LEXINGTON — Kentucky is injecting new life into its offensive line room by hiring an old coach.
UK coach Mark Stoops on Monday officially announced Eric Wolford’s return to lead the program’s offensive line. Wolford spent the 2021 season as UK’s offensive line coach before leaving for the same position at Alabama, where he served on Nick Saban’s staff.
“Eric had a big impact in the year he spent with us,” Stoops said in a statement, “and has only gained more SEC experience after working with coach Saban and Alabama the last two seasons.
“Eric and I go way back and I’m looking forward to having him return to our program.”
Monday’s news confirms a move that had been rumored last week, when FootballScoop reported the Wildcats would bring back Wolford, who was not retained by new Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer.
Wolford replaces his successor, Zach Yenser, Kentucky’s OL coach during the 2022 and 2023 campaigns.
“I am thrilled to be back at Kentucky and have the opportunity to work with Coach Stoops and (UK offensive coordinator) Liam Coen again,” Wolford said. “Stoops and I have a long history and he’s one of the best coaches I’ve worked for during my career. Liam is one of the brightest minds in football, and I loved my experience with the Big Blue Wall.”
Wolford’s second stint in Lexington comes two years after he reportedly left under bizarre circumstances in January 2022. According to reports at the time, Wolford was thought to be on the road recruiting for the Wildcats. Instead, he went to interview for the Crimson Tide’s offensive line coaching vacancy, which he landed. Wolford reportedly never came back to Lexington after that trip to tell Kentucky players and his fellow coaches he was joining Alabama, immediately beginning his Crimson Tide tenure.
His exit now appears to be water under the bridge, as Wolford gives UK an ace recruiter. In his lone recruiting class with UK in 2022, he helped the Wildcats sign two of their most highly touted players, who enter the fall as crucial pieces of next season’s roster: wide receiver Barion Brown and defensive lineman Deone Walker. Per 247Sports, Wolford was Walker’s lead recruiter and the secondary recruiter (after Coen) for Brown.
