The Wolf: Kentucky OL Coach Brings Intensity to Reconstruction of the Big Blue Wall

The Kentucky offensive line was the pride of Big Blue Nation when John Schlarman led his alma mater. When he lost his life to cancer, Mark Stoops tasked another Youngstown native to keep the tradition alive. Eric Wolford has maintained a complicated relationship with Kentucky fans ever since.

The status quo was maintained under Wolford’s tutelage in 2021. Darian Kinnard was a Consensus First Team All-American, the program’s first in nearly 50 years, and Luke Fortner developed into a draft pick. Then things got hairy.

Wolford abruptly left for Alabama during a recruiting trip and quickly became persona non grata. The Big Blue Wall went from a strength to a weakness. Two years later, fans were stunned when Stoops brought Wolford back onto the coaching staff. The results weren’t great in 2024. Many fans were ready to show him the door.

Mark Stoops brought Wolford back to upgrade the personnel on the Kentucky offensive line. He did just that this offseason by adding five players from the transfer portal and four high school recruits, including Blue Chipper Darrin Strey. The players explained to KSR why they believe that Wolford can reconstruct the Big Blue Wall.

The Cunning Wolf

Shiyazh Pete was the last player Kentucky added during the winter transfer portal window. A former First-Team All-C-USA talent, the enormous, 6-foot-8 athlete was one of the most coveted left tackles on the market and Wolford was able to make the right moves to being him to Lexington.

“He lives up to his name, the Wolf,” said Pete. “He’s cunning, he’s keen, he’s pretty sharp. I like that about him.”

One thing omitted from that description is Wolf’s intensity. Whether it’s in the meeting room or on the field, his words are biting. That style doesn’t work for some, but it’s what attracted former First-Team All-MAC offensive tackle Alex Wollschlaeger to Lexington.

“It’s a good thing to have. He’s an intense coach, but I like it,” said Wollschlaeger. “I like him coaching him as intense as he should, and I feel like that’s what you should want in a coach. You don’t want a coach who’s not getting on you.”

Darrin Strey grew up in a household where that intensity was always turned on. He was coached by his father, who is not so different than Wolford.

“Some people have a coach from 5-8. I have a coach 24/7. At home, getting yelled at, but that’s what I love,” said the true freshman. “That’s part of the reason why I chose here because Coach Wolf reminded me a lot of my Dad. He gets on you, but it’s good for you.”

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Kentucky OL Knows What They’re Getting Into

Josh Braun will wear No. 75 this fall, the same number worn by Eli Cox. It’s fitting. Like Cox, Braun is a veteran in the SEC who speaks with a maturity beyond his years. After stops at Florida and Arkansas, he believes Wolford can maximize his talents during his final college football season.

“If I didn’t like this style of coaching, and if any of the offensive linemen didn’t like this style of coaching, especially the transfers, you made a huge mistake in coming here because that means you didn’t do your due diligence and you didn’t examine your options,” said Braun.

“Coach Wolf is exactly how he sounds. He lives up to his reputation. The practices and meetings are going to be intense, but I think they will pay dividends on Saturdays when the bullets are flying. it’s a high-stress environment. Since he’s able to replicate that in practice and meetings, you’re going to be able to deal with it much more efficiently and be able to execute under the stresses of game day.”

The game is the same, but it’s coached with slightly different nuances. Wolford’s intensity isn’t the only thing that sets him apart in the SEC.

“I think how we treat mobility here is the best in the conference. There’s an emphasis on mobility here that has not been as emphasized at schools I’ve been in the past,” said Braun. “I think that’s going to be a difference-maker just with hip-bend, the leverage, especially being on the offensive line, being able to get underneath people. That’s going to be key.”

The other key? Building a cohesive front five. Kentucky got much older in the transfer portal. Every offensive lineman who will play this fall has multiple years of starting experience. They have been battle-tested, albeit not together on the same team. It’s Wolford’s job to test them early and often this offseason to ensure the Big Blue Wall can withstand the SEC storm in 2025.

[Spring Briefing: Kentucky Adds Experience to Rebuild Offensive Line]