Kentucky parts ways with OC Eddie Gran, QB coach Darin Hinshaw as Mark Stoops shakes up offensive staff

The Wildcats finished outside the top 100 nationally in offense in 2020

A 41-18 win over South Carolina to close out the season wasn't enough for Kentucky coach Mark Stoops to make staff changes heading into 2021. On Sunday, the university announced it had parted ways with offensive coordinator/running backs coach Eddie Gran and co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Darin Hinshaw.

A statement from Stoops indicated that the move had been in the works for weeks, but that the official announcement was to be made at the end of the year. 

Mark Stoops on firing Eddie Gran: "Eddie and I pondered about this for weeks and mutually agreed that this was the way to move forward. I appreciate Eddie for the true professional and friend that he is." #bbn #ukfootball

— John Clay (@johnclayiv) December 6, 2020

The moves are hardly surprising. The Wildcats finished with the 105th ranked scoring offense and were 117th in yards per game. They scored two touchdowns or fewer in half of their games, including being shut out of the end zone entirely in losses to Georgia and Alabama. Kentucky was particularly ineffective passing the ball, ranking 121st nationally and dead last in the SEC in passing. 

Both coaches joined the program from Cincinnati ahead of the 2016 season. Gran signed an extension a year ago on the heels of a miraculous season in which the Wildcats, decimated by injuries, converted wide receiver Lynn Bowden into a quarterback. Bowden would go on to top the SEC in rushing for the 2019 season and Kentucky won five of its final six games to finish 8-5 on the year. But with Kentucky lifeless on offense for much of this season, Stoops has opted to move in another direction to open things up more.