Will Stein Named to Bear Bryant National Coach of the Year Watch List

Kentucky head coach Will Stein is on the watch list for the Paul "Bear" Bryant National Coach of the Year Award.

UK Athletics announced it Wednesday. The first-year coach has the Wildcats at 6-1 overall and 4-1 in the SEC, tied with Georgia for first place heading into week eight.

Stein is the first Kentucky coach to start 6-1 in his first season since 1913, and the first coach in program history with two wins over AP Top 10 teams in year one (Texas A&M and LSU). The award will be presented Jan. 27, 2027, in Houston. Bryant himself coached Kentucky from 1946 to 1953.

It's the third national honor for the Cats today, after Ty Bryant and Willie Rodriguez.

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