Kentucky football coach channels Curt Cignetti, delivers SEC Media Days quote everyone will remember

TAMPA, FL - Will Stein stood astatine nan SEC Media Days podium for nan first clip arsenic nan Kentucky caput shot coach and fundamentally pulled a move that would make Curt Cignetti proud.

There person been plentifulness of times complete nan past fewer years erstwhile caller caput coaches would constituent to tradition, facilities, a instrumentality guidelines aliases recruiting practices arsenic to why they would person occurrence astatine their caller destination.

A number of those statements usually autumn connected deaf-ears, knowing nan coaches were conscionable going by nan playbook that comes erstwhile taking complete astatine a caller school, aliases becoming a caput coach for nan first time.

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Kentucky Wildcats caput coach Will Stein speaks astatine SEC Football Media Day astatine Tampa Marriott Water Street successful Tampa, Fla., connected July 20, 2026. (Parker S. Freedman/Getty Images)

At Kentucky, nan shot programme had plateaued nether Mark Stoops. There needed to beryllium a consciousness of hunger erstwhile again successful Lexington, and erstwhile Oregon violative coordinator Will Stein was nan man for nan job.

Given his agelong history pinch Kentucky, nan fresh useful pinch Stein. He bleeds blue, and location is capable excitement successful Lexington wrong nan diversion section and instrumentality guidelines for him to person nan support needed to find success, immoderate that whitethorn beryllium complete nan adjacent fewer years.

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But, we're seen Kentucky person occurrence before, though it's been a fewer years since they've garnered headlines.

A Curt Cignetti infinitesimal for nan Kentucky caput coach

On Monday successful Tampa, Will Stein made judge to adhd occurrence to that excitement wrong nan Wildcats base, pinch 1 elemental reply that reminded america of Curt Cignetti telling reporters to 'Google Him' during his introductory news conference astatine Indiana.

When asked nan Kentucky coach was asked why he believes that he tin find occurrence successful Lexington connected nan shot field, Stein took astir 5 aliases six seconds to constitute himself earlier delivering a quote that has evidently made its rounds crossed assemblage football.

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"This is gonna sound for illustration really...I deliberation because of me, to beryllium honest," Stein said to nan room. "I deliberation because of me. I cognize what it takes. I person seen it astatine nan highest levels. I cognize what it takes to enlistee astatine this level

"You conscionable gotta judge man. You sewage to put nan shot down and conscionable play. There's not really thing other to beryllium said. Is it gonna hap overnight? I don't know, I really don't. If I had a crystal ball, everybody successful this room would beryllium really, really, rich | correct now. The champion determination of if it's moving is putting nan shot down and playing football."

Exactly what Kentucky, and assemblage football, fans bask hearing

While Stein would spell connected to mention that location will beryllium bumps successful nan roadworthy on nan way, you can't thief but bask his refreshing return arsenic a first-time caput coach.

There was zero fluff to his answer, conscionable honesty. He wants to triumph now. Not only for himself, but for nan Kentucky programme that he holds beloved to his heart.

"I americium prepared for reliable moments and difficult times," Stein would add. I succumbed to that successful our process. I already do self-talk myself astir really I tin enactment neutral erstwhile worldly is bad, I tin enactment arsenic neutral arsenic imaginable and beryllium very negotiated successful my approach.

"So, that's why. Growing up a instrumentality (of Kentucky) is 1 thing. But, I cognize nan players that we tin get here. I cognize we tin enlistee North, South and East. People travel to Lexington and emotion it. The longer I unrecorded there, nan longer I'm for illustration 'Wow, this spot is incredible. It's sewage everything you want...It takes immoderate TLC, and you gotta attack."

Head coach Will Stein of nan Kentucky Wildcats speaks astatine SEC Football Media Day astatine nan Tampa Marriott Water Street successful Tampa, Fla., connected July 20, 2026. (Parker S. Freedman/Getty Images)

And, it's clear that Will Stein is not going to conscionable patiently hold for his move to alteration nan communicative successful Lexington.

"You can't beryllium backmost and wait. That's 1 point one garbage to do astatine Kentucky is wait."

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Alright, he surely won nan news convention astatine SEC Media Days. Now, let's spot really agelong it takes to get Kentucky into nan CFP conversation.

Who's to opportunity he's wrong? We're each evidently reasoning otherwise of Indiana these days.