Over the last few weeks we’ve been going position by position looking at the 2025 Kentucky Football team. Mark Stoops’ 13th club is looking to put last season’s 4-8 record in the rear view mirror and start a new bowl streak. The Cats have more than 30 new players on this year’s roster. In addition, they’ve got five new coaches. Let’s get to know them better as we introduce Kentucky’s new assistant coaches.
Kentucky’s New Assistant Coaches
On The Job For A While
When Daikiel Shorts Jr. left Kentucky for Nebraska after one season in Lexington, Stoops needed a new wide receivers coach. L’Damian Washington was named to the same position just before Christmas. He worked previously with offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan at Missouri back in 2020. Washington was Director of Player Development while Hamdan coached the quarterbacks. In addition, Kentucky receiver Ja’Mori Maclin was there too.
Washington had a great career at Missouri from 2009-2013 as a four-year letter winner and two-year starter. During his time in Columbia, he hauled in 100 passes for 1,735 yards and 1o touchdowns. After finishing in college, Washington signed as with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2014. He played with seven NFL teams over a two year span. In addition, he spent time in the CFL and XFL.
He began his coaching career in the middle school ranks before heading to Missouri. He joined the Oklahoma staff in 2022 as an offensive analyst and assistant wide receivers coach before making the move to South Florida in 2023.
He’s Stoops’s seventh wide receivers coach in his time at Kentucky.
As we continue introducing Kentucky’s new assistant coaches, let’s look at a familiar face joining the staff.
Returning Home
MIke Hartline returns to Lexington as the school’s offensive quality control coach for 2025. Hartline played quarterback for the Cats from 2007-2010. During his career, he threw for 5,820 yards and 38 touchdowns.
In 2008, Hartline started the first eight games for Rich Brooks’ squad. He returned to the starting role for the Liberty Bowl, where he earned MVP honors in Kentucky’s 25-19 win over East Carolina. During his senior year, he led the Cats to a 31-28 win over South Carolina, breaking a 10-game losing streak to the Gamecocks.
He began his coaching career as an intern at Ohio State. From there he had stops at Ohio Dominican, Auburn, and Charlotte. Last season he was an offensive analyst at Coastal Carolina, where he helped lead the Chanticleers to the Myrtle Beach Bowl.
As we continue introducing Kentucky’s assistant coaches, let’s look at three recent additions.
Hot Off The Presses
You don’t usually hear about coaching changes in the middle of spring practice. However that’s exactly what Stoops has done, announcing three additions to the support staff.
Kevin Barbay comes to Lexington with a reputation for helping build high-powered offenses. Last season, he was offensive coordinator for Houston. Before that, he did the same at Mississippi State. In addition, he coached the quarterbacks.
While at Appalachian State in 2022, the Mountaineers ranked in the top 25 in multiple categories. The year before, his Central Michigan club averaged 44o yards a game.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Cats brought in Brad Lambert, who has 38 years of coaching experience, including eight as a head coach at Charlotte. The well-respected Lambert will be a defensive analyst and work with the nickelbacks. He’s got a good group to work with as the secondary is one of the strongest on the team.
He was the defensive coordinator for the last three seasons at Wake Forest and, before that, the co-defensive coordinator at Purdue. When Wake head coach Dave Clawson retired after the 2024 season there was heavy turnover on the coaching staff.
Lambert and Brad White go way back to when the UK defensive coordinator played linebacker at Wake Forest from 2001-2004, when he coached that group.
We wrap up introducing Kentucky’s new assistant coaches with another familiar face.
Helping The Big Blue Wall
Paul Rodriguez signed with Kentucky as a highly touted offensive lineman from Ohio. He played in 22 games during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. However, a medical issue forced him to retire last year. Rodriguez was a volunteer student coach last year and has now moved up to a graduate assistant and help Eric Wolford with the offensive line.
That wraps up introducing Kentucky’s new assistant coaches here at Last Word On College Football.
Main Image: Nikos Frazier / Journal & Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK
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