Sloan officially named new OC at Kentucky

One of the first big pieces of Will Stein‘s new coaching staff at Kentucky has been made official.

The program announced Monday that Joe Sloan will be joining the Wildcats as offensive coordinator after he spent the last four years at LSU.

“I’m so excited to welcome Joe, his wife Taylor, and daughters, Whitley and Lottie, to the Big Blue Nation,” Stein said in a statement released by UK. “He provides expertise in the Southeastern Conference, and he aligns perfectly with our staff and culture. He has developed some of the best players in the country, including a Heisman Trophy winner, and is going to be a great fit for Kentucky Football. He’ll also be a tremendous asset in recruiting throughout the South.”

Sloan, 39, was instrumental in helping develop LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, who won the Heisman Trophy and went on to earn NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors with the Washington Commanders.

“I have the utmost respect for Coach Stein as a person, a leader, and a developer of young men,” Sloan said. “I’ve known Will for a long time, and when this opportunity came up, it was a dream come true. To be able to work with Coach Stein at the beginning of his head coaching career, as he builds something so special, means a great deal to me. I know he will make a lasting impact on UK and the Commonwealth, and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”

Prior to LSU, Sloan spent nine seasons at Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs appeared in seven bowl games, won at least nine games four times and claimed the Conference USA West title twice.

In addition to his coaching duties at Louisiana Tech, Sloan spearheaded the recruiting efforts for the Bulldogs. Tech’s 2020 signing class ranked No. 1 in Conference USA and was listed as the No. 4 class nationally among the Group of 5 programs. Among his top recruits were a pair of Louisiana natives who went on to earn All-America honors in Jaylon Ferguson and Amik Robertson.

Sloan played football at East Carolina from 2005-08, appearing in 41 games as a backup quarterback and holder on placekicks. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration, managerial finance from ECU in December 2008, graduating summa cum laude, before earning his MBA in May 2010. Sloan was selected to the ECU Athletic Director’s Honor Roll each semester at ECU.

A Chester, Va., native, Sloan starred at Thomas Dale High School. He is married to the former Taylor Thomas. The couple has two daughters, Whitley and Lottie.