Kentucky Football head coach Mark Stoops announced today that he has added to the football support staff.
In a press release from UK Athletics, Stoops announced that he has promoted former Kentucky tight end C.J. Conrad from graduate assistant to quality control coach for the offense. Conrad was an All-SEC tight end that played for the Wildcats from 2015 until 2018. He had been a graduate assistant since 2020.
“C.J.’s work ethic is second to none. He has been a vital part of this program for a long time and he’s really good at what he does. He’s a great coach and mentor to our young men. We are excited to have him in this new role," said Mark Stoops.
The other addition to the support staff was the hiring of Michael Priefer Jr. as a quality control coach for special teams. Priefer Jr. is a third generation special teams coach, with his father Mike Sr. and his grandfather Chuck Priefer both coaching special teams in the NFL for over 20 years each. He comes to Kentucky from Western Illinois where he coached tight ends, fullbacks, and was the special teams coordinator. Mark Stoops also commented on Priefer’s hiring:
“Mike comes from a long history of NFL special teams coordinators. He’s grown up around the game and he’s wanted to be a coach all his life. He’s a young, up-and-coming coach who brings passion to the table every single day. We are excited to have to him join our program.”
These additions will be big advantages for Stoops and his staff. C.J. Conrad knows the “in’s and out’s” of the tight end position, particularly in the SEC, and how to play that position at a very high level. Priefer has grown up watching successful special teams coaches and looks to help Jay Boulware improve Kentucky’s special teams unit.