Kentucky's offense "very similar" to 49ers, a seamless transition with Rich Scangarello

Along with Sean McVay (Rams) and Matt LaFleur (Packers), Kyle Shanahan (49ers) is widely seen as one of the most innovative and creative head coaches in the NFL, specifically as a play-caller. Opposing NFL teams have looked for any and all opportunities to snag branches off of their respective coaching trees looking for the next big thing in football. McVay just hired his next offensive coordinator from his own tree, bringing back Liam Coen — his former assistant quarterbacks coach in L.A. — after one year of great success at Kentucky.

With Kentucky in need of a replacement, Mark Stoops has reportedly plucked another branch from the NFL’s high-profile coaching trio, this time from Shanahan. Numerous reports have confirmed that San Francisco 49ers quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello has agreed to a deal with Kentucky to become its next offensive coordinator, bringing a veteran coach with seven years of NFL experience to Lexington.

Finding another pro-style OC

Coen’s pro-style offense was a game-changer for Kentucky in 2021, paving way for 32.31 points per game, 5,527 total yards and 56 touchdowns. The program maintained the rushing success it had found in recent years while exploding in the passing department, led by quarterback Will Levis, who finished his junior campaign with 2,826 yards and 24 touchdowns. Looking to continue that success, Stoops went out and found another pro-style coach to make the post-Coen transition as seamless as possible.

Don’t believe me? Ask Scangarello’s former coworker in San Francisco, Zach Yenser, who will be waiting for him in Lexington as Kentucky’s newest offensive line coach. The two systems, in his eyes, are quite similar, both creating opportunities for elite production with the teams’ top playmakers.

“Obviously this offense is very intriguing,” Yenser told KSR on Sunday Morning Sports Talk just five days ago. “It’s very similar to what we were running at the Niners. This pro-style offense I think puts guys in great (opportunities) for success. I believe in this offense.”

Positive early reports

Not even a week later, San Francisco’s quarterbacks coach has reportedly agreed to a deal to become Kentucky’s next play-caller. New name, same system.

Early reports inside the Kentucky football program? Quite positive.

“I think it’s fair to say the UK staff, top to bottom, is VERY excited about the new OC hire,” KSR’s own Matt Jones tweeted Friday afternoon. “One said: ‘Dude is a QB guru. I can’t believe we got him. It’s going to be unbelievable.'”

According to Jones, UK’s offensive staff and Levis sat down with the four remaining candidates to find the top choice. After interviewing Scangarello, it was clear he was the best fit.

“We all were just blown away,” a source told KSR. “You knew he was the guy.”

Stoops dedicated to modern offense

Though business was going on “as usual” at Kentucky during Coen’s interview process with the Rams, Yenser knew last week there was a chance the Wildcats’ play-caller could be different moving forward. After talking with Stoops during his own hiring process, though, he was confident the Kentucky head coach was dedicated to keeping a pro-style offense, regardless of who is calling the plays.

“There’s a bunch of people that run that system in the NFL, I just felt like we did it the best because of our (physical) mentality, and that started from the top,” Yenser said. “That’s what I love about here, talking to Coach Stoops and being dedicated to this scheme of offense where you’re able to put guys in good situations. I think that’s what I’m gonna bring to the team.”

It’s not about the play-caller, it’s about the mentality you play with. In San Francisco, the offense was creative and explosive, yet physical. Yenser already brought that mindset with him to Lexington.

“The plays that are called, whoever (calls them), that’s fine,” he said. “It’s a mentality of how you run those plays, and I think that’s what’s going to stick out. It’s going to be different, how we do it up front, running off the ball and being the most physical team week in and week out when we step on that field.”

Kentucky’s next play-caller just so happens to be coming from that same offensive room. Rich Scangarello is Stoops’ guy.