In the era of NIL, every recruiting conversation involves money. Will Stein knows that. He isn't hiding from it. But for Kentucky's new offensive coordinator, the checkbook isn't the first thing on the table.
Stein broke down his philosophy on what he looks for in the players he brings in, and it starts with what he calls his "non-negotiables."
"Guys that are accountable. You know, we have a little rule. It's pretty simple: Be where you're supposed to be, when you're supposed to be there, doing what you're supposed to be doing with great effort. Can you be accountable? Can you show up on time? Can you do the little things right that take care of the big things? That's huge. And then in our sport, toughness—mental and physical toughness—that's huge for a football player."
The 'ball goes flat' pitch
When it comes to the Transfer Portal, the market price has risen every single year, and it is not going anywhere. Stein admits you have to "get a grip on the market" by talking to people, but he refuses to get into bidding wars for players who only care about the cash.
"We were not the highest bidders on every single player. It still goes back to relationships... and going to show players how they can develop in your offense. If the first thing to ask about is money, it's probably not the guy that we want. That is real. But that's not the first thing that we want to talk about."
Instead, Stein sells the reality of life after the game.
"I tell them that there's no pickup YMCA football. Like, I'm not putting on pads to go play a pickup football game. So the ball's going to go flat. You're not going to play football forever."
That is something that will resonate; players rise and fall so fast in football. If all you have is just your game, an injury can take that away. If you come play for a coach and a fanbase who cheer you on for 3 or 4 years, you have a lot more opportunities after the whistle blows on your career.
Kentucky is willing to pay for talent, but under Stein, they are looking for players who want a career, not just a quick payday. In today's world of sports, money is king, but Kentucky has two guys who have the same philosophy. Mark Pope has also said that if money is the first thing on your mind, it may be better to go somewhere else.
Will it work? Only time will tell.