Will Stein’s First Kentucky Football Staff Signals a New Era - And a New Approach to Spending
Will Stein is putting his stamp on Kentucky football - and he’s doing it with numbers. Not just on the scoreboard, but on the payroll.
While the overall budget for Stein’s first staff is in the same ballpark as what Mark Stoops had to work with last season, the structure looks very different. More coaches.
More specialization. And a clear shift in how UK is choosing to build its football future.
Last season, Kentucky shelled out $7.39 million for its 10 core assistants - the group primarily responsible for recruiting and game planning under Stoops. For Stein, that number drops to $6.195 million for his 10 main assistants. But here’s the twist: Stein isn’t stopping at 10.
In fact, seven more assistants will earn at least $100,000 next season, pushing the total staff payroll just north of $7.8 million. That’s the largest football coaching staff in school history, and it reflects a modern, more layered approach to program building - one where specialization and depth in coaching roles are becoming just as important as talent on the field.
A Bigger Staff, Same Big Expectations
Stein has already brought on 24 assistant coaches with on-field responsibilities - three more than Kentucky had listed on its roster last season. That expansion speaks volumes. It’s not just about adding bodies; it’s about creating a coaching infrastructure that allows for more focused development, more detailed schemes, and more hands-on teaching.
The contracts aren’t finalized yet, but the term sheets signed by each coach give us a clear picture of the investment Kentucky is making.
Offensive coordinator Joe Sloan and defensive coordinator Jay Bateman headline the group, each set to earn $1.3 million annually. Under Stoops, three assistants were making seven figures, but with Vince Marrow - one of those high earners - leaving before the 2025 season, the reshuffling began.
Among position coaches, defensive line coach Anwar Stewart is the highest paid at $585,000 for 2026, with a raise to $625,000 coming in 2027. Stewart is the only holdover from Stoops’ original 10 recruiting assistants, and his retention - along with the pay bump - signals his value in maintaining continuity during the transition.
Tony Washington, who arrives from Ohio State to coach outside linebackers and edge rushers, will earn $575,000 next season and also see a jump to $625,000 the year after. Other key assistants - wide receivers coach Joe Price, cornerbacks coach Allen Brown, running backs coach Kolby Smith, and tight ends coach Justin Burke - are all set to make $500,000 per year on two-year deals. Offensive line coach Cutter Leftwich ($485,000) and safeties coach Josh Christian-Young ($450,000) round out the top earners among position coaches.
Incentives, Buyouts, and the Business of Winning
The 10 core assistants come with significant contractual protections - and incentives. If any of them leave before December 1, they owe Kentucky $800,000.
That buyout drops to $300,000 per remaining contract year after that date in 2026. UK is clearly aiming for stability, especially in the early stages of Stein’s tenure.
The bonus structure is also built to reward postseason success. Reaching a non-playoff bowl brings in $15,000.
Make the national title game? That’s a $75,000 bonus.
Win it all? That’s another $100,000.
There’s also a $15,000 bonus for reaching the SEC Championship Game, which jumps to $25,000 if Kentucky wins the conference.
The rest of the staff - those not among the 10 core recruiting assistants - don’t have buyouts built into their deals, and their incentive structures are a little more modest. Their bowl bonuses are half the size, and the SEC title game bonuses are $5,000 lower across the board.
Still, the salaries are nothing to scoff at. Special teams coordinator and inside receivers coach Parker Fleming will earn $400,000 next year and is the only non-recruiting assistant with a two-year deal.
Run game coordinator Derek Warehime ($300,000), inside linebackers coach Chad Wilt ($250,000), assistant offensive line coach Dallas Warmack ($110,000), nickel backs coach James Gibson ($100,000), and assistant wide receivers coach Thomas Shuler ($100,000) all bring in six-figure salaries. The remaining assistants fall in the $50,000 to $65,000 range.
Front Office and Weight Room Get a Boost Too
It’s not just the coaching staff getting a facelift. Stein’s football operation is investing heavily in support roles as well.
General manager Pat Biondo will earn $500,000, and assistant GM Pete Nochta is set to make $230,000 - both numbers that reflect the growing importance of front office roles in managing recruiting, roster construction, and the transfer portal.
In the weight room, Kentucky’s strength and conditioning staff is getting a serious upgrade. Brandon Roberts, the new director of football sports performance, will earn $450,000 per year. His assistants - Joe Miday ($170,000), Quinn Barham ($160,000), Joe Powell ($120,000), and Shayon Guest ($100,000) - bring the total strength and conditioning budget to $1 million.
That’s up from just under $890,000 last season, when the department was led by Corey Edmond and Mark Hill. The message is clear: building stronger, faster, more durable athletes is a priority, and Kentucky is willing to pay to make it happen.
What It All Means
This isn’t just a reshuffling of names and numbers - it’s a philosophical shift. Will Stein’s approach to staffing reflects a modern football mindset: deeper coaching benches, more defined roles, and a front office that mirrors what you’d find at the pro level. It’s an investment in infrastructure, not just flash.
The early returns won’t be measured in dollars but in development - of players, of schemes, and of a program trying to take the next step in the SEC. Kentucky isn’t just paying more people.
They’re betting that more voices, more expertise, and more structure will lead to more wins. Time will tell if that bet pays off, but one thing’s for sure: Will Stein is building something different in Lexington.