The Kentucky Wildcats are making headlines this offseason-but not for the reasons they expected.
Derek Warehime, who was hired in December as the run game coordinator under new head coach Will Stein, is already on his way out. Before ever coaching a down in Lexington, Warehime is heading to the NFL, joining the Minnesota Vikings as an assistant offensive line coach. It’s a sudden departure that creates an early shakeup for Stein as he begins laying the foundation for his first season at the helm.
Warehime’s resume speaks for itself. He brought nearly two decades of coaching experience to Kentucky, with a track record that includes stops at some of college football’s most competitive programs.
Most recently, he spent four seasons at Coastal Carolina under Tim Beck, helping engineer one of the Sun Belt’s most consistently productive offenses. The Chanticleers became known for their creative run schemes and offensive versatility-tools Warehime was expected to bring to the Wildcats’ ground game.
Before that, he spent three seasons with the Texas Longhorns from 2017 to 2019, where he wore multiple hats: offensive line coach, tight ends coach, and eventually special teams coordinator. His time in Austin included working with some top-tier talent and navigating the high-pressure environment of Big 12 football.
Warehime also made a name for himself at Houston from 2015 to 2016, where he coached the offensive line during a memorable run that included the Cougars’ upset win over Florida State in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. That Houston team was physical, fast, and fearless-traits that Warehime’s units consistently embodied.
Earlier in his career, he had two separate stints at New Mexico, where he served as both offensive coordinator and tight ends coach. And before all that, he was a standout player himself.
As a center at Tulsa from 2001 to 2004, Warehime started 34 games and earned first-team All-WAC honors in his senior season. He even had a brief run in the Arena Football League with the Tulsa Talons.
For Kentucky, this move means a key piece of Stein’s inaugural staff is gone before spring ball even gets underway. It’s a tough break timing-wise, especially for a program that’s trying to reestablish its offensive identity. But it’s also a reminder of how quickly the coaching carousel can spin-especially when the NFL comes calling.
Now, the Wildcats will need to pivot. Whether that means promoting from within or looking outside the program, Stein will have to move quickly to fill the void and keep the momentum going as the team prepares for the next chapter.