SEC Media Days have officially wrapped up for Kentucky Football, with Will Stein stepping up to the microphone on Monday to offer a preview of what lies ahead in his debut season as head coach of the very Wildcats he grew up rooting for with such passion.
You can find the full replay of Stein’s press conference below, and ASAP Sports has kindly provided the complete transcript for those who prefer to read along.
THE MODERATOR: Please welcome to the podium the head football coach of the University of Kentucky, Will Stein.
WILL STEIN: Let me start by saying thank you for that introduction. The Commissioner has really raised the bar when it comes to service, especially in this constantly shifting world of college athletics.
I’d like to take a moment to recognize my wife and express my gratitude for her unwavering support through this chaotic profession and the equally chaotic life we share. Without her standing beside me, none of this would be possible. There’s very little—if any—work-life balance in college football, and the sacrifices she makes allow me to chase my dream of coaching for a living.
So thank you, and I love you.
I also want to extend my thanks to several people back in Lexington. First up is Mitch Barnhart, who recently stepped down after 24 years of service to UK athletics. He’s a true legend and a mentor to me. He cultivated a championship culture at Kentucky, and he’s also the man who brought me back home to the Bluegrass to fulfill a dream.
I’m grateful to President Eli Capilouto for his leadership and forward-thinking vision for the university.
Susan Lax, sitting right here in front, has been my right hand—she’s our Senior Director of Athletics Communications and Public Relations, with 29 years at UK athletics. She’s been incredible to me, and I can’t thank her enough for how she’s looked after me over these past seven months.
I’m really looking forward to working with J Batt, our new Athletics Director and CEO of Champions Blue. He’s going to accomplish great things for Kentucky as college athletics keep evolving, and he’ll be key in driving revenue. I’m genuinely excited to partner with him.
Representing Big Blue Nation as head football coach is a thrill for me. As a Kentucky native who spent his childhood going to Commonwealth Stadium to watch the Cats, this is honestly a dream realized. I am BBN. For 18 years of my life, I was part of Big Blue Nation. My dad played at Kentucky, my mom is an alumna, so coming back to the Bluegrass State as a fan of Kentucky football and athletics feels truly surreal.
These first 230 days have been an absolute whirlwind. We’ve built a roster with 45 new players, and 41 of them have started at least one college football game.
I had to put together an entirely new coaching staff and recruiting personnel department, all while still serving as the offensive coordinator at Oregon during a Playoff run.
We also constructed a brand-new, state-of-the-art $3 million weight room, installed new schemes for our players, and taught them how to practice and how to conduct meetings. We’ve placed a major emphasis on high school recruiting for the 2027 class and beyond.
This is exactly what I signed up for, and navigating these waters has been a lot of fun.
I’m very excited to compete in the Southeastern Conference. This is where the best players and coaches come to play football. All 16 teams face a top-20 hardest schedule according to ESPN—all 16. They say mine is the fourth hardest, okay? But if you want to compete against the elite, you come to the SEC. That’s just how it is. It’s the closest thing to the NFL, and the proof is there. Almost every game comes down to the final possession, and home-field advantage is a real factor in this league. I love it.
Joining me today are three outstanding players who truly represent the DNA of our team. First is junior tight end Willie Rodriguez, from Covington Catholic in Northern Kentucky. I’m really excited about his development. He’s an elite player, and I think he has the potential to be one of the best tight ends in the country. He was a must-keep from last year’s roster—no question. He can do it all and will be a featured player in our system.
Off the field, he’s dedicated to community service, regularly visiting Golisano Children’s Hospital at UK to spend time with kids and families in need. He’s a fantastic person and player with an incredibly bright future.
Next is junior quarterback Kenny Minchey, from just outside Nashville in Hendersonville, Tennessee, where he attended Pope John Paul High School. He came to us after three years at Notre Dame.
I’ve been really impressed with Kenny since he arrived. It feels like he’s been in our system for a long time already. He has elite processing skills, a high football IQ, great accuracy, and the athletic ability to make plays with his legs.
He’s also a natural leader with great poise and communication skills. This will be his first starting job, and he knows that, I know that, and you all know that. I’m confident he’ll be ready because of how he prepares in the classroom and on the field.
Last but certainly not least is senior safety Ty Bryant, a hometown kid from Lexington, Kentucky, who went to Frederick Douglass High School. He was Second Team All-SEC last season and led the league with four interceptions while also making the Dean’s List.
