Will Stein will reportedly be the Next Kentucky Head Football Coach

The Kentucky coaching search did not last long. Less than 24 hours after Mark Stoops was removed from his post, Kentucky has found his successor.

According to Ross Dellenger, Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein will be the Wildcats’ next head coach. “The sides are expected to finalize an agreement soon.”

Stein is a Louisville native who led Trinity to three state titles. He walked on at UofL and eventually played his way into a starting role. Even though he wore red for a few years, he comes from a Kentucky football family. His father, Matt, played for Jerry Claiborne and beat Tennessee in Neyland Stadium. The Steins have been season-ticket holders ever since. Now they’ll get to watch their son coach the Wildcats.

“I grew up a die-hard Cats fan, actually. My dad played there, so I went to every game at Commonwealth Stadium. I grew up in really SEC football,” Will Stein told On3’s Andy Staples prior to the 2024 season.

BREAKING: Kentucky is hiring Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein, @PeteNakos & @clowfb report😼https://t.co/NEjXV6SXc4 pic.twitter.com/REMU95GtBd

— On3 (@On3sports) December 2, 2025

Once his playing career ended, Stein followed Charlie Strong to Texas. After working as an analyst for two years, he bet on himself by moving to high school football in 2018 to call plays. It was a big risk that paid dividends. During two seasons at Texas powerhouse Austin Lake Travis, he recruited and called plays for a team that went 26-4 and included guys like Garrett Wilson.

Jeff Traylor brought Stein onto his UTSA staff in 2019. Ever since he put on a Roadrunners’ hat, he has not stopped ascending. During his final season in San Antonio, UTSA ranked in the Top 15 in scoring offense, passing offense, and total offense. The numbers have been even better in Eugene.

In three years as Dan Lanning’s play-caller, he’s had three different Top 15 offenses with three different quarterbacks: Bo Nix, Dillon Gabriel, and Dante Moore. This year, Stein’s offense ranks ninth nationally in points per game (38.2) and 13th in yards per game (465.2). Stein has been a part of two conference title teams and his quarterbacks have produced big numbers every season.

Stein is an innovative play-caller who integrates pro-style concepts into a spread offense. That can sound like Mumbo-Jumbo. He keeps it simple with one motto: “Feed the Studs.”

Stein is a former quarterback who can develop quarterbacks, something that hasn’t happened at Kentucky in a long time. The Wildcats’ last 3,000-yard passer was Mike Hartline in 2010. Cutter Boley showed plenty of promise in his first year as the Kentucky starter, throwing for 2,160 passing yards on 66% passing with 17 total touchdowns.

On Monday, Boley said he was caught off guard by the decision to fire Stoops, “I think just moving forward, I’m trying to find the best place, wherever that may be, whether it’s here,” said Boley, “or wherever I can kind of showcase what I can do in the best system for me.”

That system might just be the one that “Feeds the Studs” with Will Stein at Kentucky.

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