Will Stein says he's talked with Mark Stoops 'a handful of times' since taking Kentuc

[Matt Dillon]

There are no hard feelings between Kentucky football’s former coach and the one now in charge.

In a 31-minute interview on The Zach Gelb Show from earlier this week, Will Stein fielded plenty of questions about life as the Wildcats’ new head coach. Among the topics of discussion was his relationship with the man he replaced, Mark Stoops. As it turns out, Stein and Stoops have chopped it a few times since the transition that happened back in the winter.

“I connected with Coach Stoops when I got the job,” Stein told Gelb. “We’ve talked a handful of times. Not for an extended amount or things. But he expressed to me that he’s in full support of Kentucky. He loves Kentucky. He loves Lexington. He loves the University. He loves this football program. He wants to see it be successful. Knowing that I have that support from the person who I am replacing is huge. You don’t want any animosity.

Will Stein says he's talked with Mark Sstoops 'a handful of times' since taking Kentucky job

[Bluehausen]

I admit I wasn't the biggest Stoops fan for a plethora of reasons, but if he's being big enough to support the new Coach and Staff then that does indeed speak volumes. I always thought Stoops had character and integrity, I just always disagreed with his philosophy and how the OC position during his tenure seemed to be a revolving door and that's why that side never got traction.

[fastkat]

I admit I wasn't the biggest Stoops fan for a plethora of reasons, but if he's being big enough to support the new Coach and Staff then that does indeed speak volumes. I always thought Stoops had character and integrity, I just always disagreed with his philosophy and how the OC position during his tenure seemed to be a revolving door and that's why that side never got traction.

It wasn't a revolving door until the fans ran Eddie Gran off. In five years he had four winning seasons but there are a bunch of vocal fans who would rather lose 52-49 than win 17-10.

I am unapologetically an Eddie Gran fan. The most successful OC we've ever had here.

[Old School]

Eddie Gran salvaging the 2019 season after two QBs were injured, with a WR moved to QB and an entirely new system installed mid season, was remarkable. He did excellent work at other times too, including 2018. He was versatile and got the most out of what he had in the roster.

The program had some excellent assistant coaches back then: Gran, Dean Hood, Brad White, Steve Clinkscale, Jon Sumrall, and maybe most of all, John Schlarman.

[fastkat]

Eddie Gran salvaging the 2019 season after two QBs were injured, with a WR moved to QB and an entirely new system installed mid season, was remarkable. He did excellent work at other times too, including 2018. He was versatile and got the most out of what he had in the roster.

The program had some excellent assistant coaches back then: Gran, Dean Hood, Brad White, Steve Clinkscale, Jon Sumrall, and maybe most of all, John Schlarman.

Add the 2016 season to that. The first half of the So. Miss game Drew Barker threw the ball all over the field then got his initial injury late in the first half. A couple games later Stephen Johnson takes over at QB and Benny Snell emerges and the offense was changed.

If I'm not mistaken in 2019 we were 2-4 when Bowden took over and went 6-1 after that.

[Bluehausen]

It wasn't a revolving door until the fans ran Eddie Gran off. In five years he had four winning seasons but there are a bunch of vocal fans who would rather lose 52-49 than win 17-10.

I am unapologetically an Eddie Gran fan. The most successful OC we've ever had here.

I agree Gran was the most successful and longest tenured but before and after him, Stoops couldn't keep an OC in place.

I wouldn't say that I was on the FIRE GRAN wagon at the time he was let go.

I applauded Gran's work for doing what he had to do when Lynn Bowden had to play QB.

The overall point however was Stoops went through A LOT of Offensive Coordinators.

[Old School]

Add the 2016 season to that. The first half of the So. Miss game Drew Barker threw the ball all over the field then got his initial injury late in the first half. A couple games later Stephen Johnson takes over at QB and Benny Snell emerges and the offense was changed.

If I'm not mistaken in 2019 we were 2-4 when Bowden took over and went 6-1 after that.

He did a great job in 2016 also. Barker was the centerpiece of the offense and showed why until he was injured. Gran took a lightly regarded backup QB and beat four teams that went bowling.

In 2019, Kentucky started 2-3. First they beat a Toledo team that beat Colorado State and BYU. Then QB Terry Wilson had his knee destroyed by an illegal horse collar tackle in a win over Eastern Michigan. Oddly for that program, Eastern Michigan beat Coastal Carolina and a decent Illinois team that year, both on the road. Illinois went bowling and beat a 10-4 Wisconsin team that played in the Big Ten championship game and Rose Bowl, and 9-4 Michigan, Michigan State, a 10-3 Iowa team, Nebraska, and 11-2 Minnesota. However it happened, they couldn’t beat Eastern Michigan that year.

With backup QB Sawyer Smith playing well, Kentucky had a good lead on Florida until Smith’s had was injured and he couldn’t throw. Kentucky lost that game, and at Mississippi State, and at South Carolina because of that. Gran then went to work, redesigned the whole offense, and rocked it out the rest of the year, including the bowl win against Virginia Tech. The only losses the rest of the way were to 12-2 Georgia and 17-13 to Tennessee. Georgia was winning road games 43-14 at Tennessee and 52-7 at Georgia Tech but Kentucky only lost 21-0 in Athens right after installing that entirely new offense.

[Nightman]

I agree Gran was the most successful and longest tenured but before and after him, Stoops couldn't keep an OC in place.

I wouldn't say that I was on the FIRE GRAN wagon at the time he was let go.

I applauded Gran's work for doing what he had to do when Lynn Bowden had to play QB.

The overall point however was Stoops went through A LOT of Offensive Coordinators.

Neal Brown got a HC job, I didnt like the Dawson hire. I thought Gran was great. Coen burned us twice, I think Scang would have turned out fine if Coen didnt weasel back in lol. Hamden , well was over his head lol. We never were able really to recruit offensive skill positions like we could on defense. I dont know why that was, but I think its more that than the OCs.