Could Liam Coen 2.0 Work? How CFB Play-Callers Fare in Return

Editor’s Note: This was originally published Dec. 2. ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reports Liam Coen will leave Los Angeles to return to Lexington as the Wildcats’ next offensive coordinator.

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Who says you can’t go home? Early attention around Kentucky’s search for a new offensive coordinator has turned to an old one, Liam Coen. It’s been less than a year since he left Lexington to return to the Rams, but a return to Kentucky is conceivable. After all, that’s exactly what he did in L.A. Also, Eddie Gran was back on Mark Stoops’ staff less than a year after he was let go as the Wildcats’ play-caller.

If Kentucky is able to convince Coen to return to call plays for the Wildcats’ offense, is it a guaranteed success? This move would not be unprecedented. In fact, plenty of high-profile play-callers have had multiple stints at the same school. Let’s take a look through the history books to see how these notable names performed during their first and second soirees.

Bobby Petrino – Louisville

It was easy for Kentucky fans to mock Bobby 2.Oh when the Cardinals took a hard nosedive in 2018. Bobby Petrino was one of the most hated figures outside of the city of Louisville years, but there’s no denying the dude knew how to put up points. During his first run, UofL’s offense was electric and it produced similar results with Lamar Jackson at quarterback.

Year	2003	2004	2005	2006	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
Points Per Game	34.6	49.8	43.4	37.8	31.2	28.7	42.5	38.1	19.8
Yards Per Play	7.0	7.2	6.8	7.1	5.46	6.01	7.21	7.39	5.31
Passing Offense	260.7	288.6	293.6	290	252	245.1	290.5	299.8	211.1
Rushing Offense	228.2	250.5	188.5	185.3	142.7	171	242.2	245.1	141.5

Even though he was the head coach, this precedent applies because he was the Cards’ primary play-caller. Despite the move from C-USA and the Big East to the ACC in his second stint, Louisville still was able to reach the previous high peaks for a couple of seasons during Bobby 2.0.

David Cutcliffe – Tennessee

Although it was a different era of college football, Cutcliffe was the offensive mastermind behind Phil Fulmer’s explosive offenses in the 90s. He secured a commitment from Peyton Manning and it propelled him to a head coaching gig at Ole Miss, where he successfully recruited another Manning, Eli. Following his termination in 2004, he took a year off before returning to Rocky Top in 2006.

Year	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	2006	2007
Points Per Game	40.3	30.2	35.9	36.4	32.9	33.2	27.8	32.5
Passing Offense	242.3	183.4	275.5	308.7	331.8	187.5	264.5	262.5
Rushing Offense	238.3	231.2	179.3	125.8	151.1	211.3	108	139

The Tennessee offense averaged at least 400 yards and 30 points per game during every season except one in Cutcliffe’s first six years, the year the Vols won the National Title. Upon his return it took him a year to get back to the high bar set, but Tennessee finished ranked in the Top 25. After another 400-yard per game offense and a No. 12 ranking in the final AP Poll, he became the head coach at Duke.

Tom Manning – Iowa State

If Coen were to return to Kentucky, Tom Manning might be the closest modern day comparison. He was promoted to offensive coordinator at Iowa State in 2017, the Youngstown native left for a year to coach the Indianapolis Colts’ tight ends (on the same staff as Brad White), then returned to Ames in 2019.

Year	2017	2019	2020	2021	2022
Points Per Game	29.2	25.9	32.9	31.3	20.2
Yards Per Play	5.6	6.5	6.3	6.5	5.1
Passing Offense	272.9	311.3	241.3	263.8	261.8
Rushing Offense	113.1	133.3	197	160.8	108

Similar to Petrino, life has not been kind to Tom Manning without his star quarterback. The Cyclones had one of the best seasons in school history in 2020, falling in the Big 12 Title before before upending Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl. However, following Brock Purdy‘s departure Iowa State spiraled. Manning was fired Friday morning after a disappointing 4-8 season.

Dan Mullen – Florida

Dan Mullen steered the offensive ship for Urban Meyer’s Florida Gators for four seasons before landing an SEC head coaching gig at Mississippi State. Starkville is not an easy place to win, but he did just that, collecting 69 wins over nine seasons, just seven away from surpassing Jackie Sherrill as the school’s all-time wins leader. He returned to Florida in 2018 and brought the Gators back to the SEC Championship Game. Off-the-field antics and poor recruiting eventually caught up with Mullen and he was ousted after only four seasons.

