New offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan already has a relationship with transfer receiver Ja’Mori Maclin. (Vicky Graff Photo)
Bush Hamdan didn’t recruit transfers Brock Vandagriff or Beau Allen. He didn’t recruit true freshman Cutter Boley. However, the new Kentucky offensive coordinator likes the quarterbacks he will be working with in Lexington.
“You don’t take the job unless you feel pretty good about that quarterback room. I’m excited certainly to work with all those guys and I know they’re eager to,” Hamdan said. “I know Brock Vandagriff and all of those guys have already been by, and I’m excited to get to work with them.”
Hamdan doesn’t have a lot of time to get to know the UK roster before spring practice starts in March.
“I don’t think there’s a more important relationship — maybe in football — than the coordinator and the starting quarterback. So that’s the starting point,” Hamdan said about his top priority. “What do you feel comfortable with?
“You do understand that a lot of teams have a lot of carryover in schemes. Maybe not in terminology, but it’s getting on the same page with him.”
Vandagriff transferred from Georgia to play for former UK offensive coordinator Liam Coen. Boley picked Kentucky in large part because of Coen. Hamdan knows he has to build a relationship with them and others as quickly as possible.
One player he does know is North Texas transfer Ja’Mori Maclin, a 1,000-yard receiver last season. He had the most catches of 50 yards or more of any FBS receiver in 2023.
Maclin began his college career at Missouri with Hamdan as wide receiver coach.
“He was awesome. I mean, the guy is a worker. I think that’s the first thing I’d say about J-Mo,” Hamdan said. “Certainly, I just go back to that trust and developing that trust in them. We thought we did the right thing, we did. We had good conversations at Missouri even when he left me.
“It’s funny. I think we were talking probably about two, three weeks ago. He was calling and asking me his opinion on some different places. It’s one of those full-circle moments. Maybe in the craziness of college football, that’s one story. At least for me and my family, to be able to come back and work with him, it’s one of those things that’s super special to me.”
