Sources: Kentucky targeting Oregon OC Stein

Kentucky is targeting Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein for the program's open head coaching job and the sides are working toward a deal, sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel on Monday.

Stein, 36, is a Kentucky native who has emerged as one of the country's top offensive coordinators and playcallers after working with several notable quarterbacks at Oregon.

Stein would remain in his role as Oregon's offensive coordinator and playcaller throughout the team's playoff run, per a source. The Ducks finished the regular season 11-1 and was sixth in last week's College Football Playoff rankings.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning hired Stein from UTSA in 2022 where he was part of the offensive staff from 2020 to 2022 as well as the co-offensive coordinator during his final season there.

Since arriving in Eugene, Stein has helped the program to a top 10 scoring offense in two of his three years. While in the role, Stein has also coached two Heisman finalists -- quarterbacks Bo Nix (2023) and Dillon Gabriel (2024).

Like his predecessor Kenny Dillingham, who left his post as Oregon's offensive coordinator in 2023 to become Arizona State's head coach (Dillingham is from Phoenix), Stein would be going back to his roots.

Stein played quarterback at Louisville in 2009-2012, appearing in 25 career games. Both of Stein's parents attended Kentucky and he grew up going to Wildcats games.

Kentucky fired longtime coach Mark Stoops after 13 seasons Sunday. The Wildcats finished with a 5-7 record this season after going 4-8 in 2024.

"I played in the West Coast offense at Louisville," Stein told ESPN in an interview last year. "So [his offensive system] is all a derivative of that. We play fast and free and we put a lot on the quarterback, but we give them a lot of freedom too."

With this move, the program is betting on Stein's offensive acumen and history with quarterback play after plenty of recent struggles on that side of the ball.

Kentucky has failed to produce a top-50 offense since the 2021 season and has ranked no better than 100th in total offense each of the past three seasons. In 2025, the Wildcats averaged 341 yards, a mark that ranked 105th.

"It's hard to put a label on what we do [as an offense] because we kind of do it all," Stein said in 2024 of his approach. "That's where college football is going."