Lamar Thomas will not return to Kentucky as the program's wide receivers coach in 2018, UK has announced. And Thomas acknowledged his departure in a social media message.

A number of sources had been telling Cats Illustrated for weeks that Lamar Thomas was the less likely than any other member of the Kentucky coaching staff to return in 2018.

Thomas tweeted after the first round of reports, "Our family loves Lexington and all it has to offer. Thank you to the #BBN, the players, @UKCoachStoops , @UKMitchBarnhart, the UK FOOTBALL STAFF and the JUICE Boyz (UK wrs) for everything these past two years. We will continue to root for the Wildcats wherever we go. (Love) u all!"

Mark Stoops brought Thomas onto his staff at Kentucky before the 2016 season. It was a bold and provocative move considering he had been Louisville's coach during the 2015 year.

Thomas guided Kentucky's receivers in 2016 and 2017. Their high water mark came against Louisville, his old employer, in that win for the Wildcats against the Cardinals in 2016.

The unit suffered significant losses after the 2016 season when Jeff Badet opted to transfer to Oklahoma and Dorian Baker was held out the entire year with an injury.

Stoops has already been working on filling his staff with an additional assistant coach because of the NCAA rule change that allows programs to hire a 10th person in that capacity. This marks the first staffing change from the 2017 season and leaves Kentucky without a receivers coach, with two spots to fill on the staff.