While most of the attention around Will Stein has centered on coordinators and splashy names, one quiet staff change just hit a position group that matters a lot in his offense: Derek Shay is leaving Kentucky.
The expectation now is that Justin Burke, who joined Stein's staff from UTSA, will step into the tight ends role and help reshape that room.
Who Derek Shay is and why his journey matters
Shay isn’t some random name who wandered into the building. His path has hit just about every level of football:
- Cerro Gordo, Illinois native, started coaching before he even graduated college.
- Student assistant at Bowling Green (2011–13), cutting his teeth under Dino Babers and staff.
- Jumped into high school coaching at Indianapolis Warren Central, one of the true power programs in the Midwest, as co-OC and OL coach.
- Landed at IMG Academy, the powerhouse of powerhouses in the high school space, where relationships and development really matter.
- Followed those offensive connections to LSU, where he spent two seasons as a GA working with tight ends under Ed Orgeron.
- Finally landed at Kentucky when Vince Marrow left for Louisville, stepping into a critical developmental role in the tight ends room.
That’s a lot of football, a lot of systems, and a lot of recruiting networks. Losing him isn’t nothing.
Will Stein didn’t panic he just promoted his own guy
The good news for Kentucky is that this wasn’t a panic move. Stein came in with a clear offensive identity and brought people he trusts to execute it.
Burke comes over from UTSA and being familiar Stein, means:
- He already speaks the language of the offense.
- He knows what the tight end position needs to look like in this system.
- He’s been in the room as they’ve designed game plans around multiple formations and versatile personnel.
Tight ends, in Stein’s world, can’t just be extra linemen or occasional checkdowns. They’re:
- Formational chess pieces (attached, flexed, in motion).
- Mismatch creators in the seams and red zone.
- Key blockers in the run and RPO game.
With players like Willie Rodriguez, Mikkel Skinner and anyone else Kentucky adds at the position, this room has real potential to become a strength, if coached and used correctly.