DerekShay

Derek Shay is in his first season as Kentucky’s tight ends coach, having previously served as the Wildcats’ senior offensive analyst and run game specialist for the past 16 months. In that role, he played a key part in game planning and run scheme development, contributing to the overall success of Kentucky’s offensive attack.

Shay, 34, has significant knowledge of the position, having developed his skills at Marshall (2023), LSU (2020, 2021), McNeese State (2019) and Bowling Green State (2014).

In 2024 for the Wildcats, Shay worked specifically with the offensive line and assistant coach Eric Wolford. With his help, the Big Blue Wall helped power an offense that featured 170 yards rushing against the No. 1/1 Bulldogs; a 20-point, 336 yards of total offense and 243 passing yards performance in a win at No. 6/5 Ole Miss; and a 211-yard passing performance at No. 3/3 Texas, the most it allowed to that point in 2024.

Shay arrived in the Bluegrass in March of 2024 after spending one season as the tight ends coach at Marshall in 2023.

Prior to that, he served as a senior offensive analyst at Missouri in 2022. There, he worked closely with current UK offensive coordinator and former UM quarterbacks coach Bush Hamdan. He also directly oversaw UM’s summer youth camps.

In July 2022, he was recognized by On3.com as one of the “65 Rising Star Support Staff Coaches.”

Before Shay’s time in Columbia, he served as the tight ends coach at LSU in 2020 and 2021, despite serving in a graduate assistant role. He held all the duties of a full-time assistant coach, and with Shay’s help, two players were named to the SEC All-Freshman Team in Arik Gilbert (2020) and Jack Bech (2021). Bech also earned All-America Freshman honors by 247Sports and Pro Football Focus.

During Shay’s time in Baton Rouge, he was recognized by On3.com as one of “50 Rising Coaches You Need to Know.”

Shay made the jump to the Southeastern Conference after seeing success in coaching the tackles and tight ends at Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) program McNeese State in 2019. The Cowboys averaged 382 yards per game of total offense – nearly 100 yards more than their 2018 numbers – and the program extended its FCS record of consecutive winning seasons to 15, finishing with a 7-5 overall mark.

Prior to McNeese State, Shay served on the staff of one of the nation’s top prep powerhouses – IMG Academy in Florida. Shay served as co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach for IMG, which achieved a top-five national ranking for two straight years.

In all, Shay coached six All-American offensive linemen at IMG and 10 linemen who went on to sign Division I scholarships. Shay also assisted with NFL Combine training and NFL Pathway Program training.

His coaching career began in December 2011, when he signed on to be a student assistant for Eastern Illinois – a position he held until he became a tight ends graduate assistant at Bowling Green State University in January 2014. At Bowling Green, he assisted in leading the team to a Mid-American Conference East Division Championship and also a win in the Camellia Bowl.

Following that stop, Shay moved on to Warren Central High School in Indianapolis in March 2015.

A native of Cerro Gordo, Illinois, Shay began his collegiate playing career as an offensive lineman at Western Illinois University before transferring to Eastern Illinois. He earned his bachelor’s degree in education from EIU in 2013 and later completed a master’s degree in liberal arts from LSU in 2021.

He and his wife, Katie, have two children: a daughter, Murphy, and a son, Brewer.

Derek Shay’s Coaching Career