Lamar Thomas and Steve Clinkscale were hired by Mark Stoops in 2016. At the conclusion of the two-year contracts, only Clinkscale’s has been renewed.
According to Jon Hale of the Courier-Journal, Stoops will retain defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale for the 2018 season. The details of Clinkscale’s extension are not yet known, but the news has been confirmed by a UK spokesperson.
Known as “Coach Clink” by his players, his secondary was arguably the most critiqued unit on the team in 2017. With a highly-touted wealth of experienced depth, UK’s pass defense fell from 5th in the SEC in 2016 (206 yards per game), to 13th in 2017 (251.