WATCH: RB Coach Jay Boulware Mic'd Up at Spring Practice

Nick Roushby:Nick Roush03/12/23

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Following a disappointing 7-6 season, Mark Stoops made two offensive staff changes. He brought back Liam Coen to call plays and hired Jay Boulware to coach the Wildcats’ running backs and special teams. We’ve heard from Boulware. Now we get to see him in action.

During Thursday’s Kentucky spring practice, the first with shoulder pads, the Ky Wildcats TV crew mic’d up Jay Boulware. The new assistant stresses the importance of ball security in individual drills and low pad level. He also believes communication is key to success in the SEC.

“The biggest mistake you can make in life is assume communication is taking place.”

What people are saying about Jay Boulware

Running back JuTahn McClain was previously coached by Eddie Gran and John Settle. Now in his fourth year on campus, he’s learning more about the little things from Jay Boulware.

“Coach B, the difference between him and other coaches I had, he’s real detailed. When I say real detailed, the slightest thing, he don’t miss it. Whether it’s a sudden movement or footwork, he’s going to point it out every time,” McClain said this week. “He just wants us to be the best in the room and make sure we get those good habits.”

It’s not all about how he’s developing running backs. As Kentucky searches for a new kicker, Mark Stoops likes the way Jay Boulware is “lighting a fire” under the special teams unit.

“I really like Coach Boulware, his intensity, his organization, and just the structure of it,” Stoops said during his first spring press conference. “Even with the snappers, holders, they’ve done more work already than probably they’re used to. We had quite a few kicks today that weren’t all-out live because I don’t want to get some of the o-line, d-line tangled up and injured all the time, but just with timing and operations, snap, 11 on 11. You know, 10 good solid kicks today and we’ll do at least that many every day.”

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