Will Stein’s first real test as Kentucky’s head coach this week is less about X’s and O’s than it is about mood.
The Wildcats are coming off the kind of win that can distort everything around a program. Beating then-No.
9 Texas A&M in College Station brought a flood of attention, plenty of praise and a fresh round of national buzz. Now comes the part that often trips teams up: a follow-up game against South Alabama, a Sun Belt opponent that doesn’t carry the same electricity.
That’s exactly why Stein has spent the week talking the way he has. The message is simple: keep the locker room from buying into the outside noise.
“Don’t eat the cheese,” Stein said this week when asked about the phrase.
Kentucky has had a busy week in the spotlight, with Stein and several players making appearances on national college football shows. Stein also made a point of talking up South Alabama, calling the Jaguars “I think they’re the best team in the Sun Belt,” even though the record - 2-1, with a loss to Tulane and a four-point win over Ohio - doesn’t exactly scream powerhouse. South Alabama also went through a six-game losing streak last season.
Still, the danger for Kentucky isn’t necessarily losing. It’s drifting.
A sloppy afternoon could turn Kroger Field into a tense place in a hurry, even if the Wildcats are the clear favorites. A clean, convincing win would do more than pad the record; it would show the new staff can keep the team locked in after a big emotional high.
One of the more encouraging signs from the Texas A&M win was the way Kentucky got sophomore wide receiver DJ Miller involved. He hadn’t caught a pass in the first two games, then grabbed five for 96 yards against the Aggies. The first offensive play of the game went his way, and that was no accident.
“I told my coaches, wideouts are kind of crazy guys,” Stein said. “They are, and they do their best when you get them the ball early in the game.
It just is what it is. Every wideout I’ve ever been around, they all want the ball - and deservingly so for DJ.
He’s practiced really well the last really two and a half weeks.
“...We made it a point on offense: He’s gonna touch the ball on the first play. He’s going to, and to get him unlocked so he can feel confident moving forward in that environment.”
That same idea could carry over Saturday, with South Alabama offering Kentucky a chance to spread the ball around again and see what else it can uncover. Senior receiver Nic Anderson, the top transfer portal addition at the position, has been valuable as a blocker but has only two catches for 17 yards.
Running back Jovantae Barnes, slowed by a spring injury, has just two carries for minus-2 yards. Brock Coffman and Ja’Kayden Ferguson have combined for two catches, and freshman Prince Jean has not touched the ball since his two-catch, touchdown debut in the opener.
The core pieces are there. Stein and offensive coordinator Joe Sloan seem to have a strong group already taking shape around quarterback Kenny Minchey: tight ends Willie Rodriguez, Henry Boyer and Mikkel Skinner; running backs CJ Baxter and Jason Patterson; and receivers Kenny Darby, Miller and Anderson. But Kentucky is going to need more than that group over the long haul, especially with the move to a nine-game SEC schedule cutting down on chances for easier tune-up games.
That’s why this matchup matters beyond the final score. South Alabama may be Kentucky’s last chance to get meaningful snaps for players lower on the depth chart, and the staff would love to turn that into real experience without sacrificing the result.
There’s also the injury piece to watch. Kentucky does not have a public availability report this week for a nonconference game, so several statuses will be sorted out closer to kickoff.
Stein said the team had full participation in Tuesday’s practice, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if the staff takes a cautious approach with some key players. Safety Ty Bryant is the biggest name to monitor after appearing to suffer a shoulder injury before halftime against Texas A&M and then seemingly aggravating it later in the game.
Last week’s SEC-mandated report listed defensive back Andre Clark, defensive lineman Jamarrion Harkless, tight end Lincoln Watkins, cornerback Grant Grayton and offensive guard Jay Clark as out.
The game itself should tilt Kentucky’s way early if the Wildcats handle the opening stretch cleanly. A sluggish start is possible after a 12:45 p.m. kickoff, but the talent gap is wide enough that South Alabama should have trouble keeping pace for long. The expectation here is that Kentucky gets control before the fourth quarter becomes a concern, and that backup quarterback Callum Wither gets a shot to guide a touchdown drive.
Kentucky 38, South Alabama 10.
As linebacker Alex Afari put it: “We played a good game. We just got to flush it and move on to this game.
We can’t think just because it’s not an SEC game… We need to go out there and just play. We gotta prepare right, prepare just like it was an SEC game, and go out there and play our way.”
In Other News...
Kentucky Faces One Early Test It Cannot Afford To Misread
Through the first three games, Lance Heard has given Kentucky exactly the kind of stability and edge it wants up front. The offensive lineman has played well and emerged as a voice for keeping the group grounded, which matters for an offense that has started to build some momentum without giving itself permission to relax.
South Alabama is the next chance to prove the Wildcats can carry that approach into a game they are expected to handle. Heard and his teammates have stressed the need for consistent effort no matter who is on the other sideline, and Kentuckys challenge now is making sure the habits that fueled those recent wins do not fade when the matchup looks more manageable. [Read more 🡒]
Kenny Minchey Just Changed Kentuckys Quarterback Conversation
Kenny Mincheys rise has started to draw more attention than most Kentucky quarterbacks get this early in a tenure, and the interest makes sense after the way he handled Texas A&M. The CBS Sports spotlight on his path from high school to Notre Dame and then Kentucky gave some background to the moment, but the performance itself did plenty of the talking, with Minchey completing 14 of 18 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns.
Minchey also opened up about the people and places shaping the latest chapter of his career, from his relationship with coach Will Stein to the rougher lessons he took from past games against Alabama. Returning to Lexington clearly carried some extra weight for him, too, and the fan reaction showed how quickly he has become a player worth watching as Kentuckys quarterback conversation gets more interesting. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Just Added Another Quarterback Piece For Its Long-Term Future
Kentuckys long-term quarterback board picked up another name this week with the commitment of Marcus Washington Jr., a California prospect who gives the Wildcats another arm to build around for the future. The addition fits a growing trend around the program, which has been steadily lining up quarterback help for upcoming seasons as it tries to keep its depth chart stocked well beyond the present.
Washingtons decision also says something about the momentum Kentucky has been able to generate on the trail. He was influenced by the Wildcats upset win over Texas A&M, and his pledge gives the staff another early piece in a quarterback pipeline that already includes other committed players for future classes. Even with this commitment in hand, the bigger picture is still how Kentucky keeps stacking those wins and whether more of them are coming soon. [Read more 🡒]