Will Stein was excited when he was introduced in Rupp Arena in December. (Vicky Graff Photo)
Will Stein was not about to get embroiled in a football/basketball controversy at his first press conference as Kentucky’s full-time head football coach.
Stein has been splitting time as Oregon’s offensive coordinator during the college football playoffs and UK’s head coach since being hired last month but with Oregon eliminated from the playoffs he is now all Kentucky.
On Monday he held an extended media session and Nolan media columnist John Huang asked him about the “long shadow” that UK basketball can have over other Kentucky sports and wondered how in the NIL revenue sharing era how he anticipated working with basketball.
Stein quickly answered, “I’m the biggest Kentucky basketball fan you will ever meet.”
That got him warmed up and ready to provide more proof that getting along with basketball would not be a problem.
“I went to the Tubby Smith basketball camp like four times. I won the hotshot award. I won the free-throw competition,” Stein said.
However, he’s all-in for more than just men’s basketball.
“Hey, I hope every single program wins, basketball, baseball, football, the women’s volleyball, gymnastics, you name it,” Stein said. “Like I want this to be the best athletic program in the country, which I believe it is and will continue to be. So, you are not going to find me complaining about men’s basketball or any other sport here.”
Stein’s first introduction to BBN came when he was introduced during Kentucky’s game with North Carolina in Rupp Arena.
