Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein, a Kentucky native, is the new UK football coach. (Oregon Athletics Photo)
By UK ATHLETICS
For Will Stein, the roots in Kroger Field soil run deep.
A native Kentuckian, Stein is the son of UK alumni – his father, Matt, played football at UK, and his mother, Debbie, is an avid fan – and he inherited their passion as he grew up watching the Wildcats in the then-Commonwealth Stadium, section 128, row 13, to be exact. He later competed in the stadium as a collegiate quarterback and assistant coach.
On Monday, the family’s journey came full circle as Stein was named head coach of Kentucky football, as announced by UK Director of Athletics Mitch Barnhart.
“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. “His deep connection to Kentucky, having grown up attending games in our stadium, gives him a unique passion for this program and this community. We are thrilled to have him leading the Wildcats onto the field next fall, and I know Big Blue Nation will join me in giving a warm welcome to Will, his wife Darby, and their children, Joey and Demi.”
Stein, 36, returns to the Commonwealth from the University of Oregon, where he has been the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for three seasons.
One of the many attributes that sets Stein apart is his ability to tailor his offense to his players’ strengths. Year after year, he’s designed systems around quarterbacks with very different skill sets, and each one thrived, helping lead elite units and Heisman Trophy finalists each of the past two years.
“Will Stein brings two invaluable qualities to the table as the next head coach of the UK football program,” University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto said. “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. And he has a deep and abiding passion for this place. It runs deep with him and his family.
“He understands the Big Blue Nation, this university, and what this team and program mean to our Commonwealth. We are looking forward to welcoming Will and his family back home, and we can’t wait to support them as they further elevate our program in a way that makes Kentucky proud.”
Stein’s Heisman finalists, quarterbacks Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel, have gone on to start multiple games in the NFL in their rookie years as well. The coach is excited to seek similar success with the Wildcats.
“I’m honored and excited to become the next head coach at Kentucky,” Stein said. “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. 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. I also want to thank Coach Dan Lanning and the entire Oregon staff for their support and mentorship. They’ve been incredible. Now, I can’t wait to get started and make Kentucky proud.”
Paced by a high-scoring offense, the 2025 Ducks finished the regular season with an 11-1 record, including an 8-1 mark in the Big Ten. Currently No. 6 in the College Football Playoff rankings, Oregon is considered a lock to be selected for the final 12-team bracket to be announced on Dec. 7. Stein plans to coach in the CFP.
Stein’s unit ranks ninth in the country in scoring at 38.2 points per game. His attack is well-balanced, averaging 218.4 rushing yards per game and 246.8 passing yards per game. The total offense of 465.2 yards per contest ranks 13th in the nation.
Individually, sophomore quarterback Dante Moore has completed a pinpoint 72.5 percent of his passes – third in the country – for 2,733 yards, 24 touchdowns, and only six interceptions. He ranks sixth nationally in passing efficiency.
Stein’s offensive philosophy – “Feed the Studs” – keeps numerous players involved. Three Ducks running backs have at least 481 rushing yards this season, with all three averaging more than six yards per carry. Six pass receivers have at least 23 catches on the year.
In 2024, Oregon went 13-1, winning the Big Ten regular season title and the league championship game over Penn State. The Ducks advanced to the College Football Playoff as the No. 1 seed, with the season’s only loss coming in the Rose Bowl.
As a team, Oregon averaged 34.9 points per game, 157.9 rushing yards per game, 279.5 passing yards, and 437.4 yards total offense.
All-America quarterback Dillon Gabriel completed 72.9 percent of his passes for 3,857 yards, 30 touchdowns, and only six interceptions. He ranked in the nation’s top 10 in completion percentage (3rd), passing efficiency (7th), passing yards (8th), and TD passes (8th). He went on to finish third in the Heisman Trophy balloting, was named Big Ten Most Valuable Player, and was drafted by the NFL’s Cleveland Browns.
Once again, the passing game spread the wealth, as eight players caught at least 21 balls. Running back Jordan James jetted for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns, ranking 18th nationally in each category.
