Will Stein, Kentucky are worth believing in: 'We're fighters, man'

Kentucky head coach Will Stein. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Will Stein, Kentucky are worth believing in: 'We're fighters, man'

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated Oct 9, 2026 12:15 AM ET

Head coach Will Stein was pretty clear with his Kentucky Wildcats team after they beat the South Carolina Gamecocks.

Stein said one must be "high" to not believe in what he is doing with this Wildcats program. That's the amount of belief that he personally has in Kentucky football.

"If you don't believe in what we're doing, man, you are high," Stein told his team after they overcame a 17-0 deficit to win the game, 35-34, in overtime.

Stein is now 4-1 as a rookie head coach, and his team boasts wins over No. 9 Texas A&M (on the road) and South Carolina. It's also worth noting that the Wildcats gave the Alabama Crimson Tide a scare in the first half until Alabama pulled away in the third quarter.

In fact, at one point early in the third quarter, Stein's Kentucky team was leading Alabama, 17-13.

"If you don't believe in what we're doing, man, you are high." pic.twitter.com/sTWrlFDBUf
— Tristan Pharis (@TristanUda) October 8, 2026

Will Stein and the Kentucky Wildcats can't be counted out

Kentucky is not a traditional blueblood program. Much of the Wildcats' energy as an athletic department has been reserved for the basketball team.

With that said, Indiana football wasn't a blueblood either, and head coach Curt Cignetti led the Hoosiers to an undefeated season and a national championship.

Anything is possible in the NIL and transfer portal era, where non-traditional powers have been able to even the playing field thanks to the big bags of money that are now out in the open.

It's not just about the money, either. Stein was highly regarded as a head-coaching candidate. A former quarterback at Louisville, he served as Dan Lanning's offensive coordinator with the Oregon Ducks from 2023 to 2025.

That's about as good as a "dress rehearsal" as a young, offensive-minded head coach can get.

Kentucky has a huge game this weekend in which it can continue to prove itself against the No. 10 LSU Tigers, but either way, Stein has put Kentucky football back on the map early on in his tenure as head coach.

The Wildcats can't be counted out.

"We’re fighters, man,” Stein said earlier this week . “We play really hard. We play connected as one. You know, we’ve obviously been through a lot, honestly, since I’ve gotten here. We’ve had ups and downs, and we’ve just found a way.”

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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