Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops has hired a new wide receivers coach to his staff.
L’Damian Washington will take over the vacated position after spending the past two seasons as wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator at the University of South Florida.
“We are very excited to add L’Damian to our staff,” Stoops said. “I’ve known about him for a few years as he coached my nephew, Drake Stoops, at Oklahoma. So, I have gotten some really good intel on his coaching style. He is young, energetic, and can relate to our players. He has an amazing story of perseverance, and I think he will be a great addition to our team.”
Washington is anxious to join the UK coaching staff and is familiar with Stoops and Wildcats offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan.
“I’ve known the Stoops family for a while and being able to coach under one of the best head coaches in the country in Mark Stoops is an honor. I am also excited about working again with Bush Hamdan. Bush is one of the main reasons I got into coaching and he’s been a big influence in my life.
He also likes the makeup of next year's receiving corps.
"What else excites me is the opportunity to work with this talented group of receivers. I knew Ja’Mori Maclin from his playing days at Missouri and we have a lot of young talent returning in Hardley Gilmore, Rico Crowder, Fred Farrier, and others. It’s an exciting time to be a Wildcat.”
Washington also has coached at Oklahoma, Southern University, and served as head coach at West Middle School in Columbia, Missouri. He played collegiate football at Missouri (2009-13) where he was a standout receiver, hauling in 100 passes for 1,735 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also played in the NFL.
QUISENNBERRY HONORED
Kentucky signee Montavin Quisenberry, an all-purpose star from Boyle County High School program, was named Kentucky Mr. Football by the Kentucky Football Coaches Association, it was announced Tuesday. He swept the Commonwealth’s top awards, recently winning the Paul Hornung Award from the Louisville Quarterback Club and the Gatorade Player of the Year.
The 5-foot-9, 173-pound athlete from Danville, who has drawn comparisons to former Wildcat star and current National Football League wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, recently concluded a high school career where he racked up more than 8,000 total offensive yards. For his career, he rushed for 4,469 yards and 61 touchdowns, caught 151 passes for 2,509 yards and 38 scores and threw for 1,357 yards and 15 touchdowns. He added 13 special teams touchdowns and totaled 165 tackles and eight interceptions.
The Rebels finished the 2024 regular season undefeated before being upset in the state semifinals but were 41-2 with a pair of state championships (2022 and 2023) during Quisenberry’s career. He was a first-team, all-state selection as both a sophomore and junior.
In 2024, he totaled a team-high 49 receptions for 794 yards and also rushed for 882 yards on 79 attempts (11.2 yards per carry). He scored 28 total touchdowns with 13 rushing, 13 receiving, one kickoff return and one punt return. As a free safety on defense, he charted 31 tackles (19 solo) and a team-high three interceptions.
A Kentucky signee has won the Mr. Football honor in three of the last five years.
Photo courtesy of UK Athletics