Stein’s first season at Oregon, under Coach Dan Lanning, was 2023. His offense was prolific immediately, leading the nation in passing (346.9 yards per game), completion percentage (77.2 percent), first downs (372), and fewest turnovers lost (7). The Ducks placed second in scoring (44.2 points per game) and total offense (531.4 yards per game).
Led by quarterback Bo Nix, Oregon went 12-2, topped by a win over Liberty in the Fiesta Bowl. Nix threw for 4,508 yards while setting an NCAA record in completion percentage (77.4) and leading the nation in completions (364) and touchdown passes (45). He was second nationally in passing yards and passing efficiency, also fifth in yards per passing attempt. Nix was third in the Heisman voting and a first-round NFL draft choice by Denver.
Oregon had a 1,000-yard rusher and two 1,000-yard receivers. Bucky Irving ran for 1,180 yards and 11 touchdowns while Troy Franklin (1,383 yards, 14 TDs) and Tez Johnson (1,182 yards, 10 TDs) topped the millennium mark.
Stein went to Oregon from UTSA, spending three seasons with the Roadrunners. He served as the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach in 2020 and ’21, then was promoted to co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the ’22 season.
With Stein as co-OC in ’22, UTSA ranked No. 12 in the country in total offense, 476 yards per game, No. 13 in passing (300.7 yards per game), and No. 14 in scoring (36.8 points per game).
Quarterback Frank Harris blossomed under Stein’s tutelage, ranking fifth in the nation in total offense (4,665 yards) and ninth in total touchdowns (41). Harris was named the 2022 Conference USA MVP.
During Stein’s three seasons at UTSA, the Roadrunners had a 30-10 record, advanced to three bowl games and won the 2022 CUSA regular-season championship and C-USA title game.
A native of Louisville, Stein has football heritage, as his father, Matt, was a defensive end for the Wildcats under Coach Jerry Claiborne. Matt was a two-year letterman in 1983 and ’84, playing for UK’s teams that made consecutive appearances in the Hall of Fame Bowl.
Will Stein played his high school ball at Trinity High School, where he was a three-time state champion and set the single-season school record for touchdown passes with 54.
Stein played at the University of Louisville from 2008-12, then moved to the coaching staff as a graduate assistant in 2013 (quarterbacks) and quality control coach in 2014 (wide receivers). He earned a bachelor’s degree in sport administration from Louisville in 2011 and a Master’s in business administration in 2014.
Stein coached at the University of Texas from 2015-17 as a quality control assistant, helping coach the wide receivers for two years and the quarterbacks in ’17.
In order to get play-calling experience, Stein moved to Lake Travis High School in Austin, Texas, as the assistant head coach, offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and recruiting coordinator from 2018-19. He helped lead the Cavaliers to a two-year mark of 26-4, featuring back-to-back appearances in the state semifinals of the Class 6A Division I playoffs. He rejoined the college ranks at UTSA in 2020.
He and his wife, Darby, have two children, Joey and Demi.
19 Responses
Now, let's see how many players stay, how many leave, how many come with him, and how many can he recruit or pick up in the portal. He should be a big help for Boley if Boley wants to stay…if Stein wants him to stay?
Welcome Will Stein to a challenge the BBN is chomping at the bit to see you succeed!
The stats and success produced by Will Stein remind me of Hal Mummie, whose offensive genius led UK to an eventual elite Bowl invite! I am full of expectations to see an offense filled with players who really believe they can succeed AND will do it!
Congrats to Will Stein and his entire family. It looks like an excellent hire for all the right reasons. I lived in Eugene, Or after graduating UK and was there when Mr. Brooks was rebuilding the program so am very connected to anything with Or/Ky ties. My guess is that we get a big Congrats also from Papa Brooks.
I hate to see Stoops leave, but it is what it is. I hope Stein got some guarantees on what UK will spend on NIL. If they are only going to pony up $11.2 Million a year, Stein will fail before he gets started. One thing is for sure, he won't have the funds available here that he had in Oregon. Good Luck! Go Cats!
