The Will Stein era is officially off and running.
Stein starts his head-coaching career and Kentucky tenure at 1-0 after an impressive 45-13 victory over No. 7 FCS-ranked Youngstown State on Saturday at Kroger Field.
Kentucky controlled the game behind an impressive debut from quarterback Kenny Minchey and plenty of production from a young group of playmakers.
Minchey finished 18 of 27 passing for 301 yards and four touchdowns, an encouraging performance in his first career start.
Stein was pleased with Minchey’s performance but pointed to one area where his quarterback still has room to improve.
“I thought Kenny played well, he forced the ball down field in a dry, trying to get DJ (Miller) a touch, and like that’s not how you play quarterback, you take what they give you… I think for his first start, I was very pleased with his performance”
Kentucky also found success on the ground. Jason Patterson carried it 11 times for 78 yards, while CJ Baxter had nine carries for 48 yards and two touchdowns.
The Wildcats limited Baxter’s workload in the second quarter, with the coaching staff being cautious with the running back following his previous injury history. Martels Carter Jr., who Kentucky moved from safety to running back in the offseason, added five carries for 37 yards.
Young Receivers Make Immediate Impact
One of the biggest questions surrounding Kentucky football entering the season was the wide receiver room. There was plenty of talent, but not much proven production.
If what that group showed on Saturday is any indication, the talent is going to lead to significant production.
True freshmen Kenny Darby and Prince Jean both found the end zone, giving Kentucky fans an early look at what the young receivers could bring to the offense.
Darby led Kentucky with three catches for 74 yards and a touchdown. Jean added two catches for 27 yards and a score, while Mikkel Skinner flashed his versatility with four receptions for 61 yards and a touchdown. Willie Rodriguez added four catches for 48 yards.
Stein praised the young receivers after the game.
“They’re really good, we’ve had unproven players in that room because of youth, but very talented, Kenny Darby has done it since he first showed up… and same with Prince Jean, he’s the real deal, has one cut mentality, can catch the ball in traffic”
Saturday provided confirmation that Kentucky has talented playmakers capable of making an impact in the passing game.
Kentucky Still Has Plenty to Show
Even with 45 points on the scoreboard, Kentucky’s offense appeared relatively basic throughout much of the afternoon.
The Wildcats did not show many downfield throws or particularly creative developing pass plays. That could have been intentional as the coaching staff looks to withhold parts of the playbook early in the season, even though WIll Stein declined that notion in his postgame press conference.
The defense was similar. Kentucky left something to be desired on defense at times throughout the afternoon, however, their performance was more than adequate against the Penguins. The Wildcats appeared relatively “vanilla”, leaving the possibility that some unique coverages and more exotic blitz packages remain hidden. The projected top two corner backs also missed today’s game.
Youngstown State quarterback Beau Brungard, who was one of the biggest storylines entering the game, finished 23 of 35 passing for 243 yards and a touchdown while adding 29 rushing yards on 12 carries.
Kentucky ultimately prevented the reigning Walter Payton Award winner from taking over the game.
There was also positive injury news following the victory. Terhyon Nicholls and Hassan Sykes both missed Saturday’s game, but Stein said the injuries are not long term. He expects Sykes to play next week, while Nicholls’ status remains uncertain.
Starting right tackle Malachi Wood also missed Saturday’s game but is expected to be ready for next week.
Alabama Awaits in Week 2
Now, Kentucky’s attention turns toward its first major test of the Stein era.
No. 13 Alabama defeated East Carolina 48-10 on Saturday and will travel to Lexington next week for Kentucky’s second game of the season.
SEC Network announced this morning that SEC Nation – the Saturday morning SEC Kickoff show – will be coming to Lexington, next week.
The offense showed explosiveness. The young receivers flashed. Minchey looked comfortable in his first start.
And if Kentucky really was holding back parts of the playbook, there may be plenty more to come.
We will take a deep dive into Alabama on Monday.
For now, Kentucky is 1-0, the Will Stein era has its first win and Big Blue Nation has plenty of reasons to feel good about what it saw Saturday.
For more Kentucky news and coverage, follow me on X @DrewByousBBN.