Will Stein: "I would feel like a complete fraud if I left these guys."

On Monday Oregon opened up its college football playoff media with several coaches and players taking interviews.

One of which was Will Stein, now head coach of Kentucky. Oregon has been fortunate to have both coordinators earn head coaching jobs in the last few weeks. However both will see Oregon through its playoff run.

Here is what Will Stein had to say about this team, preparation and handling both duties.

On Last Two Weeks:

“Yeah, it’s been crazy, but really cool. Obviously, great opportunity for me and my family, but excited about what we’re doing here in this next game. Excited about the opportunity to compete against James Madison, a really, really good team, and really just focus all my energy right now on the Ducks.

On Adapting Offense with Injuries:

“Yeah this has definitely been the most non-11 that I’ve done in my career you know i you know i was at lake Travis we kind of had the same personnel grouping out there the whole time and we just morphed it into different looks. UTSA were heavy 11, had some 12. And then here just this year, especially like you mentioned, it’s been a lot of different, but that’s why we practice so much. That’s why we walk through so much in the winter, spring, summer. We build a plan out based on our personnel groupings first and how we see those kids fitting in each scheme. But we also make sure we practice the same plays at a different looks all week, just in case. And it’s really played a big role to our success this year on offense.

If you think about some of these games, it’s like 3% 11 personnel, you know, 40%, 21, another 50 something percent 12. So it’s been really cool. And I’m really proud of the team, really proud of the guys. They’ve just been adaptable. Like you said, that’s the key word. And they’ve attacked every single week, you know, like it’s a, like it’s a championship game.”

On Getting Injured WR’s Back:

“Yeah I mean I’d like to have love to be full strength going into this game and I think those guys are working back and feel good about their their prep up to this point to give us an opportunity to potentially see them in this next game. But you know we’re willing to do whatever it takes and if we’ve willing to do whatever it takes. And if we’ve got to play with 10 offensive linemen on the field and one quarterback, we’ll figure it out. You know, we’ll figure it out either way. But, no, I’d love to have everybody back. Being a team full strength going into this game against James Madison would be very good for us.”

On TE’s Stepping Up:

“Yeah, Kenyon’s, you know, he’s had a, I don’t want to say a difficult year because he’s made unbelievable plays, but he’s obviously, he’s been banged up here and there. But really proud of his, I mean, his November has been really good, really good. And, you know, he’s practiced his butt off and done a really good job in games, making some huge plays for us. He’s so versatile. You can line him up anywhere. I had a scout say to me about Kenyon, and it’s so true, like wherever he lines up on the field, that’s the position he looks like he’s playing. I mean, receiver, tight end, running back, H-back, like he fits the mold of wherever he’s lined up. So, I mean, he’s an exceptional player.

I mean, one of the most talented guys I’ve ever been around and just a great teammate, super humble, and has made, you know, a really good place for us.

And then Jamari Johnson, I mean, he’s another guy that’s going to be one of the best, I think, tight ends that ever come through here. That guy is a freak. He’s doing everything we ask him to do. He’s the only guy you can probably throw the ball about every time, but he’s just accepted his role on this team. He’s obviously our true why, but he’s a matchup nightmare for people. He’s all 6’6″, 250, got giant hands, catches the ball really well, and can block at the point of attack.

So proud of that group. Even Roger. Roger’s made some big plays and and done a really good job in line for us as well. So coach Mehringer, I mean credit to him for getting those guys ready to roll and those players for buying in.”

On Coaching in Playoffs:

“I mean, I would feel like a complete fraud if I left these guys throughout this playoff run and this opportunity in front of us to coach an Autzen another time. I mean, it’d honestly be crazy. And Tosh is the same way. I mean, we’ve poured so much of our lives, so much of our time, our family’s time into this team and in this program. Coach Lanning gave me an opportunity from UTSA. The last thing I would ever do would be to leave these players. So that’s number one. thing I would ever do would be to leave these players. So that’s number one.

But yeah, it’s obviously unique with me and Tosh and what’s ahead for us. But I know he’s in the same mindset as me, taking care of business here in Autzen one last time and putting our best foot forward with this group of guys.”