Liam Coen calls leaving Kentucky for the NFL 'a no-brainer for me'

Kentucky is once again searching for a new offensive coordinator after Liam Coen left the program high and dry for the second time in three years.

Coen took the offensive coordinator job for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers over the weekend, departing the Bluegrass State to work under head coach Todd Bowles. And the move apparently didn’t take that much consideration for Coen.

“This was a no-brainer for me,” Coen said, according to a report from KSR.

He broke down exactly why in a lengthier quote, not sparing Kentucky a second time around in discussing his move.

“I mean obviously the opportunity to work with Baker (Mayfield), to get back with him potentially, John Wolford’s in the room that I coached with the Rams for multiple years,” Liam Coen said. “The skillset on the perimeter, obviously, youth in the running back room, tight end, and one of the best tackles in the National Football League.

“This was altogether really something we could not turn away from whatsoever. This is something that we’re really excited about as a family. My father lives an hour and a half from Tampa, I’ve spent a lot of time down here, and this was just a no-brainer for us.”

During Coen’s latest stint at Kentucky the Wildcats boasted the nation’s No. 58 scoring offense, averaging 29.1 points per game. In his first stint in 2021, Kentucky finished ranked No. 35 nationally, scoring 32.3 points per game.

But there’s plenty of room for improvement with Coen departing. The Wildcats ranked 83rd in passing offense (211.6 yards per game), 95th in rushing offense (127.8 yards per game) and 98th in total offense (339.5 yards per game).

Kentucky will be looking to do better with whoever it hires next, while hopefully also attracting a candidate that will stick around a little longer. Liam Coen enjoyed two one-year stints with the program before jumping back to the NFL ranks each time.