Kentucky Football Announces Parker Fleming as Special Teams Coach

While most of the Kentucky football coaching staff additions have been reported, the school is still announcing official hires. We got another one on Thursday morning as the Wildcats introduced Parker Fleming as Will Stein’s special teams coach. Fleming will also coach the inside wide receiver.

The bulk of Fleming’s coaching career was spent at Ohio State, but last year the Atlanta native worked alongside Stein at Oregon as the Ducks’ assistant quarterbacks coach.

“I’m excited to bring Parker to Kentucky to lead our special teams and work with our inside wide receivers,” Stein said. “We worked together at Oregon, and I was impressed by his incredible attention to detail. He brings an elite understanding of special teams and the passing game, and I know he will help us elevate those phases of our program.”

Fleming was a graduate assistant who worked with wide receivers and the special teams unit at Ohio State in 2012-13. He returned to Columbus as a quality control coach in 2018. He was promoted to special teams coordinator in 2021, a position he held for three years.

“I’m very excited to be at Kentucky,” Fleming said. “I grew up in Atlanta and was raised in SEC country. I’ve always viewed this league as the best in the nation. Kentucky’s brand is also elite, and the passion and support of the fans are second to none. Having the opportunity to join Will Stein’s staff was the ultimate selling point. I admire him tremendously as a coach and as a person.

“If you watch football at any level, you understand how impactful special teams are on the outcome of a game, and I enjoy that responsibility,” Fleming continued. “It allows me to connect with every player on the roster, which I love. I also can’t wait to work with the inside wide receivers and help them achieve their goals.”

Kentucky will not need to break in a new kicker with Fleming. Jacob Kauwe returns after netting 13-17 field goal attempts during his redshirt season. He only missed one kick inside 50 yards and buried a 51-yarder.

The Cats will have a new punter in 2026. Fleming is bringing back the Aussie-style roll-out, with Tom O’Hara transferring from Murray State. He averaged just shy of 44 yards per punt last fall and hit a career-long 71-yarder.

Parker Fleming Resume

Year	Position	School	Bowl Games
2025	Assistant Quarterback Coach	Oregon	CFP First Round (2025) Orange Bowl (2025) Peach Bowl (2025)
2021-23	Special Teams Coordinator//Defensive Assistant	Ohio State	Rose Bowl (2021) Peach Bowl (2022) Cotton Bowl (2023)
2018-20	Special Teams Quality Control	Ohio State	Rose Bowl (2018) Fiesta Bowl (2019) Sugar Bowl (2020)CFP National Championship (2020)
2017	Co-Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach	Texas State
2016	Wide Receivers Coach/Special Teams Coordinator	Texas State
2013-14	Wide Receivers Coach/Special Teams Coordinator	James Madison	FCS Playoff (2014)
2012-13	Wide Receivers/Special Teams Graduate Assistant	Ohio State	Orange Bowl (2013)
2011	Quarterbacks	Capital University
2010	Quarterbacks	Decatur High School