As the Kentucky Wildcats prepare for the 2025 season, a critical evaluation of their spring practices is underway. The Wildcats’ performance during this crucial period of the offseason will lay the foundation for the team’s development heading into the fall. With expectations high for Coach Mark Stoops and his team, it’s essential for both players and coaching staff to sharpen their skills and evaluate where improvements can be made.
To ensure a comprehensive understanding of where the Wildcats stand, the Kentucky football program has enlisted a team of 11 staff members to analyze and evaluate every aspect of the team’s performance during spring practices. This diverse team consists of coaches, analysts, former players, and support staff, each bringing their unique perspective to the table. They work together to track player progress, assess team dynamics, and provide feedback that will help Kentucky’s football program elevate its game.
In this article, we’ll explore the key roles and insights provided by the 11 staff members who are carefully analyzing Kentucky’s spring practices. From offensive and defensive improvements to special teams and individual player development, these professionals are taking a holistic approach to ensure that the Wildcats are primed for success in the upcoming season.
1. Mark Stoops – Head Coach: Leadership and Big Picture Perspective
As the leader of the Kentucky football program, Mark Stoops plays an integral role in overseeing the analysis of the Wildcats’ spring practice performance. Stoops, who has been with Kentucky since 2013, is known for his strong leadership, attention to detail, and ability to build a competitive team year in and year out.
Stoops’ perspective during spring practice focuses on the overall team dynamic, leadership development, and the program’s long-term goals. His job is not only to assess the talent on the field but also to ensure that his players are adopting the right mentality. Spring practice is an opportunity for Stoops to connect with his players, evaluate their growth, and provide them with constructive feedback.
One of Stoops’ key areas of focus is the mental aspect of the game. He looks for signs of maturity, discipline, and adaptability. For Kentucky to compete with the powerhouse teams in the SEC, Stoops knows that mental fortitude and focus are just as important as physical skill. His leadership sets the tone for how the rest of the coaching staff and players approach the season.
2. Liam Coen – Offensive Coordinator: Quarterback Development and Scheme Innovation
As Kentucky’s offensive coordinator, Liam Coen is responsible for the development of the team’s offensive scheme, ensuring that the Wildcats can score effectively and break through defensive lines. Coen has previously served as the offensive coordinator at Kentucky in 2021, before moving on to the Los Angeles Rams. His return to the Wildcats in 2024 was met with optimism, as fans expected his NFL experience to help revitalize Kentucky’s offensive playbook.
Coen is particularly focused on evaluating the quarterback position during spring practice. With Devin Leary, a transfer from NC State, now at the helm, Coen is looking for improvements in timing, footwork, decision-making, and chemistry with the receiving corps. Leary, known for his strong arm and poise, is expected to be a key player for Kentucky, and Coen’s job is to harness Leary’s strengths while eliminating weaknesses.
Coen also plays a major role in assessing the offensive line, which will be pivotal in the team’s success. The Wildcats will need strong protection for Leary to execute their passing attack, and Coen is closely monitoring the line’s performance to identify key personnel.
3. Brad White – Defensive Coordinator: Defensive Strategy and Personnel
Brad White, Kentucky’s defensive coordinator, is another critical figure in the analysis of spring practice. Known for fielding aggressive and hard-hitting defenses, White’s focus during spring practice is to continue building a unit that can hold its own in the SEC.
During spring practices, White is keenly focused on the defensive line and secondary. With players like J.J. Weaver and Deone Walker returning, White needs to ensure that his defensive front can get pressure on opposing quarterbacks while maintaining solid run defense. The linebacker position also demands attention, as White needs to find consistency and leadership at this critical spot.
White will also evaluate the secondary, working with cornerbacks and safeties to improve coverage, awareness, and communication. Spring practice provides a crucial opportunity to implement new defensive strategies, perfect techniques, and develop depth in the defensive unit.
4. Vince Marrow – Assistant Head Coach/Recruiting Coordinator: Talent Identification and Development
As Kentucky’s recruiting coordinator, Vince Marrow plays an essential role in both analyzing the current roster and ensuring that future Wildcats are on track to develop into stars. While his primary role is recruiting, Marrow spends considerable time during spring practice assessing the young talent coming up through the program, as well as identifying areas where the team could improve.
