LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) 鈥� Will Stein has used spring practice to speed up Kentucky using techniques he learned at as he works to transform the Wildcats before his debut season.
The result has been practices without many breaks this spring, and fans get their first glimpse at the difference Saturday in the spring game.
The has been busy not only getting his roster on the same page, but also the entire
鈥淚鈥檓 just used to doing things the right way. I鈥檝e seen it done the right way for a long time,鈥� Stein said. 鈥淥ver my entire career, all my stops have typically been stops where we鈥檝e won, and so I know what it looks like at the highest level.鈥�
Defensive line coach Anwar Stewart, the lone holdover from the previous coaching staff, said the practice sessions are unlike the ones he experienced either as a player or coach at
鈥淲e鈥檙e running from spot to spot,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e not getting the water breaks you鈥檙e getting when you鈥檙e out. When we get back in there, we鈥檙e rolling, and we鈥檙e trying to get as many reps as we can, because the more reps we can get, the better the young men are getting.鈥�
Stein鈥檚 philosophy is to move as fast as possible from start to finish, especially during 鈥渃haotic鈥� circumstances when it matters most.
鈥淲e鈥檙e always working,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 always work to be done. I鈥檓 not going to sit back and take a seat. Like, we鈥檙e here to work, we鈥檙e here to play. I鈥檓 trying to put a product on the field that the Kentucky faithful is proud of and not (create) a country club environment.鈥�
Stewart has also been impressed with Stein鈥檚 ability to bring 鈥渢he juice and energy鈥� on a daily basis, which has rejuvenated the program from top to bottom.
鈥橦e鈥檚 awesome,鈥� Stewart said. 鈥淗e just continues every day, just bringing it as a staff. We鈥檙e all in and he鈥檚 bringing the juice. Everybody鈥檚 bringing the juice. We鈥檙e flying around, having a great time.鈥�
spent the previous three seasons as offensive coordinator at under Dan Lanning and also enjoyed the same success at UTSA. He played at rival Louisville and began his coaching career there. His practice techniques feature his own style mixed with other styles he learned under Lanning.
鈥淚 think everybody here has the same vision as me, and they鈥檙e working night and day to make sure we鈥檙e putting the product on the field that is our absolute best and winning solves a lot,” Stein said.
Stein鈥檚 first order of business will be to overcome two straight losing seasons when the season opens Sept. 5 against Youngstown State. In the final two years of the , the Wildcats finished with a 9-15 record and compiled a 3-13 mark in the Southeastern Conference.
鈥淲hen you win, there鈥檚 enough for everybody,鈥� Stein said. 鈥淲hen you lose, there鈥檚 not enough for anybody. We鈥檙e just so focused on the process right now and our daily habits and proud of our entire organization up to this point.鈥�
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