He was another player from last year’s team I absolutely had to keep—I’d do everything I could to retain Ty Bryant. He embodies Kentucky football to the fullest; it’s in his DNA. He’s a natural leader, almost like a coach on the field for us.
Fun fact: our dads played together at Kentucky. I’m not sure if that says more about how young I am or how old Ty’s dad might be—I really don’t know. But I love Cisco, and I’m thrilled his son is also playing at Kentucky. Ty has a bright football future, and when his playing days are over, I’m sure he’ll have a long NFL career—and maybe even end up on media row working with all of you.
I’m excited about this team. We’ve laid a strong foundation, and the DNA we’ve built within Kentucky football revolves around connection. As a coaching staff, the first thing we had to do was develop a genuine connection with these players. A connected team is a dangerous team—they typically play the longest and the hardest.
Our guys needed to get to know each other. They needed to know their coaches genuinely care about them as people. They needed to feel a coaching staff that actually enjoys working together—that’s huge. They also needed to feel connected to Big Blue Nation and our fans, to see how passionate they are. We’ve built a strong connection so far, and we’ll keep growing together throughout the season.
This is going to be a tough program. Football is the toughest game played by tough men—it’s physically demanding and mentally exhausting. And guess what? Life is tough, too. The one thing I refuse to be is soft-minded. I’ve already accepted that there will be tough moments this season—there always are in every year I’ve coached. Our response as a team will determine the outcomes, and I can’t wait to face adversity alongside this group.
Our on-field process also centers on accountability—do your job. It takes all 11 players being on the same page in all three phases for us to maximize success.
First and foremost, we have to learn not to beat ourselves as a team. That requires elite focus and preparation. So far, our players have done a great job learning our system, scheme, and practice methods. That extends to the classroom, too—something I’m proud of: our players posted the highest GPA in program history this past semester.
We’ve added 45 players, and it’s my job as head coach to make sure they play for the name on the front of their jerseys. It’s a selfish world out there, but our players must understand and be fully invested in sacrificing personal glory for team success. Wearing the blue and white is an honor, and representing the Commonwealth and Big Blue Nation is a privilege our players and coaches will not take for granted.
My coordinators—Joe Sloan, Jay Bateman, Parker Fleming—along with my head strength and conditioning coach, Brandon Roberts, have all done a phenomenal job instilling these DNA traits into every single player.
Kentucky football has a cast of new characters, including me. What happened in the past has nothing to do with the future. Our players and coaches have worked extremely hard to put a team on the field that Big Blue Nation will be proud of. It’s my mission to create, develop, and maintain championship-level standards at the University of Kentucky.
As I said in my opening press conference when I was hired, I didn’t take this job to be closer to my family. I didn’t take it because my dad played at UK. I took it to win—and to win at championship levels.
For that to happen, our process has to be elite from top to bottom. There’s still a ton of work ahead, but that’s where you truly find out what you’re made of.
We have 47 days until we kick off against a great opponent in Youngstown State at 1 p.m. in front of the best fans in college football inside Kroger Field. I’m so excited about the 2026 Kentucky Wildcats.
With that, I’ll open it up for questions.
THE MODERATOR: If you have questions, please raise your hand.
Q. I’d like to know what you learned at Lake Travis that prepared you for where you are today, and maybe what you learned about University of Texas football and Texas A&M?
WILL STEIN: Yeah, one of the great joys of my life was spending two years with Hank Carter at Lake Travis High School in Austin, Texas. It taught me how to call plays. I was put in a situation where they’d already won six titles, I believe, up to that point, and I joined a veteran coaching staff that knew what winning looked like.
They took a young 28-year-old know-it-all offensive coordinator from the University of Texas and brought me into their staff. It taught me that you can be normal and still coach football—you can have a family and a life outside of it, when possible. That brotherhood still exists in the coaching world, and I’m forever grateful for my time at Lake Travis.
Obviously, being a Texas high school football coach for two years, it truly is like a religion in that state. I coached at Texas for three seasons but never got to face Texas A&M. However, we had our state seven-on-seven tournament on A&M’s campus, and I remember how massive their stadium was. I have nothing but respect for that state and the football played there, especially at Lake Travis.
Q. Being one of six total newcomers among SEC head coaches, what sets you apart from the other new coaches in the conference, and what’s the best advice you got from Dan Lanning?
WILL STEIN: I mean, I can’t really speak to what anyone else is doing in our league. I’m focused on us—our team, our program, and building this the right way.
