Dean Hood Returns to Kentucky Football after 'Coaching Retirement'

Dean Hood wasn’t ready to spend his weekdays on the golf course. The former Kentucky assistant is returning to Kentucky as the Director of Player of Development.

The move comes just two days after Hood announced his retirement from coaching. The operative word there is “from coaching.” He spent the last four years leading the Murray State football program. In Lexington Hood will assume the off-field position previously held by Freddie Maggard and Courtney Love. Tim Owens most recently held the position. The former Jacksonville Jaguars staffer left his role as director of player development at some point in the middle of the 2023 season.

Dean Hood’s connections to the Kentucky coaching staff run deep. He was the Wake Forest defensive coordinator when Brad White played linebacker for the Demon Deacons. Hood helped Wake Forest win the ACC and reach the Orange Bowl in 2006 and he hired White as a GA the following season.

Prior to making the move to Murray State, Hood spent three years on Mark Stoops’ staff at Kentucky. From 2017-19 he served as the special teams coordinator, establishing the Australian punter pipeline that brought Ray Guy Award winner Max Duffy to Lexington. Hood also coached linebackers and defensive backs at various points in his Kentucky tenure.

Hood became a staple in Central Kentucky as the longtime head coach at Eastern Kentucky University. From 2008-15 he won two Ohio Valley Conference titles and took the Colonels to the FCS Playoffs three times while compiling a 55-38 record. With Hood at the helm, EKU produced nine All-Americans, one OVC Offensive Player of the Year, one OVC Defensive Player of the Year, one OVC Freshman of the Year and 26 first-team all-conference performers.

As Director of Player Development, Hood will oversee Kentucky’s ‘4 for 40′ program, create community service opportunities for players and work with Eddie Gran to streamline the Wildcats’ NIL efforts.

Hood is a coaching veteran that provides value in the Joe Craft Football Training Facility. He will serve as a resource for the players and a sounding board for coaches. Hood will not tell people what they want to hear, but what they need to hear, exactly what this program needs.

Former Kentucky DC Matt House Fired by LSU

Brad White’s predecessor is looking for a new job. Matt House was the play-caller for one of the most dominant defenses ever fielded by Kentucky back in 2018. Now he’s looking for a new job. Brian Kelly announced he is completely overhauling his defensive staff after LSU’s defense served as a punchline for most of the 2023 season.

When Kelly needed a defensive play-caller, he spent an extensive amount of time courting the Kentucky defensive coordinator. White turned down the opportunity, paving the way for House to make the move from the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022. A sliding doors moment for each program, maybe that door slides open for House to return to Lexington in a quality control capacity this fall…