Cats enjoy first spring under "very relatable" Will Stein

It hasn’t taken Will Stein long to make a big impression on his first team at Kentucky, both on and off the field.

Two of the Wildcats’ expected leaders entering the 2026 season, quarterback Kenny Minchey and safety Ty Bryant, spoke glowingly about the new UK boss after wrapping up the Blue/White Spring Game on Saturday at Kroger Field.

“I don’t know if ‘players coach’ is the word, but he’s very relatable,” said Minchey, a junior who transferred from Notre Dame and is expected to be the Cats’ starter this fall. “He connects to a lot of his players, whether that be in the middle of practice, you know, like hands-on coaching; whether that be after practice, come and pulling guys aside, talking about certain reps, situational football; whether that be in the lunchroom, you know, sitting down with the players, just eating lunch, kind of casual.

“I’d say he’s very, very relatable. And that’s super-beneficial, especially for young guys coming in.”

It makes sense. In the grand scheme of things, Stein is a young guy. He is taking over an SEC program at the age of 36, and there’s not a huge culture gap between him and most of his roster.

For that reason, Minchey says, it doesn’t feel like some of the other head coaches he’s been around. Stein doesn’t isolate himself or put himself “on a pedestal.”

“I feel like he integrates himself into everybody else,” Minchey added.

Unlike many of his colleagues in the P4 ranks, Stein can talk to the players on their level without sounding inauthentic.

“He’s got a lot of energy,” said Bryant, a senior safety who had many opportunities to play for other top programs after UK parted ways with former head coach Mark Stoops, but elected to cast his lot with Stein.

“He brings the energy every day. Every time he walked into the building, he got energy, and I love that. He walked into the team meeting room, and, you know, he’d be in there bobbing his head to the music, singing the music, and stuff like that.”

Bryant also loves the competitor he has learned Stein to be.

“If you was to see him, you would think that he’s putting on shoulder pads and a helmet, like how he want to get after it and compete.”