You are right Jimmy. The NIL for football should at least be equal to that for basketball, if not more.
Congratulations Will Stein on achieving your child hood dream. If it wasn't for Joker Phillips he would have been a walk on QB for Kentucky. Anyways I'm so happy today. We got the coach that I wanted. Alot of news outlets are saying we had the home run hire of all the SEC schools. Usually the best offensive Coordinators get picked up before other head coaches unless your name is Lane Kiffin. We could have had Jon Sumrall after last season but I don't think that would have been the right move for Cutter Boley and our young offensive weapons. We would have a had a stout defense under Sumrall but our offense would remain terrible. Stein is the right fit. He will be able to land the big fish QBs and develop them better than anyone else in college football. He will be able to get some of the Oregon commits to flip.. The only downfall is if he continues coaching the offense for Oregon he won't be able to recruit right away. Which will put us a little behind the other teams who are already recruiting. I know the Florida fans are in panic mode over the hire of Sumrall. They are basically getting another Billy Napier. Stein on the otherhand will make our offense hum. We will move much faster, which helps offenses keep the defense off balanced. If you noticed we were much better in a two minute offense compared to our normal offense. This is something Bush Hamden should have seen and changed but he didn't and im so glad he's gone. He should have never been hired and ultimately led to Stoops firing. I'm so glad all this happened the way it did. It's almost like we were waiting to make the move. I'm surprised that nobody else got Stein before we did. He's a ace in the locker room and film room. He has a great relationship with Ponatoski. He should still sign with us. He will make Boley a first round pick if he decides to stick around now. He said he was keeping his options open now but he would be kinda slow to want to play for Bush Hamden and Mark Stoops they won't help him become theQB that he should be and if he don't see that and decides to leave good riddance we will get a 5* QB with Stein as the coach. Ponatoski might be the lowest ranked QB he will get here he's a low 4* QB and all the 5* QBs want to play in Will Steins offense. It's a mixture of Dan Lamming and Bobby Petrino (say what you want but hes a offensive mastermind) he was 9-0 against Kentucky I think. His plays are quick passes. We will finally run slant patterns. We will finally have tight ends that catch 50 passes. I can see Gilmore, Cameron Miller, Dj Miller, Quisenberry,and Cozart to all take a major step forward if they all come back. We need Rodriguez to come back as well. He's going to be a All SEC tight end next year. He was second on the team in yards and catches as a true sophomore.
Even tho I wish he would leave Oregon now and start recruiting I think it shows the class he has to stay the rest of the way. My dad always said always finish what you start even if you don't like it. Everything is a lesson and I think it's disgusting what Sumrall and Kiffin have done. Left all the players and young men they made promises to and leave at the most important part of there careers in the playoffs. Sumrall knew he didn't have a chance. Kiffin knew he also didn't have a chance but loves people to think what if?! I'm disappointed in college football for them leaving. Imagine if you had a heisman QB and he led the team to a 12-0 year then when the playoffs started he said welp this other team paid me alot of money so I'm not playing in the playoffs I'm going to go ahead and start practicing with my new team. Everybody and every analyst would be talking so much trash about them. But it's ok for a coach because nick Saban said it's ok. People are such sheep and believe anything. It's bad business what they did and if you can't see that you have something wrong with your morals.
It's my understanding Kiffin wanted to coach Ole Miss in the playoffs and the administration said no.
you understand right
He can relate more to the players. If your 19-23 years old your going to listen to someone who's 36 and knows more about living in 2026. Stoops was getting to old and outdated. Recruit and develop was his theme and it worked until NIL and the transfer portal took over. Now we have someone who has mastered football in 2026 not 2018.
