Spring Practice Notebook: Leary, Wide Receivers Bond under Liam Coen

Spring practice, especially when breaking in a new coordinator, is all about shrinking the learning curve. The more a team can accomplish through 15 practices in the spring, the further ahead they are when the real action begins in the fall. For the Kentucky offense, it’s all about getting re-acclimated with Liam Coen’s system and the pass-catchers creating a rapport with their new quarterback, Devin Leary. So far, so good.

“Devin’s gonna sling that thing till we can’t run no more,” Dane Key said with a smirk after the Wildcats’ second spring practice. There’s a noticeable difference in the way he throws a football vs. Will Levis.

“There’s a lot more touch, a lot more touch to it,” said Key. “Will (Levis) had a lot of speed to his ball. Devin knows how to put the ball where it needs to be with some touch.”

Despite their differences, the new quarterback also shares some commonalities with his predecessor.

“I can just see he’s humble,” said Barion Brown. “He knows what we want to get to and what he’s gotta do. Just having a quarterback like that, just like a Will, a team leader, he’s a quarterback that has all you need. Devin’s my guy.“

It’s safe to say there’s a mutual respect between the Wildcats’ wide receivers and quarterbacks in the early stages of the 2023 season.

“(They’re) Extremely talented and eager to learn,” Leary described his new pass-catchers. “These guys are here every single night with me, the quarterbacks, Woody and just wanting to watch film. They want to see from a quarterback’s perspective. Sometimes we even turn on NFL tape to see NFL wide receivers and break down how they run routes. Being able to see that from a young group is very rewarding for the future.”

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Kentucky Wide Receivers Must be More Physical

The spring is also about getting bigger, faster and stronger. Kentucky had a pair of freshmen wide receiver standouts that each hit a wall at various points in their debut season. Their bodies weren’t ready for the heavy workload in the SEC. That must change this offseason.

“I think they learned the game is physical in the SEC. Whether that’s press and defeating man coverage, or that’s going and blocking safeties, I think they know they need to take the next step physically,” offensive coordinator Liam Coen said today. “That’s eating right, that’s sleeping, how you’re living off the field and doing all of the little things to put yourself in a position to gain weight and gain muscle, or else we’re going to get thrown around and be weak at the point of attack, which is obviously what we’re not trying to get accomplished.”

Barion Brown has one primary job this offseason: eat. He’s gotta eat and lift and eat some more to gain weight, without losing speed. It’s a tall task, albeit one he enjoys while working with Coen for the first time.

“You can just tell stuff is serious,” said Brown. “Everybody knows the goal that we want to get to. Everybody knows what we have to do to get to that goal. We’re working hard constantly. Coach (Coen) has been coaching us up, great coach. I’m just looking forward to the season.”

Liam Coen wants to be better than 2021

Liam Coen described his 2022 season in L.A. as the most challenging year of his coaching career. Injuries to Matt Stafford and Cooper Kupp forced Sean McVay’s staff to adjust on the fly. Coen learned that in order to be a good coach, one must be able to pivot and alter the scheme to fit the personnel, not force a square peg into a round hole. That is why the Kentucky offense will look different in 2023 than in 2021, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

“We’re not going to be the same offense that we were in 2021. We can’t be. We want to be better than that, said Coen.”

Dane Key is confident the Cats can make that happen with Liam Coen on the headset.

“When we get back into that film room he’s critiquing every little movement we’re making. We love it, coming in each and everyday to be coachable and learning from our mistakes,” said Key. “I was really happy when Liam came back because I knew what he did the year before and I know what he can do with a lot more special receivers, like you’ve just seen with Barion. I know we’re going to do a lot of special things this year.”

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New Cornerbacks Challenge Kentucky Pass-Catchers

Brown and Key have some new challengers in Kentucky spring practice. Ohio State transfer Jantzen Dunn and Cincinnati transfer JQ Hardaway are competing for the starting spot at boundary cornerback. Each defender is over 6-feet tall, with Hardaway measuring up to 6-foot-3. The two new guys are providing enough physicality to ensure the Kentucky wide receivers are tested this spring.

“They’re both really long, so you gotta play around those guys, but they’re really physical. I gotta play physical with them. I got my body prepared for this season, so playing with those guys will get me ready for Saturdays,” said Key. “When length fights length, there’s a lot of arm fighting our there. It’s going to prepare me for the season.”