Kentucky football fans are already buzzing about the Will Stein era, but a new quote from the NFL Combine just added high-octane fuel to the fire.
Former Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price, a projected top-50 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, was answering questions from the media when the topic shifted to his former teammate, and current Kentucky signal-caller, Kenny Minchey.
Price didn't just give a polite answer; he issued a definitive warning to the rest of the SEC.
"Kenny Minchey, yeah. I’m excited to see what he does," Price said. "Not a lot of people have seen what he can do behind the scenes. And as you probably know, there was a quarterback battle going into last fall. And people were wondering, why did it take so long to decide who’s going to be the number one guy? Well, because Kenny’s that dude. So I’m excited to see what he does this season."
The toss-up in South Bend
Price’s comments confirm what many insiders said during the 2025 offseason: the battle between Minchey and CJ Carr was extremely close.
Minchey eventually took his talents to the portal, famously flipping from Nebraska to Kentucky in a span of just 24 hours this January. That move left Matt Rhule and the Cornhuskers scrambling, but it gave Will Stein exactly the kind of "adaptable" athlete he needs to run his new-look offense in Lexington.
Will Stein wants to run to win and throw to score
Minchey's arrival aligns perfectly with Will Stein's philosophy. Stein has been vocal about his strategy, telling analysts like Oliver Chuck that he wants an offense that runs to win, but throws it to score, "Obviously, you want to be able to run the ball to win, but throw the ball to score."
For a quarterback with Minchey's accuracy (completing 23 of 28 in limited college action) and dual-threat mobility, that is music to his ears.
With a rebuilt offensive line and a staff that believes in his high upside, the stage is set. Nearly everyone in South Bend believed Minchey could have been the starter for a playoff team. Now, Big Blue Nation gets to find out if "that dude" can translate that talent into SEC wins.
Only time will tell, but Jadarian Price is already putting his stamp of approval on the Minchey era.