Game week has finally arrived for Kentucky football.
UK opens its season with Ball State Saturday afternoon. It will be Mark Stoops' 11th opener with the Wildcats, extending the longest head coaching tenure in program history. Ahead of UK's opener, the university announced a contract extension for its longtime athletics director Mitch Barnhart. In his role since 2002, the extension will keep Barnhart in Lexington through June of 2028.
Here are three story lines to watch heading into Kentucky's opener:
Liam Coen back in Lexington
After a one-season stay in the NFL as the offensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams, Liam Coen returns to the spot he manned for UK in 2021.