Kentucky
Kentucky football hires Derek Shay as tight ends coach: What to know about new assistant
Kentucky football: Mark Stoops addresses the team’s need for consistency
Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops addresses the Wildcats’ need for consistency and is excited to see continuity with his players.
LEXINGTON — Mark Stoops didn’t take long to find his new tight ends coach. Nor did he have to look far.
Stoops, entering his 13th season as Kentucky football’s coach, named Derek Shay to the position Friday. The announcement came one day after Vince Marrow, who had served in the role for the first 12 years of Stoops’ tenure, switched sides in the Bluegrass rivalry, becoming Louisville’s executive director of player personnel and recruiting.
Stoops didn’t need to leave the Joe Craft Football Training Facility to find Marrow’s replacement: Shay already was part of the Wildcats’ staff.
Here’s what to know about Shay, UK’s newest assistant coach:
Shay has been part of UK’s support staff since March 2024. He worked as a senior offensive analyst/run game specialist the last 16 months.
Prior to joining Kentucky, Shay was Marshall’s tight ends coach (2023-24).
He also has worked for Missouri (senior offensive analyst; 2022-23), LSU (graduate assistant/tight ends; 2020-22), McNeese State (tight ends/offensive tackles; 2019-20), IMG Academy (co-offensive coordinator/offensive line; 2017-19), Warren Central High School in Indianapolis (co-offensive coordinator/offensive line; 2015-17), Bowling Green (graduate assistant/tight ends; 2014-15) and Eastern Illinois (student assistant/tight ends/offensive line; 2011-13).
An Illinois native, Shay started his college career at Western Illinois, where he played on the offensive line. He later transferred to Eastern Illinois. Shay received his bachelor’s degree from Eastern Illinois in 2013 and earned his master’s degree from LSU in 2021.
“I’m very excited for the opportunity that coach Stoops and (offensive coordinator) coach (Bush) Hamdan have given me,” Shay said in a statement. “There is a good mix of experience and young talent in the tight end room and I’m looking forward to coaching them. Additionally, being a part of the Big Blue Nation is truly an honor and I’m ready to get to work and represent this incredible fanbase in this new role.”
“We are fortunate to have someone already on our staff who has coached tight ends at a high level and led those rooms successfully,” Stoops said. “He is familiar with coach Hamdan’s system and I’m very confident in his abilities.
“His versatility, football IQ, and on-field toughness will be a valuable addition to our offense.”
“We get to see every day how coach Shay operates and the intensity he brings, and we are excited to have him leading our room. He knows our system inside and out, and he’s incredibly passionate about the game and coaching. Adding him to our room is a seamless transition.”
— Josh Kattus, Kentucky senior tight end
“Derek is a very knowledgeable coach with an outstanding work ethic. Our players and coaches at LSU loved him — not just as a coach, but as a man. He’s an outstanding recruiter with tireless energy and a passion for developing young talent. Additionally, he’s a great family man who brings character and integrity to everything he does. The University of Kentucky is getting a great one. He’s a great hire.”
— Ed Orgeron, former LSU head football coach
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
A wide receiver from Belle Glade, Florida, Gilmore totaled 28 receptions for 313 yards and one touchdown for the Wildcats during the 2025 season. The 6-foot-1 sophomore has had a very interesting offseason as he entered the portal, flipped a commitment, and is now back in Lexington.
After the 2025 season, Gilmore committed to Louisville when he entered the transfer portal, then flipped his commitment to Baylor, and ultimately signed with the Bears. To end Gilmore’s portal saga, he’s now back in a familiar place with the Wildcats.
When the 2026 season begins, Gilmore will have two years of eligibility remaining.
Gilmore had a solid sophomore campaign with the Wildcats, appearing in all 12 games. His best game of the season came in the late-season loss against Vanderbilt. He tallied six catches for 55 yards in the game.
With Kentucky losing most of its wide receiver production from last season, this is a significant pickup, and it won’t be surprising if Gilmore is back in the starting lineup this fall.
As for the Aggies, the only name on the report is Mackenzie Mgbako, a one-time Kentucky target who remains out for the season after undergoing foot surgery. Texas A&M head coach Bucky McMilan said today that Mgbako will return next season, which would be a big boost for the Aggies before the offseason begins.
Kentucky vs. Texas A&M Injury Report
COVINGTON, Ky. (WKRC) – The Licking River Bridge was demolished Monday morning in a controlled blast, clearing the way for a replacement structure.
Authorities established a 1,000-foot safety perimeter, closed nearby roads and asked residents to shelter in place before the demolition. The bridge collapsed within seconds of the blast.
“Today we say goodbye to a bridge that has served Kentuckians for nearly a century and we make room for something new. A signature bridge that is safer, stronger and we make room for something new,” Gov. Andy Beshear said. “This region, like the rest of the commonwealth, is evolving, it is booming, it’s economy growing every day. What we’re doing together is building our new Kentucky home.”
The Licking River Bridge is now history after crews brought it down with a controlled demolition Monday morning. (WKRC)
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Crews will begin construction on the new bridge after debris removal is complete. The replacement bridge is expected to open in the summer of 2028.
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