Dan is one of the most consistent people I’ve ever been around. He’s relentless in recruiting and a phenomenal coach. He’s always got a growth mindset, and there’s a reason he’s been so successful—it’s because of those attributes.
Q. A lot of people in college football look at Indiana and see a massive turnaround there. You can pick what you want to answer—does it take having a Mark Cuban come dump a bunch of money into your program to get good fast? What do you think are the ingredients for that kind of huge turnaround?
WILL STEIN: There are a lot of factors in winning and losing at this level. I can’t speak specifically to Indiana’s processes, who backs them, or how they recruit and coach.
But I do know that facing them twice last year, they were extremely disciplined. Coach Cignetti has clearly done a great job with the culture. They also had the first overall pick playing quarterback for them—that helps. And they had eight other guys drafted, with maybe two more in the first round.
If you look back at national championship winners, they typically have the most guys drafted. Ohio State in ‘24—I faced them—had about 16. Michigan the year before had about 16. Georgia the year before that had the most. When you combine great players with a great culture, coaching staff, and scheme, good results usually follow.
Q. You had a couple transfers from Texas—CJ Baxter and Bo Barnes. What are your thoughts on those two?
WILL STEIN: I’m sure you know them personally as well. Both are phenomenal people, first and foremost. I’ve been really impressed with CJ—his mentality, the veteran leadership he brings to our offense, and the fact that he’s played at a really high level despite dealing with some injuries. I’m excited about him.
Running back is a core position on our team. The best teams I’ve been on have been able to run the football, so I’m excited about what CJ brings both on and off the field.
Bo has crazy talent—he’s got the height, weight, and speed for the position. It’s just a matter of building him up and giving him the belief that he can go out and perform at a high level.
I’ve been very pleased with Jay Bateman, my defensive coordinator, and what he’s been able to do with our backers. It’s a younger core, but I think it’s very talented. Both have done a tremendous job so far, and I’m looking forward to seeing what they do for us this fall.
Q. You’ve had a pretty massive upgrade in talent on the offensive line, bringing in a lot of players with many starts at high-level football. What are your expectations for the offensive line this year?
WILL STEIN: The expectation for every position group is to play really well. I’m very excited about this group—very. Over the last three seasons, I’ve been fortunate to have three elite offensive lines with draft picks and Joe Moore Award finalists. This group, in particular, is as talented as any I’ve been around, across the board.
We brought in guys with a lot of experience, height, physicality, and size. The Big Blue Wall is something that’s constantly talked about within our program. The legacy of Coach Schlarman—what he accomplished as both a player and coach at Kentucky—is on our walls and in our building.
To be able to run the football when it matters in November, when games are most critical, you need an offensive line. People talk about the quarterback play I’ve been part of over the last four seasons, but look at the O-lines we had. There’s a reason the quarterbacks played well—those kids performed in the heat of the moment, but the offensive line protected them and controlled the line of scrimmage in the running game.
I’m excited about Lance, Tegra, Coleton, Olaus, Malachi, Mark, Jordan, Max Anderson—we have a whole slew of guys up there that I believe can play winning football for us.
Q. You mentioned the running game and how important it is to your philosophy. Do you feel it’s taken a backseat to the passing game as a trend in college football, and are running backs slightly devalued in the NIL market?
WILL STEIN: I definitely don’t think it’s taken a backseat. Just look at who won it last year, right? Indiana was running the ball in the championship game. It’s not like Fernando had some crazy stats. Miami had that big back and a big offensive line controlling the line of scrimmage. I just look at what actually happened.
There’s a narrative out there that everything is about air yards and throwing as far as you can. But it’s really about first-down success rate—you have to get first downs, right? That’s critical.
Points per possession is huge—are you scoring when you have the ball? Turnover margin and explosive plays are also big factors. Those are the things that win and lose football games.
Are running backs devalued in the market? The best ones in the country are making a ton of money. It’s similar to the NFL—you had Ezekiel Elliott making a huge deal, and now Jahmyr Gibbs and other premier players are getting paid. So are running backs in college football. I had to have five running backs last year, and we were able to run and throw the ball. That’s what I expect here at Kentucky—to control the line of scrimmage and run the football. Ultimately, it gets cold, and quarterbacks and receivers get cold fingers. You have to be able to hand the ball off, block it up, and get four or five yards. You just have to.
