New UK wide receivers coach wants receivers focused on game day

New Kentucky receivers coach L’Damian Washington spent the previous two seasons as the wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator at South Florida after spending the 2022 season at Oklahoma. He was also the director of play development at Missouri in 2020 when current UK offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan was the quarterbacks coach there.

Those who have watched Kentucky practice have seen an “excitable” Washington during drills as he interacts with his players. That made me wonder what Washington  might be like on game day.

“I’m actually the complete opposite on game day. I tell the guys this during the week that  you’re gonna get everything out of me,  and I mean everything. On game day, I’m more hands off because I’ve given them everything that I could that week in practice and the meeting rooms,” the receivers coach said.  “So on game day I let them go out and be themselves.

“Of course, I’m gonna help them with adjustments on the field and stuff like that. But I’m not yelling at screaming on game day because I need them just in that focused state of mind and getting in their zen zone that works for them. So on game day, I’m a much more quiet and reserved coach.”

Kentucky brought in five transfer receivers along with two true freshmen to expand the options Washington has to use in the 2025 season.

“I’m excited about the fall. I think the good thing in our group is that we have got a lot of guys that have a lot to prove,” Washington said.  “We’re all up for the task. I know guys all want to possess the rock (football), but it is a really good thing that we have a lot of guys capable of making plays for us.”