COLUMN: Liam Coen's Reported Return Proof that Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Kentucky is reportedly bringing back Liam Coen as offensive coordinator, just one season after he left for the same position with the Los Angeles Rams. All roads lead to Lexington, they say.

Brazilian novelist Paulo Coelho once said "When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."

The stars aligned for Kentucky football and Mark Stoops, as it was reported on Friday that the Wildcats will welcome back Liam Coen as offensive coordinator, just one season after he left Lexington to return to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL. 

When together in 2021, the pairing excelled. Kentucky won four games for just the fourth time in program history under Coen's play-calling. He found a star in Penn State transfer Will Levis, who blossomed alongside Bluegrass returnee and Nebraska transfer wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson. 

The pro-style offense turned out to be simple. When Levis wasn't handing the ball off to Chris Rodriguez in the backfield, he was finding a usually wide-open Robinson somewhere over the middle of the field, or trucking a defender or two on a QB run. 

It appeared as though the Cats had a good thing going. Sure, with Coen's immediate success, there was a chance he could get poached by another team down the road, whether it be at the college level or back in the pros, but it wasn't going to happen for at least a couple of years, right? 

Sean McVay and the Rams had other plans. Kevin O'Connell leaves LA to become the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, meaning that OC position in the same organization Coen just left was wide open. Understandably, he promptly ended his first stint in Lexington, returning to his NFL home. 

It was more of a parting of ways than a breakup, but absence quickly and clearly made the heart grow fonder for all parties involved. 

Kentucky watched its offensive efficiency plummet under then-OC Rich Scangarello. Coen and the Rams dealt with injury after injury, while he didn't even get to call plays. Despite finding some magic with Baker Mayfield on Thursday night, the Rams still hold a 4-9 record at the time of Coen's departure. 

From the second Scangarello was fired on Nov. 29, all of the talk about a replacement has revolved around Coen. Hot boards and candidate lists can say what they want, but Stoops and Co. appeared to be locked in on a reunion from the jump. 

Frankly, there's something to be said for an NFL coordinator leaving in the middle of the season to return to coordinating gig at the college level, especially the same gig he was at just one year ago. 

Whether it's the allure of the Bluegrass, the potential downfall of the Rams' coaching staff, UK's program itself or something in-between, the Wildcats are in relatively-uncharted water when it comes to the kind of hire, as well as the time of it. Clearly, Coen is fond of Kentucky, and vice versa. 

While the hire is yet to be officially confirmed, the ball can really start to roll for the Wildcats in the transfer portal. 

With just one transfer commitment locked down as of Dec. 9, there's still plenty of pieces to the puzzle that need to be found in regards to the make-up of Kentucky's roster, especially on offense. 

Wisconsin QB Graham Mertz has been rumored as potential candidate to be under center for the Cats in 2023, his style of play would align well with Coen. 

Five UK wide receivers have hit the portal since it opened on Dec. 5, so a lack of depth in that room must be addressed, though Barion Brown, Dane Key and potentially Tayvion Robinson will posses the star power that a Coen-ran offense would require out-wide. 

Former Alabama offensive lineman and Kentucky native Tanner Bowles announced his decision to come to the Wildcats from the Crimson Tide, but it's expected that he won't be the only new member of the Big Blue Wall come the end of the portal window. 

There will new challenges that arise in Coen's second stint, but gone is the question mark when asked "will he be able to succeed in college?" 

The proof is in the pudding, even if there's only one year's-worth to go around. Success is earned, not given, but the re-hiring of Coen should put everyone in the program at ease as the Wildcats continue to navigate the new world of college football. 

All roads — even in Los Angeles — apparently do lead to Lexington.

More on Coen here. 

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