Cats Have Found Who They Are in All Three Phases

Will Stein was in a good mood at Tuesday’s press conference talking about his team. (Vicky Graff Photo)

Kentucky has braved the elements of preseason camp, and first-year coach Will Stein is anxious to see the finished product in the season opener against Youngstown State Saturday.

“I thought our guys competed very well,” Stein said during his weekly press conference Tuesday. “They braved the heat. They braved practice, but that’s what you sign up for when you play football. That’s what it is. Our guys were really good over the last three to four weeks.”

During camp, Stein said the Wildcats “created toughness in our unit” and discovered themselves.

“I thought we found out who we are in all three phases of the game,” he said. “We’ve got to continue to find out who is accountable and who is capable. That’s a difference. Who knows their job? Who can line up correctly and then who can actually perform at a high level? We’ve done it in practice. We’ve done it in scrimmage situations. Now it’s time in a real game.”

In order to enjoy a successful debut, Stein said the Wildcats “have to own the football in all three phases.”

“(We have to) protect the football on offense and on special teams recover the ball when they punt it back to us or kick it to us. We have to end with the ball in our hands and then we have to create takeaways.”

In addition, Stein wants to see “relentless effort” in all three phases of the game.

“That’s what I want to see our guys playing whistle to whistle, all four quarters, however long it takes and again, playing to our standard,” he said.

To help ease the game day unknowns as coaches and players, Stein said a recent dry run “was great” and served a meaningful purpose.

“We did a fake catwalk,” Stein said. “We actually had fans out there, which was awesome. We had our cheerleaders, our dance team, our band … we did everything. We went to the hotel. We saw our meeting rooms. We did a walkthrough at the hotel. We bus over (to Kroger Field). We put the game clock on exactly how it was going to be and guys are waiting in the locker room just like they would pregame. It was critical because now on Saturday it’s not going to be the first time.”

Stein added the Wildcats have practiced the routine three times since he was hired as coach last December.

“(Game day) should be smooth, and it will take all the focus off that and just on the playing,” he said.