First Down Kentucky: Another Chicago Bears Offensive Coordinator Candidate Enters the Chat

We haven’t heard anything from Liam Coen in the past few days. There’s not much out there right now from the camp of the Kentucky offensive coordinator. However, the Chicago Bears continue to stack up candidates for their vacant play-calling position, seemingly pushing Coen further back in line.

The latest news is a significant development that is creating headlines across the National Football League. Adam Schefter reports Kliff Kingsbury is interviewing to be the Chicago Bears offensive coordinator.

The presence of Kingsbury is significant for a couple of reasons. One, he’s a former NFL head coach who actually put up some decent offensive numbers in Arizona, albeit without the wins. Two, and maybe more importantly, he spent the last season working at USC as Caleb Williams‘ QB coach.

The presumed No. 1 overall draft pick has leaked some unorthodox intel from his camp over the last year. It would not be shocking if Williams pulled an Eli Manning and tried to negotiate his way out of getting drafted by certain teams. If Williams is a Kingsbury believer, it gives the Bears assurance that their potential franchise-changing QB starts his career off on the right foot in Chicago.

As for Coen, I remain fairly confident he will not be going anywhere this offseason. Things may change throughout the NFL coaching carousel, but I am optimistic we will see Coen calling plays on the Kentucky sideline in 2024.

Kentucky Offers a Vandagriff Disciple

Kentucky successfully recruited Brock Vandagriff to Kentucky this offseason. Now they’re going to recruit more talented players from the school where his father coaches. Christian Garrett is a four-star defensive lineman at Prince Avenue Christian School (Ga.), ranked as the No. 100 overall player in the 2025 class. Anwar Stewart and Brad White extended the highly sought-after prospect an offer earlier this week. It might be a long shot to beat out Georgia and every other big name in college football, but at least the Cats know a guy.

Elsewhere around the 2025 recruiting ranks, KSR+ caught up with a Vanderbilt commit that is on the Wildcats’ radar. Chattanooga safety Carson Lawrence committed to the Commodores early in the recruiting process, so he’s keeping his options open. Frank Buffano is making sure that Kentucky is one of those options.

“Since I committed (in June 2023), people have come after me more,” he said. “I guess it’s a blessing and a curse. A lot of the SEC has come. Obviously, I’ve gotten some ACC, Big 12, and Big Ten [interest]. It’s been interesting to see how it’s all playing out, especially since I committed.”

A Kentucky Recruiting Reunion

You never know who you’re going to run into on the recruiting trail. Vince Marrow was busy Wednesday afternoon, scouring the city of Cincinnati to speak with various prospects. After touching base with tight end Luka Gilbert, a top 150 tight end in the 2025 class, Marrow ran into a familiar face, Shannon Dawson. Kentucky’s offensive coordinator during Mark Stoops’ first season back in 2015, Dawson ascended back to the Power Five play-calling level last fall at Miami. What do we think these guys talked about during their brief recruiting reunion?

Great seeing my man ⁦@CoachDawson_UM⁩ on my turf lol. Great coach better guy. pic.twitter.com/LJZ3cvm73O

— CoachMarrowUK (@vincemarrow) January 18, 2024

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College Football has a NINTH Year Senior

Players who use their redshirt and COVID-19 waiver to get a sixth year of eligibility are called Super Seniors. What do we call someone who is in their ninth year of college football? That’s exactly what Cam McCormick is. The Miami tight end announced today he will be back for one “last ride” in 2024.

So how does one receive nine years of eligibility? Injuries and lots of them. McCormick started his career at Oregon and suffered season-ending injuries in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. The longest-tenured player in Oregon football history transferred to Miami for the 2023 season and caught eight passes for 62 yards. Now 25 years old, the guy who was in the same recruiting class as Nick Bosa and Jalen Hurts is running it back for one more season with Shannon Dawson.

Jerry Glanville: Still Coaching Football

Miami’s ninth-year senior has got nothing on Jerry Glanville. Yes, the same Jerry Glanville who coached the Atlanta Falcons during the Deion Sanders days in the early 90s, the same coach who began his career at WKU in 1967, is returning to college football this fall. The 82-year-old agreed to be the defensive coordinator of Northwestern Oklahoma State, a Division II school that went 1-10 last fall. Hopefully, he still leaves a pair of tickets for Elvis at will call.

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