Back in 2023, the College Sports Co. team sat down with Oregon Offensive Coordinator Will Stein to discuss his impressive coaching journey, which has ultimately led to his new position as the Head Coach at the University of Kentucky.

Will opened up on how his experiences shaped his career, from calling plays in high school to working with elite quarterbacks like Teddy Bridgewater and Bo Nix. Will also talks about the challenges he faced, his approach to recruiting, and the lessons he gained from mentors and adversity.

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.

Will Stein played his high school ball 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 coached at the University of Texas from 2015-17 as a quality control assistant, helping coach the wide receivers for two years and the quarterbacks in ’17.

In order to get play-calling experience, Stein moved to Lake Travis High School in Austin, Texas, as the assistant head coach, offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and recruiting coordinator from 2018-19.

He helped lead the Cavaliers to a two-year mark of 26-4, featuring back-to-back appearances in the state semifinals of the Class 6A Division I playoffs.

He rejoined the college ranks at UTSA in 2020.Stein, 36, returns to the Commonwealth from the University of Oregon, where he has been the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for three seasons.

All-America quarterback Dillon Gabriel completed 72.9 percent of his passes for 3,857 yards, 30 touchdowns and only six interceptions. He ranked in the nation’s top 10 in completion percentage (3rd), passing efficiency (7th), passing yards (8th) and TD passes (8th).

He went on to finish third in the Heisman Trophy balloting, was named Big Ten Most Valuable Player and was drafted by the NFL’s Cleveland Browns.Stein’s first season at Oregon, under Coach Dan Lanning, was 2023.

His offense was prolific immediately, leading the nation in passing (346.9 yards per game), completion percentage (77.2 percent), first downs (372) and fewest turnovers lost (7). The Ducks placed second in scoring (44.2 points per game) and total offense (531.4 yards per game).

Led by quarterback Bo Nix, Oregon went 12-2, topped by a win over Liberty in the Fiesta Bowl. Nix threw for 4,508 yards while setting an NCAA record in completion percentage (77.4) and leading the nation in completions (364) and touchdown passes (45).

Oregon had a 1,000-yard rusher and two 1,000-yard receivers. Bucky Irving ran for 1,180 yards and 11 touchdowns while Troy Franklin (1,383 yards, 14 TDs) and Tez Johnson (1,182 yards, 10 TDs) topped the millennium mark.

For Will Stein, the roots in Kroger Field soil run deep. Last Monday, he and his family’s journey came full circle as Stein was named head coach of Kentucky football, as announced by UK Director of Athletics Mitch Barnhart.

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CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro

01:26 - Overcoming Adversity in Coaching

03:37 - High School Coaching Experience

09:05 - Coaching Bo Nix

11:50 - Coaching Under Coach Lanning

12:55 - Using Tempo in Offense

14:08 - Recruiting Quarterbacks

17:20 - Personal Moments of Adversity

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