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PrintLEXINGTON, Ky. (KT) -- Kentucky football coach Will Stein is glad to be back home in the Bluegrass and has no plans of looking elsewhere eight games into his tenure.
"I love everything about this job," he said on his weekly radio show. "Number one, I love our fans. I love the Bluegrass. I love being a homegrown guy from Kentucky. I love UK, I really do.
While at Oregon and enjoying success as offensive coordinator, Stein had the Kentucky job on his radar and a future destination.
"This is a spot when you talk about places that I circled," Stein said. "This was really the one job when I was at Oregon that I felt like, if I ever got offered, it was a no-question take it, because I would have always been sick to my stomach looking at this job with somebody else in the seat, given the opportunity that I had."
Stein has led the Wildcats to a 7-1 start, including a 5-1 mark in the Southeastern Conference and a No. 9 ranking in his first season as coach of the Wildcats. Kentucky is atop the SEC standings by a half-game over Georgia going into the team's only bye week of the season.
"I love it here," he said. "My family loves it here. I'm obviously close to home, being from Louisville, and want to continue to grow here and grow my family."
DOMINATION
After collecting just 14 yards in the first quarter in a 34-17 win over Vanderbilt on Saturday, Stein said "there was some really dominant football that was played" by his squad.
"I thought offensively, the third-down conversions were clearly the best of the entire season," Stein said of the Wildcats, who finished 8-for-13 on third-down conversions. "I thought we kept them off rhythm defensively and pitched them a lot of different looks. Defensively, obviously the two takeaways were massive in the game."
The Kentucky coach added the defensive unit gave up too many third-down conversions. Vandy converted seven-of-12 third-down plays.
"But the takeaways again were the difference in the game," he said. "We had some really outstanding plays. ... It was a big win. (There were) a lot of reasons why it was a big win. I thought our resolve was definitely shown on tape, and didn't start great, but it finished really well."
CONNECTED
Stein likes the staff he has assembled in his first season, one that he says has "very little egos."
"We put together a great staff, guys that are about the team," Stein said. "You've got to have some sort of pride in performance, not egos, but confidence in you as a coach.
"I think we all get along well, and get along doesn't just mean it's sunshine and roses every single day. It's truth. It's holding people accountable, even as a staff, and ultimately guys that you love being around and that love Kentucky football."
HONORS
Kentucky freshman wide receiver Kenny Darby was named SEC Freshman of the Week for the third time this season.
Darby caught four passes for 71 yards, including a 44-yard reception on the first drive of the second half that led to a touchdown.
Through the first eight games, Darby has caught 38 passes for 507 yards. He leads the team in receptions and is third among all receivers in the SEC.
GAME SET
Kentucky's border showdown at Tennessee on Nov. 7 is set for 6:15 p.m. on ESPN.
