Rising college football coach named 'premium' target to replace Mark Stoops at Kentucky

Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops | John Reed-Imagn Images

Following 13 seasons at the helm of the football program, Kentucky has officially fired Mark Stoops. Facing a buyout greater than $30 million but coming off back-to-back seasons without a bowl game appearance, the Wildcats bit the bullet and are bracing for a brand new era. Now, it's on to another SEC coaching search.

Jon Sumrall down at Tulane was an obvious candidate for a possible Kentucky opening all season long as Mark Stoops jobs rumors swirled about. But after a short win streak and heightened focus on Sumrall from seemingly every other SEC job opening, the Green Wave head coach landed at Florida before Kentucky hit the market. Such is life, but now the 'Cats move on to another rumored top target: Will Stein, offensive coordinator at Oregon.

"Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein has immediately jumped out as a premium target in Kentucky's very fresh coaching search," Adam Luckett of Kentucky Sports Radio posted on X after the Stoops firing. "That is not a surprise."

One of the early popular names coming up among industry sources as a possibility for the Kentucky head coaching opening: Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein.

Kentucky native who has been Dan Lanning’s offensive coordinator at Oregon the last three years. pic.twitter.com/pttbIZY56o

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 1, 2025

Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports was a national source who said the same exact thing: "One of the early popular names coming up among industry sources as a possibility for the Kentucky head coaching opening: Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein. Kentucky native who has been Dan Lanning’s offensive coordinator at Oregon the last three years."

Stein played at the University of Louisville during his college days, Kentucky's big rival, and even started a game against the Wildcats in which he was replaced by eventual long-term Cardinal starter Teddy Bridgewater. Now, Stein could be returning to the Bluegrass State, this time to head up his own SEC program.

Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein (far left) and former Kentucky coach Rich Brooks (far right) | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Will Stein actually began his coaching career in the Derby City as a grad assistant and then quality control coach for Louisville. He worked the same role at Texas under Charlie Strong but departed the hallowed Longhorn program to go coach quarterbacks and serve as offensive coordinator for a Texas high school team. His play calling chops shined and he earned a position with UTSA short after, and he was promoted from wide receivers coach to offensive coordinator after two seasons. After just one year calling plays for the Roadrunners, Dan Lanning called Stein up and offered him the Oregon OC gig. Voila, here we are, three years and three terrific Oregon offenses later.

With Bo Nix, Dillon Gabriel and now Dante Moore, Stein has produced elite success on the offensive side of the football with three different quarterbacks across his three seasons, and 2025 features perhaps the youngest supporting cast yet — and for the first time, a true junior QB rather than a 5th or 6th-year senior. Yet, Stein and the Ducks are thriving.

There's always the question about a candidate with zero head coaching experience, but at a place like Kentucky, sometimes you're better off just taking a swing on a guy with totally untapped potential at HC.