Kentucky Practice Report: Liam Coen could return to coaching box

Conference play has finally arrived for the Kentucky Wildcats in 2023. On Saturday, Kentucky begins a stretch that includes eight SEC games over nine weeks. The time to work things out on offense is officially over. It’s go time in Lexington.

On Tuesday, offensive coordinator Liam Coen spoke with the media for his weekly press conference. As the Wildcats are officially into game prep for Vanderbilt, Coen could be returning to the box for the second week in a row.

Box makes calling plays easier

For the first time in his Kentucky tenure, Liam Coen was the eye in the sky for the Kentucky offense and called plays from the press box. The Wildcats responded by logging team highs in offensive points (35), yards per play (9.18), and passing yards (315). Coen expects a return to the box when Kentucky faces Vanderbilt at FirstBank Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

“I thought the communication was good from the sideline on up,” Coen said on Tuesday. “I’ve done that before but obviously last week was ‘hey, get away from it a little bit’. Just go call it, get away from some of the emotion and stress of it a little bit. I thought it was good.”

Coen got a better look at the full picture on Saturday and believes that led to some good results. Via the phone, the offensive coordinator got to stay in contact with Devin Leary and felt like the operation was smooth. The expectation is that Coen will return to the box this week. Things are easier for a play-caller in the sky.

“There’s no question that calling plays is easier up top,” said Coen.

Devin Leary’s ridiculous highlight play

Kentucky quarterback Devin Leary appears to be improving with each start. In the win over Akron, the NC State transfer threw for over 300 yards in a game for the first time since last September. To get there, the super senior made some ridiculous individual effort plays.

58 YARDS! 🏃‍♂️💨@UKFootball x 📺 ESPNU pic.twitter.com/5I2bmKBVhI

— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) September 17, 2023

“That was ridiculous,” Coen told KSR. The play-caller has never had a QB make a play like that in the game, but that’s just part of the play-making package that Leary brings to the offense.

“Love him to just throw the hitch into the boundary that was kind of open for a first down,” Coen jokingly told reporters. “He’s made some great plays like that on third downs we got guys crawling at his feet and he’s made plays.”

Over at the Joe Craft Football Training Facility, confidence is high in No. 13. Kentucky believes in their quarterback, and Leary’s play gives this team a high ceiling despite some of the early growing pains the offense has been through.

“I’m really pleased that we have him at quarterback,” Coen said.

Subscribe to the KSR YouTube Channel for press conferences, interviews, original shows, fan features, and exclusive content.

Relax and play football

Many of the current issues with the Kentucky offense do not have to do with what the other team is doing. The biggest problems facing Liam Coen’s group are self-caused. Most notably Devin Leary and sophomore wide receiver Dane Key are not on the same page. The play-caller wants to see his guys relax and play football.

“We have to just settle in, and calm down, and execute. The interception we had the other day that should have been routes on air,” Coen told reporters. “It’s a 15-yard comeback, routes on air, one hitch timing, 15-yard route, turn your head around, catch the ball. But it wasn’t. Those have to become routine for us to take the next step.”

The offense is still working some kinks out. Two of Leary’s interceptions have been what appear to be miscommunication between quarterback and wide receiver. Leary and Key will look to get on the same page before Kentucky’s first road trip of the season.

Pass protection is progressing

Kentucky’s offensive line has only allowed three sacks through three games this season. The five guys upfront are creating clean pockets, and Devin Leary is helping extend plays. Liam Coen believes that the line has made some real strides in pass protection.

“We’re taking steps. From a pass pro perspective, we’re throwing the ball more times than I’d probably like to because of some of our inefficiencies on first down,” Coen said. “Right now, we’re at like 50 percent efficient on first down. That’s not where we want to be. So that’s putting us behind the chains and behind the sticks.”

Missed throws on first down (61.5% completion rate, 4.3 yards per attempt) and inefficient first down runs (2.63 yards per rush) in passing downs quickly. Kentucky has to find more efficiency moving forward, but the offensive line is giving the team a consistent chance to score points by keeping Leary clean.

“We’ve improved,” Coen said.