Bucs hire Kentucky's Coen as OC

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers hired Kentucky offensive coordinator Liam Coen as their new OC, the team announced Saturday.

The Wildcats averaged 29.1 points and 339.5 yards per game last season.

Coen has bounced between Kentucky and the Los Angeles Rams for several years. He was a position assistant from 2018-20 with the Rams, spent 2021 as the Wildcats' offensive coordinator, returned to L.A. in the same role in 2022, and then went back to Kentucky as OC in 2023.

The 38-year-old's stint as the Rams' coordinator in 2022 coincided with quarterback Baker Mayfield's brief time in Los Angeles. Mayfield said Thursday that the team's OC hire would directly impact his pending free-agency decision.

Mayfield appeared in five games working with Coen. He threw for 850 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions while completing 63.6% of his passes. The Rams went 2-3 in those contests.

The Buccaneers have been searching for a new offensive coordinator since the division-rival Carolina Panthers poached Dave Canales to be their new head coach.