Stein's Guts Lead Cats to Another Significant Victory

Kentucky head coach Will Stein has guts. He proved that last week when he elected to go for a do-or-die two-point conversion at South Carolina. The conversion worked as Kenny Minchey found Willie Rodriguez in the back of the end zone to seal a 35-34 win in Columbia.

On Saturday, Stein was faced with the exact same situation. Facing No. 10 LSU, Stein and his Cats fell behind again in overtime. However, running back C.J. Baxter found the end zone to get UK within a point.

Stein wasted no time in signaling to his team that they would go for two. The Cats lined up with Rodriguez in the backfield, appearing that he would take a snap in the Wildcat. However, Stein called timeout and sent Minchey back into the game.

The Cats came back out with five wide receivers, spreading out the LSU defense. Stein gave all of the credit for the play to Minchey.

“You call a two-point play that is kind of a basic concept,” Stein said. “Kenny saw a light box and ended up taking it himself. So, some confidence by him in that moment. Giving him the ability to check that, if it’s a light box and so it was four people in there and he decided to run.”

Stein thought going for two in that situation was the right call, like last week, for multiple reasons.

“Just tough to stop those guys (LSU),” Stein said. “Sam Leavitt is really good. They’ve got big backs. They were throwing it all over the yard.”

Stein is off to a 5-1 start, the best start for a first-year Kentucky head coach in over a century. since 1913 when Alpha Brumage started 6-1.

The first-year UK head man is not satisfied with where he and his team are and he’s going to continue to push the Cats and himself.

“I’m just trying to be my best every single day and give it my all for this university,” Stein said. “It took a chance on me and I’m going to give it all for my players, who have done an unbelievable job at this point.”

Stein also knows that there’s still half of this season left and his team has some goals left to attempt to accomplish.

“It’s not about wins,” Stein said. “We’re 5-1, which is great, and we have more opportunities ahead.”

Stein’s guts have put the Cats in a position to win the last two games and to get off to a 5-1 start. The UK head coach continues to set new standards for first-year coaches at Kentucky, and he won another signature game on Saturday.