Story byThe Courier JournalRyan Black, Louisville Courier JournalTue, December 2, 2025 at 5:44 AM UTC·4 min readLEXINGTON — Kentucky football moved at warp speed as it ushered in a new era. On the same day it fired longtime coach Mark Stoops, it announced his replacement: Will Stein. Stoops had been on the job 13 seasons — the longest tenure of any coach in school history. Stein, on the other hand, has never been a head coach before. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementStein had been viewed as one of the Wildcats' top candidates — Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline being the other — as soon as the job opened. Which is exactly what came to pass.