Q. You said you came here because you believe you can win here. Why is that? Kentucky historically has fought against a certain narrative and perception. Why do you think you can win big here?
WILL STEIN: This might sound a little arrogant, but honestly, because of me. I think I know what it takes. I’ve seen it at the highest levels, and I know what it takes to recruit at this level.
You just have to believe, man. You just put the ball down and play. There’s really nothing else to say.
Is it going to happen overnight? I don’t know—I really don’t. If I had a crystal ball, everyone in this room would be really, really rich right now.
The best way to know if what you’re doing is working is to put the ball down and play football. There will be bumps in the road—I mentioned that in my speech. I’m prepared for tough moments and tough times. I’ve accepted that as part of our process.
I do self-talk to remind myself to stay neutral—when things are bad, I stay as neutral as possible and take a diplomatic approach.
Growing up a fan is great, but that’s one thing. I know the players we can get here. I know we can recruit north, south, and east. People come to Lexington and love it. The longer I live there, the more I realize how incredible it is—great food, nightlife, community, university, safety, and Big Blue Nation. It takes some TLC, but you have to go attack—you can’t sit back and wait. That’s one thing I refuse to do at Kentucky: wait.
I’m really excited about our administration and the direction it’s heading. I said I was fired up that Mitch brought me here, and I’m also excited about what the future holds.
That’s why I’m excited. That’s why I believe. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have taken the job—I would’ve stayed at Oregon, coached Dante, and stayed out there.
Q. You talked about attacking early. You assembled a top-10 transfer portal class in your first month on the job. What kind of momentum does that give you and your program?
WILL STEIN: It definitely gives us momentum for this current year. I was really proud of our staff because, honestly, half that time during the portal I was still in Eugene coaching the Ducks, doing FaceTimes and Zooms, trying to get everything built while working with a minimal staff at that time.
I think it shows that our process works in recruiting, acquiring talent, and retaining it. That’s the lifeblood of our program. We won’t be anything without good players—I promise you that. The best teams I’ve ever been on have had really good players.
That’s what we have to do at Kentucky—bring in the best of the best, go big-game fishing, not sit back and wait for someone to decide they want to come here. Get them on campus four or five times, win over the parents, win the recruiting battle like we always had to, and then close it when we need to.
Q. I wanted you to speak about the quarterback room in particular—Kenny, and where you think he is heading into the fall.
WILL STEIN: I’m very excited about Kenny. As I mentioned, it feels like he’s been in our system for a while. When we first started doing walk-throughs and installing the offense, he had great command and poise. That’s something you can’t have as a coach—you can’t have an on-edge quarterback. He’s very even-keeled.
I’m impressed with his football IQ, intelligence, leadership, and poise. Ultimately, the intangibles of the position are huge—he’s very accurate. I don’t believe we should be okay with less than 70% as a passer. I don’t.
Will it happen? I’m sure it will. I’m sure someone will call me out if it doesn’t happen for us this year. But that’s the standard—the best in the country throw for over 70%.
When I looked at him in the transfer portal and recruiting, I saw a guy who can be that. It’s about getting the ball to our playmakers, getting first downs, staying on the field, and having elite points per possession—then letting him cut it loose.
There will be some ups and downs with me as a first-time head coach, and there will be ups and downs with Kenny. That’s part of the learning and growth. We’ll go to the doctor after every game to figure out what went wrong, what we did well, and try to do what he does best on the football field.
Q. You hired Joe Sloan this off-season. What strengths have you seen from him, and what are your expectations for his offense in year one?
WILL STEIN: Joe is one of the best quarterback coaches I’ve ever been around. Joe and I used to battle in recruiting for kids—not only at Oregon, but we were both in Conference USA. He was at LA Tech, and I was at USTA.
I think he’s a phenomenal teacher, especially at the quarterback position—mechanics, reads, protections. He’s one of the best in the country.
He’s an elite communicator, which is huge for a coordinator. He’s got presence and confidence, and I’ve been very impressed with that.
And the man can recruit—he really can. He moves the needle and seems to know everyone. He’s already the mayor of Chevy Chase in Lexington.
I’m fired up he’s on our squad. We used to talk ball in the off-season for the last three or four years, and we shared a lot of similar philosophical thoughts on offensive football. He’s excited to be at Kentucky and help lead this offense—I’m really excited about Joe.
THE MODERATOR: Coach Stein, thank you for your time.
WILL STEIN: Thank you all. Go Cats.
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