Zach Yenser 'ended on good terms' with Kentucky

Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops made a surprising move last week that I’m not sure anyone saw coming. Despite signing offensive line coach Zach Yenser to a one-year contract extension immediately after the regular season ended, the Wildcats decided to make a big move just one month later.

Due to Nick Saban‘s retirement, Alabama offensive line coach Eric Wolford became a free agent. Stoops decided the best thing for the program would be to bring Wolford home despite the fact that the 2021 assistant did not leave Lexington on the best of terms. However, that meant eating the contract of Zach Yenser after two years served with the program working under offensive coordinators Rich Scangarello and Liam Coen.

The former Kentucky offensive line coach spoke with Larry Vaught this week to discuss his time in Lexington. Yenser currently has no plans of moving and does not regret how things shook out for him and his family in Lexington.

“I am at peace. I know I did what I could do,” said Yenser. “I left it better than I found it. No use getting upset and mad. You just have to pick yourself up and continue to move on.

“My guys know I love them and did what I could for them and will keep doing anything I can for them. And I leave knowing it (the offensive line) is better now than I found it in February of 2022.”

After the 2021 season ended, Wolford bolted in January and a pair of draft picks off the offensive line also entered the NFL Draft. Kentucky’s position room was not in great shape and needed a rebuild. Yenser believes he inherited a tough situation, but progress was clearly being made.

“The 2022 season was putting pieces together and plugging this hole and that hole and seeing what we could do,” Yenser said. “We were starting guys who had never played. We were starting guys at different positions than they had played before. We still won seven games and we got more consistent this year and the line will be more consistent in 2024 because they are good players and care about the program.”

“That room is bigger than any one coach. It was built through John Schlarman and whoever the coach is has got to develop players and have time to develop players. Things do not happen overnight. I expect nothing but good things out of this group in 2024.”

Kentucky returns five players of last year’s line that started games last season and has added two SEC transfers to the room. Wolford is inheriting a group that brings a ton of playing experience to the table. The offensive line situation on the roster is improved, but there is still some work to do in recruiting.

Yenser has “no regrets” about the time he spent with the Kentucky football program and that his family might end up staying in Lexington. The offensive line coach respected Stoops’ decision. Now the Wildcats will turn the page with Wolford in control of the offensive line at the Joe Craft Football Training Facility.