Will Stein isn’t interested in half-measures.
After Kentucky’s win over South Carolina this past weekend, the Wildcats’ first-year head coach delivered a blunt message to his players in a video posted by Kentucky’s YouTube account.
“If you don’t believe in what we’re doing, man, you are high,” Will Stein said.
And after the way Kentucky has opened the season, it’s easy to see why Stein sounded so forceful. The Wildcats are 4-1 through five games, with their only loss coming against Alabama. That’s a sharp turn from last season’s 5-7 finish and 2-6 mark in SEC play.
Stein also pointed to the way his team has responded when things haven’t been easy. Speaking on Wednesday’s SEC Coaches Teleconference, he described Kentucky as a group that keeps battling no matter what gets thrown at it.
“We’re fighters, man,” Stein said on Wednesday’s SEC Coaches Teleconference, per Tyler Thompson of KSR. “We play really hard.
We play connected as one. You know, we’ve obviously been through a lot, honestly, since I’ve gotten here.
We’ve had ups and downs, and we’ve just found a way.”
Even with the strong start, Stein made it clear he isn’t treating this like a finished product. He said the Wildcats still have plenty of room to grow, while stressing that he believes the right kind of players are in the room.
“We’re not perfect by any means. We’ve still got a lot of growth to do throughout the course of this season, but I do know our guys are the right people.
They have the right mindset and makeup to go to win football games in this league. So again, we got to continue to improve and embrace this grind.
That’s that is the SEC. But I know my guys fight.”
Stein is in his first season at Kentucky after spending the previous three seasons as Oregon’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Before getting into coaching, he played quarterback at Louisville from 2008 to 2012.
When Kentucky hired him in December, Stein called the job a dream come true.
“Growing up in Kentucky and sitting in the stands at UK games as a kid, I could only dream of one day leading the Wildcats,” Stein said after being hired as Kentucky’s head coach in December. “This is truly a dream come true.
My goal is to lead with purpose and help young men grow on and off the field. I’m deeply thankful to President Capilouto, Mitch Barnhart, and Big Blue Nation for the trust they’ve placed in me.”
In Other News...
Kentucky Heads Into LSU With A Defensive Concern Fans Will Notice
Kentuckys trip to LSU comes with the usual SEC weight, but the latest injury report gives the matchup an extra layer of scrutiny on the Wildcats side of the ball. Kentucky has a handful of players working through availability questions, including wide receiver DJ Miller listed as probable, while the defensive backfield already has some clear absences with cornerbacks Grant Grayton and Jaden Smith ruled out.
For a team heading into a road game against a conference opponent, those secondary issues are the kind that can shape everything from coverage plans to how aggressive the defense can be early. LSU also has its own notable names on the report, with linebacker Whit Weeks and safety Dashanw Spears out, while quarterback Sam Leavitt is not listed and expected to play, leaving Kentucky with a test that could hinge on which side handles the missing pieces better. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Faces One Big Test Before LSU Comes To Kroger Field
Will Stein spent part of his latest remarks addressing something far removed from the white lines, a fake Kenny Minchey quote that had been making the rounds online. The Kentucky coach made clear Minchey never said it and used the moment to steer the conversation back toward what the Wildcats can control, which is the kind of approach that matters in a week when attention can scatter quickly. With LSU headed to Kroger Field, Stein also framed the matchup as another chance for Kentucky to carry over the confidence it has built away from home.
There was football substance in the discussion, too, including Steins explanation of the origin of the short-yardage "Big Blue Wall Play" package Kentucky used recently. It was a useful reminder that the Wildcats are still shaping pieces of their identity even as the schedule stiffens. Replicating that road composure at home against LSU would be the next step, but first Kentucky has to keep the noise outside the building from becoming part of the story. [Read more 🡒]
Will Stein Is Earning Respect Kentucky Fans Will Love
Will Stein has given Kentucky fans plenty to like in his first stretch running the program, and the results have backed up the confidence. A 4-1 start, including two SEC road wins, has helped the Wildcats settle in quickly under a coach who has looked steady and self-assured from the opening weeks.
That approach has not gone unnoticed around the league, either. During an SEC Coaches Teleconference, Lane Kiffin praised Steins youthful confidence and offensive creativity, noting the resemblance to the way he carried himself early in his own career. Kiffin also had Kentucky on his mind from a previous matchup, a reminder that Steins team is already building the kind of respect that tends to come only after a group proves it can travel, adapt and win in a league that does not hand out much of anything easily. [Read more 🡒]