Will Stein Emerging as Top Candidate in Kentucky Football Coaching Search After Mark Stoops Firing

On December 1, 2025, Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein abruptly moved from being one of college football’s hottest assistant coaches to the center of a full-blown SEC coaching search. After Kentucky fired long‑time head coach Mark Stoops, multiple national outlets immediately identified Stein as a leading candidate — and, in some cases, the early favorite — to take over in Lexington.

Stein’s name surfaced within hours of Stoops’ dismissal, with industry insiders pointing to his combination of deep Kentucky ties and cutting‑edge offensive credentials. A Louisville native and former Louisville Cardinals quarterback, Stein has spent the last three seasons as Oregon’s offensive coordinator under Dan Lanning, piloting one of the most explosive and efficient attacks in the country.

Reports today describe Stein as one of the “early popular names” on Kentucky’s board, emphasizing that he checks several boxes athletic director Mitch Barnhart is expected to prioritize: youth, offensive innovation and familiarity with the region’s recruiting footprint. Stein’s family connections to the school — his father played football at Kentucky and his mother also attended UK — only sharpen the narrative that this could be a homecoming hire if the Wildcats decide to swing big.

For Honyve readers tracking the carousel, Stein’s candidacy is more than a feel‑good local story. Since arriving in Eugene, he’s been labeled an offensive “wizard,” credited with back‑to‑back seasons in which Oregon quarterbacks earned Heisman Trophy finalist invites. Today’s coverage underscores that track record as a primary reason Kentucky might be willing to hand him his first head‑coaching shot in the gauntlet of the SEC.

Local Kentucky media have gone a step further than national roundups, openly lobbying for Stein as the choice. In columns and hot boards published today, Stein is framed as the kind of offensive‑minded, modern program‑builder capable of resetting expectations in Lexington, especially as the SEC expands and offensive firepower becomes even more essential.

As of tonight, there is no indication that Kentucky has formally interviewed Stein or reached the offer stage, and Oregon has made no public comment about its coordinator’s future. What is clear from today’s reporting is that Will Stein has transitioned from rising assistant to headline name in one of this cycle’s most prominent searches — and, for now, the coaching world is watching to see whether a Kentucky native leaves a national contender to try to elevate his home‑state program.