LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky has hired Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein as their new coach, bringing home someone whose father played for the Wildcats and who grew up watching them play.
Athletic director Mitch Barnhart announced the hiring Monday night hours after Kentucky fired Mark Stoops, who had been the Southeastern Conference’s longest-tenured coach with 13 seasons with the Wildcats until Monday morning.
“Will Stein brings an outstanding track record of developing elite quarterbacks and leading some of the most dynamic and successful offenses in college football,” Barnhart said in a statement late Monday night.
Kentucky noted Stein and his family sat in section 128, row 13, at the football stadium now called Kroger Field.
“His deep connection to Kentucky, having grown up attending games in our stadium, gives him a unique passion for this program and this community,” Barnhart said. “We are thrilled to have him leading the Wildcats onto the field next fall.”
This will be the first head coaching job for Stein, 36. The Louisville native won three Kentucky high school titles at Trinity and walked on at Louisville to play quarterback. His father, Matt, played at Kentucky for coach Jerry Claiborne.
Stein recalled growing up in Kentucky and sitting in the stands for Wildcats' games with this job only a dream now come true. He thanked Oregon coach Dan Lanning and the Ducks' staff for their mentorship and the trust placed in him by Kentucky officials.
“Now, I can’t wait to get started and make Kentucky proud,” Stein said.
Stein has spent the last three seasons as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Oregon. Stein plans to coach with the fourth-ranked Ducks (11-1) at No. 6 in the latest CFP rankings with the final bracket announced Sunday.
Oregon's offense with Stein ranks ninth in the nation scoring 38.2 points a game. The Ducks are 13th in total offense with 465.2 yards per game with a nice balance averaging 218.4 yards rushing and 246.8 passing yards per game.
Kentucky targeted Stein not just because of his ties to the state or the university through his family. Stein has worked with a Heisman Trophy finalist each of the past two seasons in quarterbacks Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel. Both started games in the NFL as rookies.
“He is an outstanding developer and coach of young talent, something he has proven repeatedly in his career already as a quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator at an elite level,” Kentucky President Eli Capilouto said. “And he has a deep and abiding passion for this place. It runs deep with him and his family.
Barnhart said Monday morning that Kentucky had started a national search for Stoops’ replacement, and it wrapped very quickly. Barnhart also promised that Kentucky will be investing to recruit not only an elite head coach but players and support staff along with fully funding revenue-sharing and facilities.
Stein walked on at Louisville for Steve Kragthorpe between 2008 and 2009 and Charlie Strong from 2010-2012 capping his tenure with a Sugar Bowl win over Florida.
He went into coaching as a graduate assistant in 2013 at Louisville helping with quarterbacks before working with wide receivers as a quality control coach in 2014. He joined Strong at Texas as a quality control coach in 2015 and 2016, then coached quarterbacks in 2017.
Stein was offensive coordinator and assistant head coach at Lake Travis High School in 2018 in 2019 before going to UTSA. He was promoted to co-offensive coordinator and coached quarterbacks in 2022 helping UTSA rank ninth nationally in total offense.
Kentucky is the sixth SEC program to change coaches this season, joining Auburn, Arkansas, Florida, LSU and Mississippi.
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