Year	2005	2006	2007	2008	2018	2019	2020	2021
Points Per Game	28.6	29.7	42.5	43.6	35	33.2	39.8	30.7
Yards Per Play	5.3	6.3	7.0	7.1	6.2	6.5	7.3	6.6
Passing Offense	226.7	236.1	257.0	213.9	213.5	300.8	378.6	254.2
Rushing Offense	146.8	160	200.2	231.1	213.3	130	131.3	209.9

Mullen was able to adjust his offense when he lost one quarterback and turned Kyle Trask into a Heisman finalist. However, like many others, when he could not recruit a successor, the offense floundered with Emory Jones and the numbers nose-dived in his final season.

Andy Ludwig – Utah

When Meyer left Utah for Florida, Kyle Whittingham took over the Utes’ program and hired Andy Ludwig as his first offensive coordinator. (Yes, I too was shocked that Whittingham has been there that long.) Following an undefeated 2008 season, Ludwig moved on to big and better things, but it may have miscalculated his move. He initially picked Kansas State, then backed out after two months and went to Cal. Since then he’s slowly climbed the ladder, ultimately returning to Utah with has pal Whittingham in 2019.

Year	2005	2006	2007	2008	2019	2020	2021	2022
Points Per Game	30	27.9	26.2	36.9	32.3	30.2	36.1	39.4
Yards Per Play	6.2	5.6	5.1	5.7	6.6	5.9	6.4	6.6
Passing Offense	294.5	227.9	202.2	244.5	227.6	215.8	214.3	247.7
Rushing Offense	178.5	140.5	167.5	156.5	201.4	194	217.1	220

The most consistent and most successful precedent available, with the help of a strong defense Ludwig has been a part of three 10-win teams (which soon could be four) and the Utes have never had a losing season. Unlike others, quarterback play has not defined Utah’s success. He’s leaned into the run at times, altering year-by-year with his personnel.

Dana Holgorsen – Houston

After learning offense under Mike Leach at Texas Tech, Dana Holgorsen took the reins at Houston and became a coveted offensive coordinator. Following two successful seasons with the Cougs, he spent one season with Mike Gundy at Oklahoma State, then parlayed that into the head coaching position at West Virginia. He returned to his home state of Texas in 2019 to accept a $20 million contract back at Houston.

Year	2008	2009	2019	2020	2021	2022
Points Per Game	40.6	42.2	30.7	30	35.9	37.2
Yards Per Play	7.2	6.9	6.1	5.5	6.0	6.6
Passing Offense	401.6	433.7	203.3	265.8	271.4	321.1
Rushing Offense	161.2	129.6	189.3	143.1	143.4	142.5

Holgorsen only won seven games in his first two seasons back in Houston, then he got Clayton Tune cooking in 2021. The Cougs made it to the AAC Championship and won the Birmingham Bowl to reach the 12-win mark. He followed that high-water mark with a 7-5 season and a fourth place finish in the AAC. Unlike the others we’ve discussed, his second stint follows a much more volatile trend, one that replicates the next coach.

Gus Malzahn – Auburn

The former high school coach rose through the ranks with his innovative offense. Gene Chizik landed the Auburn gig after going 4-8 at Iowa State, but with the help of Malzahn at offensive coordinator (and Cam Newton), they quickly turned the Tigers into a winner. In three years they went 30-10, highlighted by Newton’s undefeated Heisman Trophy and National Championship winning season.

Malzahn went back home to become the head coach at Arkansas State for one season. While he was away, Chizik went 3-9 and was promptly fired, paving the way for Gus to return to the Plains. In his first season Auburn won the The Prayer at Jordan-Hare and the Kick Six en route to an SEC Championship and a berth in the final BCS Championship Game.

I will not bore you with numbers from his entire tenure, but it’s fair to say the marriage between Malzahn and Auburn went well. Even though he could not replicate that year one magic, Malzahn never had a losing record in 7.5 seasons and the Tigers played in a pair of New Year’s Six games, all while Nick Saban was at the height of his power. Not too shabby.

What History Tells Us About a Potential Coen-Kentucky Reunion

Offensive coordinators get re-hired by schools because they’re damn good at calling plays. Success at some point is inevitable, and many times it’s an immediate turn-around. The key piece of the equation: finding the right quarterback. Liam Coen was able to build the best offense of the Mark Stoops era because Will Levis was throwing passes to Wan’Dale Robinson. If Kentucky can make the Liam Coen reunion a reality, his second stint success while depend on who he can recruit to Lexington to lead the Wildcats’ offense.