StevePardue

Steve Pardue will have a much more expeienced group of running backs as he heads into his second season on the Kentucky staff.

The top four tailbacks from last season — senior CoShik Williams, juniors Raymond Sanders and Jonathan George, and sophomore Josh Clemons — return for the coming campaign, along with fullbacks D.J. Warren and Cody Jones.

Pardue joined the Kentucky staff in December 2010 after an illustrious stint at LaGrange (Ga.) High School.

Pardue went to LaGrange as an assistant coach in 1991 and took over as head coach in 1994. In 17 seasons as head coach, Pardue collected 161 wins, including three Class AAA state championships. The Grangers won the state title in 2001 with a 14-0 record and took home back-to-back state crowns in 2003 and 2004, featuring 14-1 and 15-0 records, respectively. LaGrange also won eight regional championships under his guidance. In addition to leading the program as head coach, Pardue coached the running backs for the last 16 seasons.

Pardue received numerous honors through the years, headlined by a pair of citations: Class AAA Coach of the Decade by the Georgia High School Daily Report and the 2003 Wright Bazemore Award for All-Classification Coach of the Year by the Touchdown Club of Atlanta. He received multiple recognitions during the state championship seasons, including Class AAA Coach of the Year by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Georgia Sportswriters Association, Touchdown Club of Atlanta and the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association. He garnered the GACA Region Coach of the Year Award eight times, in 1996-97, 2000-04 and 2006.

Phillips and Pardue became well acquainted on the recruiting trail as Pardue helped develop several outstanding players who went on to wear the Blue and White at Kentucky. The first LaGrange product at UK was Quentin McCord (1996, 1998-2000), who was recruited by Phillips and became one of the best wide receivers in Wildcat history, totaling 112 catches for 1,743 yards and 15 touchdowns.

After returning to Kentucky in 2003, Phillips tapped the LaGrange pipeline often. Linebacker Wesley Woodyard (2004-07) led Kentucky in tackles three straight seasons and earned first-team All-Southeastern Conference honors as a junior and senior. Woodyard has played four seasons with the NFL’s Denver Broncos and is captain of the special teams.

Another LaGrange linebacker, Braxton Kelley, played at UK from 2005-08 and led the team in tackles as a senior, marking the fourth straight year that a Granger paced the UK defense. LaGrange product DeMoreo Ford (2005-08) is best remembered for his 70-yard touchdown catch in the 2006 Music City Bowl.

Former Grangers currently on the UK roster include defensive lineman Tristian Johnson and kicker Joe Mansour.
Pardue sent numerous other players into the collegiate ranks, including players such as All-SEC linebacker Sam Olajubutu at Arkansas, South Carolina quarterback Blake Mitchell and Florida running back Skyler Thornton. Additional players signed with Georgia, Auburn and Mississippi State and several other schools.

A native of Hopkinsville, Ky., Pardue played at Christian County High School under KHSAA Hall of Fame coach Fred Clayton. Pardue was an offensive lineman at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tenn., and got his master’s at West Georgia College.

Pardue began his coaching career as the offensive line coach at Fayette County High School in Fayetteville, Ga., in 1985. In 1986, Pardue coached offensive and defensive lines at Albertville High School in Alabama, before moving to Crittenden County High School in Marion, Ky., where he served as head coach from 1987-1990. He moved to LaGrange as an assistant for the 1991 season, coaching outside linebackers, as the Grangers won the state championship and were declared national champion by USA Today. He coached the offensive line in 1991-92 and was defensive coordinator in 1993. Pardue then took over as head coach in 1994.

Pardue is married to the former Pamela Bennett of Goodlettsville, Tenn. The couple has two children, a daughter, Morgan, and a son, Chas.

Coaching Experience