One of the biggest complaints Kentucky fans have had over the last decade is the passing game. Even when it was functional, it often felt disjointed, difficult, and reliant on the quarterback being perfect on every single throw to move the chains. That era is officially over. Will Stein has arrived, and his resume with quarterbacks is nothing short of elite.
One of the most impressive things about Stein is his willingness to adapt to his talent. If they have the arm talent to throw it around the yard, he does that. If they need to run it, he adjusts. But the one constant across all his stops? Efficiency at an elite level.
Completion percentage is the key to everything for Kentucky football
Just take a look at the production from his recent signal-callers. The numbers are staggering:
- Frank Harris (UTSA): 4,665 total yards (5th nationally), 41 total TDs (9th nationally), and a 69.6% completion percentage.
- Bo Nix (Oregon): 4,742 total yards (3rd nationally), 51 total TDs (led nation), and an NCAA record 77.4% completion percentage.
- Dillon Gabriel (Oregon): 4,006 total yards (9th nationally), 37 total TDs (T-8th nationally), 72.9% completion percentage.
Do you see the trend? That completion percentage is elite. That means Stein is scheming easy, "layup" throws for the quarterback to get them going. He gets them invested and in a rhythm early. That is something Kentucky quarterbacks have rarely had. In the past, every 3rd down felt like a complex math equation; under Stein, it looks like a reflex.
This is the single biggest reason he was hired. He turns good quarterbacks into great ones, and great ones into Heisman finalists. Now, the only question left is: Who is going to be the lucky guy under center for the Cats next season? If he can bring this level of efficiency to Lexington, the offense is going to look unrecognizable compared to the struggles of recent years.