Will Stein has left no doubt about how his team is going to play. He is going to be aggressive in all three phases, and that is such a welcome change for a fanbase that has grown tired of playing not to lose.
Under Mark Stoops and Brad White, Kentucky sat back and hoped the other team would make a mistake. They played soft zone, rarely blitzed, and went with the frustrating "bend-but-don't-break" style of defense to try to keep them in games longer. The problem is if you are not getting pressure with four guys, quarterbacks will pick you apart. That is exactly what happened time and time again over the last two years, with teams like Eastern Michigan coming into Kroger Field and throwing for 330 yards. That simply can't happen in the SEC.
Even Mitch Barnhart had seen enough.
Well, BBN can rejoice. On today's KSR show, Will Stein talked more about his plan for the defense, and he dropped a line that felt like a direct shot at the ghosts of the past.
Will Stein is "not a bend-don't-break guy'
Stein said it plain as day on KSR: "I'm not a bend-don't-break guy."
That quote alone is music to Kentucky fans' ears, but it should absolutely terrify Florida fans. Why? Because they just hired Brad White as their defensive coordinator under Jon Sumrall.
Brad White is the king of "bend-but-don't-break," and he will likely carry that conservative philosophy over to a Florida team that is desperate for a spark. Gators fans are about to experience the same frustration Kentucky fans have lived with: corners playing ten yards off the ball on 3rd-and-4, soft zones that get shredded by efficient quarterbacks, and a refusal to bring the house when the game is on the line. It felt like every game teams would light Kentucky up on third and longs.
Maybe it was all a Mark Stoops mandate, and we will see White totally change how he calls games in Gainesville. The only way to know will be to see it in action this fall. But if it is the same old "Bend But Don't Break Brad," good luck, Gators. You are going to need it. Meanwhile, in Lexington, the days of sitting back and waiting to be attacked are officially over. We are the ones doing the attacking now.