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

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning hired Stein away from UTSA in 2022 where he was part of the offensive staff from 2020-22 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 there. 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 is going back to his roots.

Stein played quarterback at Louisville from 2009-2012, appearing in 25 career games. However, Stein's parents both went to Kentucky and he grew up attending 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 place a top-50 offense since the 2021 season and have ranked no better than 100th in total offense each of the last three seasons. In 2025, the Wildcats averaged 341 yards per game, a mark that ranked 105th in the sport.

"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."