Will Stein on why Kentucky can win: ‘Because of me’
By David Wasson
Published:
Give Kentucky football coach Will Stein credit for one thing: He certainly understands the concept of talking season in the SEC.
The new Wildcats coach took the podium Monday at Day 1 of the SEC Media Days in Tampa by force, boldly declaring that Big Blue Nation can win on the gridiron for one simple reason: “Because of me.”
“This is going to sound like, really… I think of me, to be honest. Because of me,” said Stein when answering a query about his belief that he can win big at Kentucky. “I know what it takes. I have seen it at the highest levels. I know what it takes to recruit at this level. You just gotta believe. You just gotta put the ball down and play.”
Stein, a former quarterback at Louisville who worked for three seasons under head coach Dan Lanning at Oregon, takes over following Mark Stoops’ 13-season tenure in Lexington. Kentucky finished 5-7 overall and 2-6 in conference play last season.
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“Is it gonna happen overnight? I don’t know,” Stein continued. “If I had a crystal ball, everybody in this room would be really, really rich right now. The best determination of if what you’re doing working is putting the ball down and playing football.
“There’s gonna be bumps in the road. I am prepared for tough moments and tough times. I have succumbed to that in our process. … Growing up a fan is great, but I know the players we can get here. We can recruit north, south, east and west.”
The Stein era begins at Kentucky on Sept. 5 when the Wildcats host Youngstown State.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
