Stein at 5-1: best UK first-year coaching start since 1913

Will Stein is 5-1 in his first season at Kentucky. According to UK Athletics' postgame notes after the 35-34 overtime win over No. 10 LSU, that makes him the first Kentucky head coach to start 5-1 in his first year since Alpha Brumage in 1913. It is a great piece of trivia, but the more useful question is what it tells us about this team, and which parts of the start look sustainable.

The record book, in context

The 1913 comparison grabs the headline, but UK's notes include several marks that say more about this specific team:

• Stein is the first coach in school history to open 3-1 in SEC play in his first season. SEC football began in 1933, so that list covers more than 90 years of first-year coaches.
• He is the first Kentucky coach to beat two ranked opponents in his first season.
• Kentucky has two wins over AP top-10 teams this year, LSU at home and No. 9 Texas A&M on the road. UK Athletics says that has happened only four times in school history: 1947, 1964, 2007 and now 2026.
• Kentucky has scored at least 31 points in five of its first six games, the first time since 2007, and Stein is the first Kentucky head coach to do it in his first season.

Put together, those notes describe a coach whose team has been competitive against good opponents and productive on offense from the first month. That is a different profile from a hot start built on a soft schedule.

What has actually been working

The details in UK's notes point to a few repeatable strengths, not just luck.

Ball security. Kenny Minchey has thrown 178 passes with one interception, the most attempts to open a season with a single pick since Maxwell Smith in 2013. Kentucky had no turnovers against LSU, forced two and is +7 on the season. Turnover margin swings from year to year, but a quarterback who protects the ball gives a team a chance to win close games.

Halftime adjustments. Kentucky hasn't allowed a point on an opponent's first possession of the second half all season. Opponents have gained 24 yards total on those drives, 4.0 per possession. Against LSU, the Cats intercepted a pass on the first play of the third quarter. That says something about coaching: the staff is diagnosing what went wrong in the first half and fixing it.

Using the tight ends. UK tight ends have 44 catches through six games, the most at that point of a season since 2000. Willie Rodriguez caught six passes against LSU and has a reception in 17 of his last 18 games. It isn't flashy, but it is a sign of a coherent offensive plan that gets the ball to players who can win short-yardage matchups.

The part that should worry you a little

The last two wins came by the same 35-34 score in overtime, against South Carolina and LSU. UK Athletics notes they are the first back-to-back overtime games in school history and that Kentucky is now 5-9 all-time in overtime. Winning close games shows composure. Relying on them is risky, because a coin flip or one bounce can change the outcome.

The LSU game also showed some fragility: Kentucky allowed 34 points and 410 yards, even though that was well below what LSU had been averaging. Kicker Adam Zouagui made 2 of 4 field goals, though one of those was the 33-yarder that forced overtime. Those are small margins.

How Stein is framing it

Stein hasn't embraced the history. Asked after the LSU win about a comparison to Bear Bryant, he said: "I have all the respect for Bear Bryant. But I would not consider me Bear Bryant... It's about them. It's not about wins. We are 5-1, which is great. And we got more opportunities ahead."

That is the right tone for a first-year coach, and it fits what the numbers show. The start is real, but the team is still winning on thin margins.

Our take

The 1913 note is fun. The more meaningful marks are the 3-1 SEC start, the two top-10 wins and the consistency on offense. If Kentucky keeps protecting the football and keeps winning the third quarter, this start can turn into a special season. If the close games start going the other way, the record will look more ordinary. Either way, Stein has already put his name next to marks that had stood for decades, and he did it in his first six games.

Big Blue Times is an independent fan site and is not affiliated with the University of Kentucky.

Sources: UK Athletics, Kentucky-LSU postgame notes, UK Athletics, Kentucky-LSU postgame quotes, UK Athletics, game recap