Episode 07 | Defining Moments | Will Stein: On Growing Up, Going Home, and What the Game Can’t Give You

Will Stein grew up in Louisville watching Kentucky football from Section 128. He walked on at Louisville, backed up Teddy Bridgewater, and started thinking about coaching from the sideline.What followed was one of the more unconventional paths to a head coaching job in college football — including a decision to step out of the game entirely and go call plays at a high school in Austin, Texas, when most people in his position would have kept climbing.In this conversation, JP Blevins and MK Wathen sit down with the newly appointed head football coach at the University of Kentucky to talk about the decisions behind the trajectory. The ones that didn't look right from the outside. The ones that built everything that came after.They cover the Lake Travis bet, what it means to coach the whole person and not just the player, the lesson Jeff Traylor gave him in four words, what he hopes his players carry out of Lexington long after the game ends — and what surprised him most about becoming a father.In December 2025, he came home. This is the story of how he got there.—Defining Moments is a long-form conversation series hosted by JP Blevins and MK Wathen. Each episode uncovers the decisions, risks, and quiet realizations that shape a life.New episodes monthly. Subscribe so you don't miss one.🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts: beacons.ai/definingmoments#DefiningMoments #WillStein #Kentucky #BBN #KentuckyFootball #Leadership #Podcast