Contract Details for Kentucky Tight End Coach Derek Shay

There is no offseason in college football. You gotta keep your head on a swivel to keep up with it all. That happened in June when Vince Marrow abruptly left Kentucky to be the de facto general manager for the University of Louisville. It also happened a week ago when his replacement’s contract terms got lost in the wash during the SEC Media Days deluge of content.

The day after Marrow’s move became official, Kentucky announced the promotion of Derek Shay. He spent the previous season as an offensive analyst for Bush Hamdan. His experience with tight ends made it an easy move for Mark Stoops.

“He’s a guy that Coach Hamdan and he work side by side anyway. Big picture scheme, a guy that Bush relied on, the communication that’s already been done. He’s already coached tight ends at a high level in a Power Five school,” Mark Stoops said at SEC Media Days.

“I love what I’m seeing there. He immediately, within a day or two of being promoted, at least verbally by me, hit the ground running, did amazing in recruiting. He’s done a wonderful job in the classroom, as well. I’m very excited about Derek.”

Shay’s first significant job in the coaching world was at LSU, where he was a graduate assistant who acted as the tight ends coach. During his two years in Baton Rouge, he helped Mason Taylor and Kole Taylor reach the NFL. Shay spent time at Missouri with Hamdan and a year at Marshall before reconnecting with Hamdan at Kentucky.

Kentucky was on the hook to pay Vince Marrow $1.3 million in 2025. They’ll be paying significantly less for Derek Shay’s services.

The University of Kentucky has yet to release Shay’s contract, but the Herald-Leader obtained a term sheet that outlines the details of the short-term deal. Shay will be paid $20,000 a month, which is the equivalent of $300,000 a year. However, this deal only runs through February. They can create a new deal to extend him as the tight ends coach, or he can return to his role as an analyst, which would drop his salary to $125,000 a year.

It’s important to note that most of Kentucky’s coaching contracts expire next June. Hamdan and L’Damian Washington are the two exceptions. Performance this fall will ultimately determine if Stoops beats the continuity drum for another offseason, or if major changes are on the horizon. Josh Kattus is confident that Shay can be a quality addition to the tight end room.

“He has a lot of experience with the tight end position,” said Josh Kattus. “Obviously, he worked with tight ends at LSU, he worked at Marshall. He knows what he’s doing. He’s already taught us so much. I really like his coaching demeanor, and I think I’m really excited to get a full season under him.”