I would be curious to know how seriously, or even if, Brian Hartline had serious discussion with Barney. Guess it will come out later. He does have the recruiting Chops and offense isn't too shabby either. Reportedly he has a little more fire than Stein but that could change. We couldn't miss on any of the top 3 and I did not have problem with Mullin bc he won wherever he has been and also has good offensive creds, and I think he might have been less of a threat to use UK as stepping stone and young guns might be tempted to do. Am guessing with Stein's familiarity with UK landscape and family alums that we should be fine for long term. It has kept me awake at night mourning the loss of Hamdon, but I am confident I will recover. Do want to give Stoops a big Shoutout for his contribution to the program, and if he wants to stay in Lexington apparently he has closed the door on future coaching.
USA Today gave the Stein hire a B- rating. Are they down on Stein or just down on Stein for coming to Kentucky?
I wondered about Hartline myself. He could have continued that Ohio pipeline and recruited the Heartland very well. The Cats are going to have good QB's available for Stein. Hopefully he can build around one of them. Needs a home run DC. I believe he will definitely be able to give Brohm a run for his money on in state recruits.
The guy who writes for them is out dated that's what happened every one else is saying it was a grand slam hire. I know for a fact it's going to be a grand slam on offense. We need to find a great defensive coordinator and we will be better next year than this year.
I wish the young man well, but wanted Sumrall. UK blew that hire days ago as Florida got my man. Stein comes with much ballyhoo, and his coaching trail is indeed impressive, but no head coach resume. That is concerning to me in this day of complexity in the area of roster building. What UK needs as much as great QB play and other skill players is a brutal and physical offensive line, and about 40 mil in NIL money in this crazy world of college athletics today. Great offenses are fun to watch, but you better have a defense with some thud that can stop opponents on third down more often than not, and get off the field . Good example of great offense but no defense is the Mummy era IMO. I hope Stein shows a lot of "fire in the belly" and hires a great DC, a "head hunter." One last thing here, I wish Coach Stoops all the best in whatever he chooses to do in the future, he gave it his all, I really believe that, and a 38 million dollar payday ain't bad.
IMO we blew the Sumrall hire a month ago. Not days ago.
No we blew the Sumrall hire in after the 2024 season. Stoops. Should have been fired after we went 4-8 with the best roster on paper in the Stoops era. If we would have pulled the plug Sumrall would have ran here. But here me out. If we got Sumrall not a lot would change. He's from the Stoops coaching tree. Physical play, tough defense, clock management, and run run run the ball. Same exact MO as Stoops. This is a real change. I give Sumrall 3 years at Florida snd he will be fired. I say that because Napier had the same style as Stoops and Sumrall. Sumralls teams win by a field goal or touchdown check out the scores of the games he won. He isnt the right fit for Florida . I think he would have done better at Auburn. Florida gets the athletes to run and gun ask Spurrier. Florida fans are pissed about the hire. The job is too big for Sumrall he doesn't have the personality to be the coach of Florida. When he gets ran outta town we will have a place for him as the linebackers coach when Stein has us in the playoffs in 2027 everyone will be trying to get him from us. That's my fear that he has instant success and leaves us for Alabama or Florida. We are giving him his first chance so maybe he will stick and stay. Stein will recruit great QBs and great offensive lineman and WRs and Tight ends all elite. He Iis going to have to make a home run hire for defensive coordinator. Our offense will be elite. I guarantee it. He runs a simple offense that gets first downs and score points. He is a mastermind with his play calling. I want him calling the plays. He is 10 times better than anybody we've had in q long time at play calling. He remind me of Liam Coen but he's honestly even better than him as far as running q college offense. Coen ran a pro style offense. Boley if he stays will be a heisman candidate maybe in 2026 but definitely in2027 and 2028 he will be a all American
To me it would be great if Stein had so much success that he became a hot coaching commodity. That has never happened with a UK football coach
Before anyone sets expectations too high, consider: 1.) he's 34 years old. He still has a few thinks to learn. On the other hand, he has energy. 2.) I don't think we will be in the SEC championships next year but I do think we will be entertaining. 3.) Keep the trendline going in the up direction and I think the fans will be happy.