LEXINGTON — Kentucky football moved at warp speed as it ushered in a new era.
On the same day it fired longtime coach Mark Stoops, it announced his replacement: Will Stein.
Stoops had been on the job 13 seasons — the longest tenure of any coach in school history. Stein, on the other hand, has never been a head coach before.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementStein had been viewed as one of the Wildcats' top candidates — Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline being the other — as soon as the job opened. Which is exactly what came to pass. UK announced Stoops' dismissal at 8:28 a.m. Monday. Stein was introduced as Stoops' successor at 11:10 p.m. Monday.
Here are three things to know about Stein, who will attempt to lead the Wildcats back to the postseason after a two-year drought — and possibly into the mix for a New Year's Six bowl, a place the program hasn't been in decades:
Will Stein's coaching background, playing career
April 15, 2011; Louisville, KY, USA; Louisville Cardinals quarterback Will Stein (4) drops back to pass during the Red & White spring game at Papa Johns Cardinal Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY SportsStein starred as a quarterback at Trinity High, where he won three state titles. In leading the school to a state championship in 2007, he set a single-season program mark for touchdown passes (54) while completing 70.8% of his attempts for 3,697 yards.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementStein then moved on to Louisville, where he played from 2008 to 2012. He played under two coaches at UofL: Steve Kragthorpe and Charlie Strong. Despite joining the program as a walk-on, Stein started two games in 2009. He appeared in two games in 2010, and entered the 2011 season as the starter. Ironically, he was injured in the team's 24-17 win over Kentucky that year. Teddy Bridgewater stepped in, and Stein never started another game for UofL.
Once he hung up his cleats, Stein immediately entered the coaching profession, joining the Cardinals' staff as a graduate assistant (working with the team's quarterbacks) in 2013 before becoming a quality control coach (tutoring the wide receivers) in 2014.
Stein reunited with Strong at Texas in 2015; the former Trinity and UofL signal caller spent the next two seasons as a quality control coach (focusing on the Longhorns' wideouts) before assisting the quarterbacks in 2017. He dipped into the high school ranks in the Lone Star State at Lake Travis High for two years (2018 and 2019) before he was hired as Texas-San Antonio's wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator in 2020. After two seasons in that role, he was promoted, becoming the Roadrunners' co-offensive coordinator.
One stellar season in that capacity paved the way to Stein's most recent gig: Oregon offensive coordinator.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBeginning with his maiden campaign in 2023, the Ducks' offense has been a consistent presence near the top of the national rankings.
They finished second in the FBS in scoring offense and total offense in his first season on the job, then followed that up by finishing among the top 25 in both categories in 2024.
Oregon is averaging 38.2 points (No. 9 in the country) and 465.2 yards (13th nationally) per game this fall.
Will Stein's salary at Oregon
Oregon Offensive Coordinator Will Stein, right, supervises a drill during the second spring practice for the Oregon Duck football team on Saturday, March 16, 2024.Per the USA TODAY Sports' assistant coach salary database, Stein's salary in 2024 was $1.4 million. That put him in a five-way tie for 29th among assistant coaches at the FBS level last year, alongside then-Nebraska offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield, then-Clemson defensive coordinator Wes Goodwin and two Ohio State staffers (associate head coach/defensive line coach Larry Johnson and secondary coach Tim Walton).
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementStein's bonus pay in 2024 was capped at $160,000.
Though an exact dollar figure was not revealed, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported Stein signed a five-year contract to become Kentucky's coach.
Will Stein's NFL pedigree
Nov 30, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) celebrates with fans after the game against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium.What players coached by Stein have gone on to hear their name called in the NFL draft?
Glad you asked.
At the bottom of the release announcing his hire, Kentucky listed every member of that group, which totals 11 draftees in all.
Here they are:
2025 draft (Oregon)
1st Round – Josh Conerly Jr. (OL) – Washington Commanders
2nd Round – Terrance Ferguson (TE) – Los Angeles Rams
3rd Round – Dillon Gabriel (QB) – Cleveland Browns
5th Round – Jordan James (RB) – San Francisco 49ers
6th Round – Ajani Cornelius (OL) – Dallas Cowboys
7th Round – Tez Johnson (WR) – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2024 draft (Oregon)
1st Round – Bo Nix (QB) – Denver Broncos
2nd Round – Jackson Powers-Johnson (OL) – Las Vegas Raiders
4th Round – Troy Franklin (WR) – Denver Broncos
4th Round – Bucky Irving (RB) – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2022 draft (UTSA)
4th Round – Spencer Burford (OL) – San Francisco 49ers
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at [email protected] and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThis article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Will Stein Kentucky salary info and background with Oregon football
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