UPDATE: Dec. 2 at 12:45 p.m.
Kentucky football will officially introduce new head coach Will Stein on Wednesday afternoon during a news conference set for 4 p.m. at Nutter Field House.
Stein will be joined by Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart and President Eli Capilouto for the public event. Space is limited; doors open at 3 p.m., and parking is available near Gate One.
For more information, go to HC Will Stein Introductory News Conference Wednesday, Dec. 3 – UK Athletics.
Original Story:
After officially firing Mark Stoops Monday morning following a 13-year tenure as head coach, Kentucky football has found its next leader and has made it official. Current Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein is set to become the 38th head coach in program history.
“I’m honored and excited to become the next head coach at Kentucky,” Stein said via release Monday night. “Growing up in Kentucky and sitting in the stands at UK games as a kid, I could only dream of one day leading the Wildcats. This is truly a dream come true.
"My goal is to lead with purpose and help young men grow on and off the field. I’m deeply thankful to President Capilouto, Mitch Barnhart, and Big Blue Nation for the trust they’ve placed in me. I also want to thank Coach Dan Lanning and the entire Oregon staff for their support and mentorship, they’ve been incredible. Now, I can’t wait to get started and make Kentucky proud.”
A native of Louisville, Stein has football heritage, as his father, Matt, was a defensive end for the Wildcats under Coach Jerry Claiborne. Matt was a two-year letterman in 1983 and ’84, playing for UK’s teams that made consecutive appearances in the Hall of Fame Bowl.
Stein played his high school football at Trinity High School, where he was a three-time state champion and set the single-season school record for touchdown passes with 54.
Stein played at the University of Louisville from 2008-12, then moved to the coaching staff as a graduate assistant in 2013 (quarterbacks) and quality control coach in 2014 (wide receivers). He earned a bachelor’s degree in sport administration from Louisville in 2011, and Master’s in business administration in 2014.
Stein, 36, now returns to the Commonwealth from the University of Oregon, where he has been the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for three seasons. Stein’s Heisman finalists, quarterbacks Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel, have gone on to start multiple games in the NFL in their rookie years.
Paced by a high-scoring offense, the 2025 Ducks finished the regular season with an 11-1 record, including an 8-1 mark in the Big Ten. Currently No. 6 in the College Football Playoff rankings, Oregon is considered a lock to be selected for the final 12-team bracket to be announced on Dec. 7. Stein plans to coach in the CFP.
Stein’s unit ranks ninth in the country in scoring at 38.2 points per game. His attack is well-balanced, averaging 218.4 rushing yards per game and 246.8 passing yards per game. The total offense of 465.2 yards per contest ranks 13th in the nation.
"Will Stein brings an outstanding track record of developing elite quarterbacks and leading some of the most dynamic and successful offenses in college football,” UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart said via release. “His deep connection to Kentucky, having grown up attending games in our stadium, gives him a unique passion for this program and this community. We are thrilled to have him leading the Wildcats onto the field next fall, and I know Big Blue Nation will join me in giving a warm welcome to Will, his wife Darby and their children, Joey and Demi.”
On3 and ESPN reported Stein as a UK "target" earlier in the evening.
Stein is a Louisville native and Trinity High School alumnus, where he won a state title in 2007. Stein then went on to play quarterback at Louisville from 2009 to 2012. Following graduation, Stein got his start in coaching as a graduate assistant for the Cardinals in 2013.
After spending some time at the high school ranks, Stein rejoined college football in 2020 as UTSA's wide receivers coach. During his time with the Roadrunners, the offense averaged over 36 points per game in back-to-back seasons (2021-2022) and finished his three seasons with a record of 30-10.
In Dec. 2022, Stein joined the Oregon coaching staff as the new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
“Will Stein brings two invaluable qualities to the table as the next head coach of the UK football program,” University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto said. “He is an outstanding developer and coach of young talent, something he has proven repeatedly in his career already as a quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator at an elite level. And he has a deep and abiding passion for this place. It runs deep with him and his family.
“He understands the Big Blue Nation, this university and what this team and program mean to our Commonwealth. We are looking forward to welcoming Will and his family back home and we can’t wait to support them as they further elevate our program in a way that makes Kentucky proud.”
