Kentucky Wildcats fired Mark Stoops in December after 13 seasons. Within weeks, the Wildcats already had their replacement locked in. ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum was asked about it this week and did not hold back.

Finebaum brought up Kentucky while breaking down Alabama Crimson Tide's 2026 schedule on his own show. He pointed straight to the new head coach, Will Stein, who is now running things in Lexington.

"Will Stein has certainly breathed a lot into that program. Is Kentucky's turnaround enough to make a difference?" Finebaum said on The Paul Finebaum Show per SI.

Finebaum's confidence on the podcast, as reported by SI, comes from Stein's track record.

Stein spent the last three seasons as the Oregon Ducks' offensive coordinator before Kentucky hired him away on December 1, last year. He walks into Kentucky with a coaching record, having mentored Heisman finalists Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel during that stretch, along with rising star Dante Moore.

Nix went on to set the FBS record for completion percentage in a single season at 77.4 percent under Stein's offense. That kind of track record is hard to ignore for a program that has struggled to score points for years, coming off a 9-15 record over the past two seasons.

"I'm honored and excited to become the next head coach at Kentucky," Stein said in his introductory statement. "Growing up in Kentucky and sitting in the stands at UK games as a kid, I could only dream of one day leading the Wildcats. This is truly a dream come true."

Stein has deep roots in the state, too. Both his parents went to school in Kentucky, and he actually played quarterback at rival Louisville Cardinals from 2008 to 2012. For him, this job was always personal.

Kentucky signed him to a full five-year deal right away. That is not a short-term experiment. The effect of the hire is already reflecting in the program.

Kentucky's Recruiting Class Is Already Climbing

Stein inherited a Kentucky team that went just 3-13 in SEC play the last two seasons. He came in with a reputation for building offenses and developing quarterbacks, which is exactly what this roster has been missing.

The early signs on the recruiting trail back that up fast. Kentucky already has 24 commits in the 2027 class, putting them at the eighth-ranked class in the entire SEC, as per On3's rankings.

That group includes four-star quarterback Jake Nawrot, who is ranked as the fifth-best quarterback prospect in the country, according to On3. Recruits clearly like what they are seeing from the new staff already.

Do you think Will Stein can turn Kentucky into a real SEC contender? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Farheen Fathima

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar