Ramon Jefferson Recalls Near Catastrophe with Liam Coen at Maine

In the spring of 2017 Liam Coen made a trip to the Bronx. Fresh off his first year of calling plays at the college level, the Maine offensive coordinator was interested in running back that tallied 5,456 total yards and 52 touchdowns in his high school career.

He eventually secured a commitment from the talented Harry S. Truman athlete. In the six years since, Coen has gotten married, had a child, worked for the Rams (twice), and called plays for Kentucky (twice). This fall Coen will finally get the chance to give the ball to that running back, Ramon Jefferson.

“I remember sitting in his house in the Bronx,” Coen recalled earlier this week. “It was just cool to go back, and now you’re hanging out with them. We were in Co-op city with his dad. His dad was a musician I believe, or an artist. It’s just cool when life comes full circle like that. And the fact that he’s still playing is crazy.”

Ramon Jefferson Bounces Back from ACL Injury

Jefferson did not expect to play for Kentucky this fall. After two seasons at Maine, including a redshirt year, he transferred to a community college, then Sam Houston State. The running back helped the Bearkats win a National Championship during the shortened spring season. A few months later he had 1,155 yards and 13 touchdowns, enough to earn FCS All-American honors. With a Super Senior season available, he hopped into the portal and transferred to Kentucky.

Many expected Ramon Jefferson to carry a heavy workload in Chris Rodriguez‘s absence last fall. Instead, he suffered a season-ending injury on his second carry of the season.

“It was very frustrating, because obviously you set goals before the start of every season, expectations for yourself and where you can fit in with your team,” Jefferson told KSR. “I felt like I was starting to earn the respect of my teammates and coaches. For that to get taken away from me was kind of a let-down.”

It was disappointing, but the timing was on his side. Since the injury happened so early in the season, Ramon Jefferson received a waiver from the NCAA to play another season of college football. It also gave him more time to recover from that injury. He looked healthy enough to make a few plays at last Saturday’s UK Fan Day.

“I feel good,” he said last Friday. “I was able to get out there the first two days of practice, get some reps, get going again. Once you see yourself on film again it’s like, Wow, I’m actually out there.”

That Time Liam Coen Welcomed Jefferson to College Football

“What a cool story for him to be in the position that he’s in: adversity at multiple stops and has just continued. He is such a good kid. All he wants to do is help our team. All he wants to do is do something right to help this team win games,” Liam Coen said.

Despite not being the guy at the top of the depth chart, he’s still working his tail off in practice, in the training room and in his playbook. That might not have always been the case the first time he was coached by Coen.

“It was toward the end of the season and the starting running back was about to go down. Out of nowhere, the nerves, I literally forgot every single play. I got comfortable during my redshirt year. I think I was 17-years-old. The whole season went by, there were two games left. At this point I know I’m not playing this year. (Coen) said, ‘Ramon, get ready.’ I froze. Me?“

Fortunately, he did not actually get his number called. He may not have remembered the plays, but he will not forget his welcome to college football moment with Liam Coen.

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