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Bo Nix predicts Will Stein will do 'great things' as Kentucky head coach

On3 imageby: Dan Morrison24 hours agodan_morrison96

The Kentucky Wildcats brought in one of the exciting young coaches to run their program in Will Stein. Coming over from Oregon, he’s produced some of the most exciting offenses and talented quarterbacks in all of college football in recent seasons.

Among those quarterbacks who Will Stein has helped produce is Bo Nix. After thriving at Oregon, Nix went on to be a first round pick and is now the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos. Now, Nix believes Stein is ready to do great things as the head coach at Kentucky.

“Coach Stein is a great football coach,” Bo Nix said. “He really helped me in my development during our one year at Oregon. We had a great time together and I learned a lot from him as a coach and as a past quarterback. I think he will do great things as a head coach.”

“He’s a great leader of men,” Nix said. “He does a great job of communicating, teaching and getting guys going in the right direction. He is going to really enjoy being back home. I know it will be a great fit for him and his family. I would not have had the season I had during my final year at Oregon without him. He helped me in so many different ways and I learned countless things that I am able to apply right now in the NFL. I’m grateful for him and grateful for our time together. I know he will do a great job at Kentucky.”

Bo Nix first got to Oregon in 2022 and would spend two seasons there. That included the 2023 season when Will Stein took over as offensive coordinator. That ended up being his best statistical season in college, completing 77.4 percent of his passes for 4,508 yards and 45 touchdowns. He’d also rush for 243 yards and another six scores.

A Kentucky native who played quarterback for Louisville, Stein has coached at both the high school and college levels. That has not yet included a stop in the SEC, though, making for a new challenge for the young coach.

Will Stein on Kentucky: ‘Why even show up if you’re not trying to win it all’

Kentucky is not a football program typically expected to compete for a national championship. Will Stein doesn’t want that attitude, though. In fact, he’s already insisting that it’s the goal at Kentucky to do exactly that.

“My job is to win, and my job is not just to compete in this Southeastern Conference, but to win. I mean, why even show up if you’re not trying to win at all? Winning is hard. It’s an investment, rents due every day. These guys are eager to be coached. They’re eager to win,” Stein recently said.

“But it’s one thing just to want to do it. It takes work. It takes a sacrifice every single day, waking up with your hair on fire, going to sleep, thinking about it, and doing everything in your power to work. Work doesn’t equal wins. It just gives you a great chance to, and these guys want to work. I’m here to get going and bring wins back to this football program.”

Coming off a 5-7 season, outside of the Kentucky program, a quick turnaround might not be anticipated. Still, if Indiana proved anything, quick turnarounds can come and can come at schools that don’t have that same historic level of success.