Kentucky Fires Wide Receivers Coach Scott Woodward

Mark Stoops has made his first coaching change of the offseason. Scott Woodward will not return for the 2024 campaign after three years in Lexington.

FootballScoop was the first to report the news. The job posting is live on the University of Kentucky’s website with a Dec. 6 application deadline.

Scott Woodward is a close confidant with Liam Coen. The two played college football together at UMass and were in each other’s weddings. Woodward was initially hired as an analyst upon Coen’s arrival, but received a quick promotion to wide receivers coach after Jovon Bouknight received a demotion following a drunk-driving arrest.

Woodward was an excellent recruiter during his three years in Lexington. He used connections in the Nashville area to help secure a commitment from Barion Brown. During his tenure the Cats also received Central Tennessee commitments from Shamar Porter, the Wade Twins and Elijah Groves during this recruiting cycle.

Success on the recruiting trail did not translate into on-field production. Despite record-breaking freshman campaigns from Brown and Dane Key, the phrase “sophomore slump” was thrown around quite a bit throughout the 2023 season.

Finding wide receivers coaches has not been a strength of Mark Stoops. None of the assistants hired to coach receivers — Tommy Mainord, Lamar Thomas, Michael Smith, Jovon Bouknight, and now Woodward — have lasted more than three seasons in Lexington. No other position group has experienced more turnover.

Even though wide receiver play left much to be desired in 2023, this should be a coveted position among the coaching ranks. The Cats have loaded up on four-star prospects at wide receiver. There is a ton of potential, one the next hire must unleash for Kentucky to exceed expectations next fall.

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