Will Stein will not Deploy a "Bend, Don't Break" Defense

There were many complaints from the Kentucky fanbase over the last few years of the Mark Stoops era. One grievance was pervasive for a particular portion of BBN, the defensive philosophy.

At the peak of the Stoops era, Kentucky regularly deployed a Top 25 defense. The numbers were good, but it was not an aggressive style. The primary objective was to limit explosive plays. The Cats were willing to sacrifice short gains underneath in order to prevent big plays.

That ideology angered the masses who loathed soft zone coverage. We got some good news for those fans.

Will Stein is in the process of searching for a defensive coordinator. He was unable to give any hints during his conversation with Kentucky Sports Radio as to who that might be. They’re still working through the process, one that might take a week or two.

However, Stein said it’s a top priority, and he shared what defensive philosophy he’s looking for in his defensive play-caller, the kind that gave him fits as an offensive play-caller.

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“I’m looking for a unit that plays 4-6 seconds, point A to point B, with relentless effort, ball excellence, guys that can take the ball away, that can defend the run and stop the pass,” Stein said.

“I’m not a bend, don’t break guy. When teams pressure me, that’s like, ‘Okay, all right. This guy’s aggressive.’ I like it.”

He continued: “Also, smart gap sound, and like I mentioned, it’s about the unit playing as one. That’s the most important thing on defense. I’ve played against 3-4 schemes, 4-3 schemes, cover two schemes, 1-high defense. It’s the teams that play the best as a unit on defense is what really gives me the most fits as an offensive guy. That coach has got to demand a lot out of those kids. They got to fly around the ball. I’m excited to get that position hired because that’s a really important one for me.”

Mitch Barnhart described Will Stein as a risk-taker. That is not just going to apply to the offense. He’s bringing an aggressive defensive approach to Kentucky.