This weekend, the epicenter of the football world is at the confluence of three rivers in Pittsburgh, where the nation’s top college football players will hear their names called in the NFL Draft. This ceremony serves as the culmination of years of hard work to realize a dream. Will Stein believes he has created an offensive line at Kentucky filled with players who have a similar fate.
There are many reasons why Stein was attracted to Kentucky. The Wildcats were close in many SEC games, but couldn’t get over the hump. Clearly there was talent on the roster, but that was not the case at every position.
Four of Kentucky’s five starting offensive linemen were seniors. When Jalen Farmer declared for the NFL Draft, Stein had to completely rebuild the offensive line from scratch.
“When I got here, there was like no, no high school commits, barely, at O-line… Everything was depleted. It’s like nobody signed anybody. Like holy crap, man. We have to go get this position, and if we do not get this, we will not win. Like it’s just, it’s a fact,” Stein told Matt Jones on Wednesday morning’s KSR.
“So we went and spent on that position, because in order for us to move the football, we got to protect the quarterback and be able to run the ball.”
Kentucky used a significant chunk of its budget to add experienced players to the offensive line, starting with All-SEC offensive tackle Lance Heard. Offensive guard Tegra Tshabola won a National Championship during his two years as a starter at Ohio State. Center Coleton Price also had multiple years of starting experience at Baylor. Olaus Alinen (Alabama) and Max Anderson (Tennessee) lacked the starts, but still had logged years in the SEC.
After watching this new-look group in spring practice, Stein believes a strength of the Kentucky offense is in the trenches.
Will Stein has an Offensive Line filled with Future NFL Draft Picks - On3
There are many reasons why Stein was attracted to Kentucky. The Wildcats were close in many SEC games, but couldn’t get over the hump. Clearly there was talent on the roster, but that was not the case at every position.
Four of Kentucky’s five starting offensive linemen were seniors. When Jalen Farmer declared for the NFL Draft, Stein had to completely rebuild the offensive line from scratch.
“When I got here, there was like no, no high school commits, barely, at O-line… Everything was depleted. It’s like nobody signed anybody. Like holy crap, man. We have to go get this position, and if we do not get this, we will not win. Like it’s just, it’s a fact,” Stein told Matt Jones on Wednesday morning’s KSR.
“So we went and spent on that position, because in order for us to move the football, we got to protect the quarterback and be able to run the ball.”
Kentucky used a significant chunk of its budget to add experienced players to the offensive line, starting with All-SEC offensive tackle Lance Heard. Offensive guard Tegra Tshabola won a National Championship during his two years as a starter at Ohio State. Center Coleton Price also had multiple years of starting experience at Baylor. Olaus Alinen (Alabama) and Max Anderson (Tennessee) lacked the starts, but still had logged years in the SEC.
After watching this new-look group in spring practice, Stein believes a strength of the Kentucky offense is in the trenches.
Will Stein has an Offensive Line filled with Future NFL Draft Picks - On3
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