Offensive coordinator Eddie Gran coached his final game at UK Saturday before being fired Sunday. (UK Athletics Photo)
After Kentucky’s 41-18 win over South Carolina Saturday night, senior running back A.J. Rose called offensive coordinator Eddie Gran a “great coach who loves this game, loves being at Kentucky.” Less than 13 hours later, Gran was no longer at Kentucky as UK head coach Mark Stoops dismissed Gran and quarterbacks coach Darin Hinshaw.
“They’ve done a tremendous job for us, they care deeply about this program, they care deeply about their players,” Stoops said in a Zoom news conference after the announcement Sunday. “It was a difficult time, but I also have to recognize that I have a responsibility to our players, to our fans, to our administration to do what’s best for our program as we move forward.
“Sometimes change is necessary. I felt like this is certainly one of those times.”
The numbers support the move. Kentucky is 105th nationally out of 127 team in points per game at 21.7 and 117th in yards per game at 312. Kentucky is even lower in passing yards at 124.4 per game.
In five years with Gran running the offense, Kentucky has finished no better than 61st nationally in total offense (2016). The next best was 76th in 2019 when receiver Lynn Bowden moved to quarterback. Even in 2018 the Cats ranked just 104th nationally in total offense.
But remember UK also went to bowl games every year Gran was at Kentucky and won 10 games in 2018 and eight in 2019. Kentucky won bowl games against Penn State and Virginia Tech those years.
“I love coach Gran. Without him, I would not have been able to do the things I did here,” Rose said. “He is a strong individual. It takes a lot to break that man down. He has done a good job here in my eyes.”
Mine, too, but many UK fans have been disenchanted with UK’s lack of a passing game. Others, though, wonder if Stoops doesn’t prefer to win with defense, a running game and special teams play (something UK certainly has not had this year but there is no one to fire because Stoops does not have a special teams coach this year). Stoops denied Sunday that he put any kind of throttle on Gran or any other offensive coordinator he’s had at UK.
During UK’s loss at Florida there was a heated exchange on the sideline between Stoops, Gran and tight ends coach Vince Marrow. Stoops downplayed it after the game.
“We had a discussion at that point in time but animated, hot or hostile, absolutely not. Intense maybe, but no, that was a very good discussion there,” Stoops said. “We talked about a couple of things and ultimately I said do what you want and do what your gut (tells you), what you have practiced and what your instincts tell you and he did.
“Eddie called it and we scored. I try to stay out of that as much as I can. I have some input but I try to leave that up to Eddie and the offensive staff.”
The key words there might be “stay out of it as much as I can” but never doubt that a head coach has input, or should, on everything that goes on in a game.
I sensed Saturday night that both Gran and Hinshaw might be gone. So I asked quarterback Terry Wilson what the two had meant to him during his three years at Kentucky and what they had taught him.
“If I don’t have a spectacular game or things aren’t going my way just stay in it. I feel like each week you have to bring it, especially in the SEC, you have to bring it each week. You can’t take a play off. Every down matters. Every practice matters,” Wilson said.
“Taking those little things and making sure that I am doing them right. These five years (in college) went really fast and the last thing I want to do is look back and say I could have done more. Coach Gran and coach Hinshaw, they stayed on me day in and day out. They pushed me, even coach Stoops, they pushed me and I appreciate them for that.”
Gran will be owed about $2.25 million by UK since his contract runs through June of 2023. Hinshaw is owed about $750,000 for his contact that goes through June 30 of 2022. If either coach takes another job, UK can reduce the compensation owed based on what they make.
Stoops admitted Sunday that last year’s offense that basically abandoned the pass after Wilson and backup Sawyer Smith were injured and Bowden took over had an impact on this year’s offense that was not the fault of Gran or Hinshaw.
“With the unfortunate circumstances of a year ago, I do think it hindered us and it carried over. It just didn’t work. When that happens, then you have issues with the confidence, with the culture, with the fan base. That trickles into your team and there gets to be doubt,” Stoops said.
“That’s when the change needs to be made. I think we’re all responsible for that. Eddie and Darin are true professionals and understand that.”
Stoops said he wants a new coordinator that will “bring in new ideas and opportunities for an offense that is exciting for players and fans.” Sounds good but that will involve throwing the ball a lot more than is in Stoops’ DNA. Of course, Nick Saban has done it at Alabama and it is rolling. Other coaches have also done it.
Now Kentucky is apparently planning the same approach with either Joey Gatewood or Beau Allen at quarterback next year.
Stoops will need to move quickly — and don’t forget he still has to have a new offensive line coach — with the national signing period starting Dec. 16.
Hopefully Gran and Hinshaw will find new homes that suit them because I really liked them both. They were good men and I thought both were good coaches. But when a team goes 4-6 and expected to be a lot better, someone has to pay for that. At UK, that’s Gran and Hinshaw.
Is the move the right one? Guess we will know a year from now when we see how the Cats fare without them.
