WATCH: Kentucky Defensive Coordinator Jay Bateman Mic'd Up at Spring Practice

It’s Spring Football Time in the Bluegrass. As the Wildcats prepare for their fourth practice of the month, Big Blue Nation is still getting to know Will Stein‘s program. Kentucky football fans have a decent idea of what the offense is supposed to look like, but there’s still much to learn about the defense.

Jay Bateman is the man Stein has assigned to lead that half of the line of scrimmage. A veteran with experience at West Point, North Carolina, Florida, and Texas A&M, he’s more seasoned than most of the assistants on Stein’s staff, but he’s still bringing a ton of intensity.

“This is the sign of a good defense. You have to embrace tempo,” he told his group in a meeting while rocking a backwards cap.

“They want to go tempo? Cool. Bring it. Let’s go fast! Get lined up, make your calls, and attack. That’s gotta be our mindset. Today, when they go tempo, I want to get our cleats in the ground, lined up, hands in the dirt, and go play. And friggin’ attack!”

Bateman brought that intensity to the first Kentucky spring practice in shells. He was popping shoulder pads and getting in the Wildcats’ faces during the stretching period. A former inside linebackers coach, this mic’d up feature highlights his work in the group with guys like Bo Barnes, Tavion Wallace, and Devin Smith.

Will Stein’s coaching staff is throwing a ton at the Kentucky football players during spring practice. With great change comes great growth, if they embrace that change. Bateman is not focused on the results this spring, but on the process.

“I don’t think results matter. It’s how they execute,” said Bateman. “If you live your life in football with just how the result is, that’s a hard way to live your life. Sometimes they call a better play. Sometimes they make a better throw. But you play the defense the right way, you play it really, really good. Sometimes you can play it bad, and they crew up worse than you. If you celebrate that, you’re not going to get better. It’s the execution, it’s their mindset, it’s their process, that’s all I’m looking at right now.”

Set the tempo and execute 💪

Go Inside Practice with @CoachBateman. pic.twitter.com/7D9Cb81u5k

— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) March 23, 2026

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