background: Then 36 years old, Coen was the assistant quarterbacks coach with the Los Angeles Rams when he was hired by Mark Stoops to replace Eddie Gran at UK. Simple reasoning. Gran’s run-heavy scheme had hit a wall. Stoops wanted more balance. Coen tutored under Sean McVay, known for his astute marriage of a strong run game with a creative passing attack. On paper, the fit worked.
It worked on the field, as well. Transfers helped. Quarterback Will Levis arrived from Penn State. Wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson arrived from Nebraska. With Chris Rodriguez in the backfield, a strong offensive line and Coen’s scheme, UK went from 115th in total offense in 2020 to 50th in 2021. The Cats also won 10 games, including 20-17 victory over Iowa in the Citrus Bowl.
Then Coen left. Called back to the NFL, Coen became the Rams’ offensive coordinator. McVay kept play-calling responsibilities, but Coen had strong input into game plan and personnel decisions. Plus, it was an OC job at football’s highest level.
The grass wasn’t greener, however. Beset by injuries and age, the defending Super Bowl champs stumbled to a 5-12 record. When Stoops became disenchanted with Coen’s UK successor, former 49ers quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello, Coen jumped at the offer of a Lexington return. To show his commitment, he accepted a $500,000 buyout in his contract if he departed again in the offseason.
Turned out, Coen’s UK 2023 wasn’t his UK 2021. Transfer quarterback Devin Leary didn’t duplicate his North Carolina State numbers. Though improved, the offensive line struggled at times. UK ranked 100th in total offense, 58th in scoring offense, though it did upset No. 10-ranked Louisville 38-31 in the regular-season finale and nearly knocked off Clemson (38-35) in the Gator Bowl.
The struggles of the past two seasons might make you question why Coen is in demand. McVay is one answer. The Mike Shanahan-Kyle Shanahan-Sean McVay tree dominates offensive circles. Coen’s development of quarterbacks is another. One quarterback in particular.
Pre-Coen, Levis had been a run-first, second-string quarterback at Penn State. At Kentucky, the Connecticut native turned into the No. 33 pick in the NFL Draft and the Tennessee Titans’ starter by week 10. Catching Levis’ passes, Robinson became a second-round pick of the New York Giants who finished strong in 2023.
It’s the reason now former Georgia backup quarterback Brock Vandagriff cast his lot with the Cats and Coen for 2024. That is, if Coen is still around to coach him. I’m betting he will be, that the Bears will choose a more qualified candidate and whatever is going on in Columbus is mere smoke.
Also, I don’t begrudge any coach for being open to opportunities. The profession offers no employment guarantees these days. Hired one day, fired the next. One bad season — one bad game — can turn things around. Quickly.
I can also see why Coen is under consideration. Despite this season’s disappointments, he’s a bright young coach learning on the job. Given talent, he showed in 2021 what he can do. And better to employ a coach coveted by others than a coach no one wants to interview.