Marrow is known for his close connections with recruits and his ability to evaluate talent early. As players develop during spring practice, Marrow monitors their performance closely to ensure that Kentucky’s recruiting efforts continue to produce high-quality athletes. He is also responsible for identifying potential breakout players who could make an impact in 2025 and beyond.
5. Jon Sumrall – Linebackers Coach: Tackling and Defensive Coverage
Jon Sumrall, Kentucky’s linebackers coach, has a unique position in the analysis of spring practices. Linebackers are often the backbone of a defense, tasked with both stopping the run and providing coverage in the passing game. Sumrall is focusing on tackling techniques, coverage schemes, and discipline in the linebacker unit.
Spring practice is a critical time for Sumrall to evaluate how well his linebackers are picking up new defensive concepts and adjusting to different offensive schemes. With several key players returning, including Trevin Wallace and Jared Casey, Sumrall is responsible for molding them into leaders who can anchor Kentucky’s defense in 2025.
6. Zach Gentry – Special Teams Coordinator: Kicking, Punting, and Coverage Units
Special teams can often be the difference between a win and a loss, and Zach Gentry, Kentucky’s special teams coordinator, is responsible for ensuring that his units are ready for the upcoming season. During spring practice, Gentry analyzes both the kicking game (including field goals, extra points, and kickoffs) and the punting game, focusing on consistency, leg strength, and execution under pressure.
Gentry is also tasked with evaluating the return teams and the coverage units, ensuring that Kentucky has players capable of flipping field position and securing critical plays in high-stress situations. Special teams can often be overlooked during the offseason, but Gentry’s focus ensures that Kentucky’s special teams will be ready to make an impact.
7. Dean Hood – Defensive Backs Coach: Pass Coverage and Ball Skills
As the coach of Kentucky’s defensive backs, Dean Hood is focused on ensuring that the Wildcats’ secondary remains one of the top units in the SEC. During spring practices, Hood is focused on refining coverage techniques, improving ball skills, and enhancing communication between cornerbacks and safeties.
Spring practice allows Hood to identify weaknesses in the secondary, allowing him to tweak drills and techniques that will better prepare his players for the challenges of the fall. Players like Carrington Valentine and Andru Phillips will be counted on to play significant roles, and Hood is doing everything he can to develop their skills further.
8. Michael Smith – Running Backs Coach: Rushing Attack and Ball Security
As the running backs coach, Michael Smith plays a key role in evaluating the running game and ensuring that Kentucky’s backs can both run effectively and protect the football. Spring practice is crucial for developing the Wildcats’ running game, as Kavosiey Smoke, JuTahn McClain, and incoming recruits need to develop the necessary vision, agility, and power to excel in the SEC.
Smith is also focused on ball security during spring drills, emphasizing that fumbles and turnovers are one of the quickest ways to derail a team’s success. Additionally, with the team’s evolving offense, Smith’s role will be pivotal in developing players who can contribute in both rushing and receiving capacities.
9. Steve Clinkscale – Secondary Coach: Coverage Schemes and Leadership
Steve Clinkscale, Kentucky’s secondary coach, shares the responsibility of refining the defensive backfield with Dean Hood, focusing on defensive schemes and leadership. His approach includes developing players’ ability to read the quarterback’s eyes, anticipate throws, and maintain positioning in pass coverage. Clinkscale also plays a role in mentoring the upperclassmen in the secondary, helping them step into leadership roles as they guide younger players.
10. Chris Collins – Wide Receivers Coach: Route Running and Hands
As the wide receivers coach, Chris Collins works with Kentucky’s receivers to ensure that they are developing good route-running techniques, improving hands, and learning how to get separation from defenders. With wide receivers like Barion Brown and Tayvion Robinson expected to play a major role in the Wildcats’ passing game, Collins’ job is to get the most out of the team’s playmakers.
11. Frank Scelfo – Quarterbacks Coach: Mechanics and Decision-Making
Finally, Frank Scelfo, the quarterbacks coach, focuses on helping Kentucky’s quarterbacks refine their mechanics and decision-making. With Devin Leary taking the reins, Scelfo’s role in ensuring that Leary’s throwing motion, footwork, and timing are sharp during spring practices is critical. His attention to detail will help Leary develop into a confident and decisive leader for the offense.
