Kentucky appoints Will Stein, former Oregon offensive coordinator, as new Wildcats head coach

LEXINGTON, Ky. The University of Kentucky has appointed Will Stein, Oregon's offensive coordinator, as the new head coach of the Wildcats. Stein has strong family ties to Kentucky, with his father having played for the program, and he grew up attending the teams games.

The announcement came Monday night from Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart, just hours after Kentucky parted ways with Mark Stoops, who had been the Southeastern Conference's longest-serving coach with 13 seasons at the helm.

Will Stein has a remarkable record of developing top-tier quarterbacks and orchestrating some of the most effective offenses in college football, Barnhart stated. He added that Stein's lifelong connection to Kentucky football gives him a special passion for the program and community.

Stein and his family were longtime spectators in section 128, row 13, of the stadium now known as Kroger Field. We are excited to have him lead the Wildcats next fall, Barnhart said.

At 36, this marks Stein's first head coaching position. A native of Louisville, he won three state high school championships at Trinity and walked on at the University of Louisville as a quarterback. His father, Matt Stein, played for Kentucky under coach Jerry Claiborne. Reflecting on his journey, Stein said that attending Wildcats games as a child made this role a lifelong dream. He expressed gratitude to Oregon coach Dan Lanning and staff, as well as Kentucky officials for their trust.

Stein spent the past three seasons at Oregon as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He will coach the Ducks, currently ranked fourth nationally with an 11-1 record, in their upcoming matchups before joining Kentucky. Under Stein, Oregon's offense ranks ninth in the nation, averaging 38.2 points per game and 465.2 total yards per contest, split between 218.4 rushing yards and 246.8 passing yards.

Kentucky sought Stein not only for his local ties but also for his proven ability to develop elite quarterbacks. He guided Heisman Trophy finalist quarterbacks Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel over the last two seasons, both of whom started NFL games as rookies.

He is a remarkable mentor and developer of young talent, consistently demonstrating excellence as a quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator, said Kentucky President Eli Capilouto. His commitment to Kentucky runs deep through him and his family.

Barnhart noted that a national search for Stoops successor began Monday morning and concluded swiftly. He also emphasized that Kentucky plans to invest in coaching, recruiting, support staff, and facilities.

Stein's coaching career began as a graduate assistant at Louisville in 2013, followed by quality control work with wide receivers. He later joined Texas in similar roles before becoming a quarterbacks coach. He served as offensive coordinator and assistant head coach at Lake Travis High School in 2018-2019, then moved to UTSA, where he eventually became co-offensive coordinator and helped the team rank ninth nationally in total offense in 2022.

Kentucky becomes the sixth Southeastern Conference program to hire a new head coach this season, joining Auburn, Arkansas, Florida, LSU, and Mississippi.

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Author: Sophia Brooks