Stein plans to rebuild Kentucky with offensive risk-taking and thrive as he’s doing at No. 4 Oregon

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Will Stein made clear that offensive risk-taking is part of making Kentucky competitive again.

Given how it has worked for him at Oregon and other stops, it’s no wonder the Wildcats’ new coach stressed his intent to achieve it sooner rather than later.

“Our offense, our play is to light up the scoreboard,” Stein said Wednesday as he was introduced in the team’s Nutter Field House indoor practice facility. “Why not? I’ve seen it done here many times and that’s the goal. It’s not easy.

“I know doing it the right way, doing it the way that I’ve seen at the highest of levels in college football, it will be done here in Kentucky.”

Stein, a Louisville native, will begin his first head-coaching job with his work cut out for him at Kentucky, where his father Matt played and he watched the Wildcats growing up. Their offense ranked in the bottom third of several Southeastern Conference categories this past season and closed with a 41-0 loss at in-state rival Louisville — where he walked on at quarterback — last weekend.

The new coach arrives with an impressive resume’ as coordinator and quarterbacks coach at fourth-ranked Oregon (No. 5 College Football Playoff). The Ducks enter the playoff with a balanced, high-scoring offense and Stein has recently developed two QBs (Dillon Gabriel and Bo Nix) into NFL starters.

Stein, 36, will coach Oregon through the postseason but has already hit the ground running in Lexington, meeting with players on Tuesday including Wildcats QB Cutter Boley. Kentucky landed another signal caller as the signing period opened on Wednesday.

“First day on the job, signing day,” Stein noted. “Enjoy that.”

Stein’s hiring on Monday night marks a philosophy shift from defense-minded predecessor Mark Stoops, who was fired that morning after becoming Kentucky’s winningest coach and the SEC’s longest-tenured in 13 seasons. Although getting blown out at Louisville appeared to be the final straw, athletic director Mitch Barnhart said that wasn’t the tipping point.

“I was very specifically trying to find ways to put points on the board,” Barnhart added. “In today’s world, it’s really hard to win games in our league scoring 17, 21 points a game. We’ve got to find a way to be where we’re lighting up the scoreboard as Will talked about.”

The length and financial terms of Stein’s contract with Kentucky weren’t immediately available. But with name, image and likeness (NIL) being a focal point of recruiting, Barnhart said the school has pledged more financial support for the program. Kentucky also plans to hire a general manager toward that end.

The transfer portal is also important, though Stein stressed that his approach will focus on building through high school recruits, especially in Kentucky. Having led Trinity High School to three state titles before walking on at Louisville, he believes the Bluegrass State has talent to help Kentucky return to relevance.

Stein acknowledged that beginning his head-coaching career in his home state wasn’t initially on his radar, to say nothing of his age and his current job status. But he added that the right opportunity becomes very clear, even if it means a whirlwind trying to lead one team to a title and build another into a contender.

“Unfortunately in this business, there is no balance,” Stein said. “It’s just going to be relentless and it’s going to be a grind the next month. But it’s something that I’ve been dreaming of and wanted to do, and there’s a team back in Eugene, Oregon, that is also counting on me to to call ball plays.”

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