Oregon Offensive Coordinator Will Stein is Set to Depart Eugene for Lexington, Kentucky
The University of Kentucky has hired Oregon Ducks’ offensive coordinator Will Stein as its next head coach, according to multiple reports. Stein, who has served as the Ducks’ offensive coordinator since 2023, will be embarking on his first head-coaching job at any level.
A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Stein’s name quickly emerged as a top candidate following the dismissal of former Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops on Monday. Stoops, who held the position since 2013, compiled an 82-80 record with the Wildcats. The team finished the recent regular season with a 5-7 overall record and 2-6 in SEC play.
At just 36 years old, Stein was labeled the “leading candidate” on Monday afternoon before On3’s Pete Nakos reported that Kentucky had officially hired him. The Athletic and CBS Sports also confirmed the news shortly thereafter.
Stein’s return to the Bluegrass State marks both a homecoming and a fresh chapter in the longstanding rivalry associated with the Governor’s Cup. Stein played quarterback for the Louisville Cardinals from 2008 to 2012. During his collegiate career, he led the Cardinals to two victories over Kentucky (2011-12) and suffered three losses (2008-10).
During his tenure at Oregon, Stein coached two Heisman Trophy finalists: Bo Nix in 2023 and Dillon Gabriel in 2024. Dante Moore, the Ducks’ 2025 quarterback, currently holds the eighth-best odds (+50,000) to win this year’s Heisman Trophy.
Under head coach Dan Lanning and Stein’s leadership, Oregon has achieved a 36-4 overall record. The Ducks earned the No. 1 overall seed in last year’s College Football Playoff (CFP) and are currently ranked No. 6 by the CFP selection committee, with expectations to return to playoff contention this season.
Oregon’s offense has ranked No. 13 nationally this year, averaging 465.2 yards per game. Remarkably, their offense ranks third among Power Five teams, trailing only Indiana (No. 2, 483.8 ypg) and USC (No. 17, 471.6 ypg).
Before joining Oregon, Stein held roles at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). In 2022, he served as the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and from 2020 to 2021, he was the pass-game coordinator and receivers coach.
The Outlook for Oregon
It remains unclear whether Stein will coach the Ducks during the upcoming playoff. Meanwhile, Oregon’s defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi is also reportedly a candidate for the University of California’s head coaching vacancy.
Ahead of Oregon’s game against Washington, head coach Dan Lanning expressed support for his staff, highlighting their potential for advancement. “My goals for our staff and really myself is for me to be able to help people advance for opportunities for themselves that make a lot of sense,” Lanning said. “Will that happen this year for (Lupoi)? I think it has to make unbelievable sense for him for it to happen. Same for (Stein) and same for several coaches on our staff. We have a bunch of coaches that are going to be phenomenal head coaches when they get that chance. But we also have a really good product here that a lot of these guys have said, ‘no,’ to a lot of great opportunities, because they don’t want to leave what we have here.”
As Oregon navigates these coaching changes, fans will be watching closely to see how the Ducks’ program evolves moving forward.
https://newberggraphic.com/2025/12/01/will-stein-oregon-ducks-offensive-coordinator-kentucky-wildcats-head-coach-2025/