The Double Life of a College Football Coach

College football is facing a scheduling challenge that few have truly addressed. The sport’s tournament runs during the free agency period, and the head coach hiring cycle overlaps with it. This setup forces individuals to juggle two jobs at once, and for many, it’s a reality they can’t avoid. Head coaches and coordinators in the playoff are often forced to work on their current job while simultaneously preparing for their next one. The public response from these individuals is usually that they focus on their current role during the day and shift to their next job at night. However, this wasn’t the case for Will Stein, the head coach of the University of Kentucky.

During Oregon’s three-game run in the College Football Playoff, which ended on January 9, Stein was managing both roles simultaneously. The situation became even more intense when the transfer portal opened on January 2.

“I had like a day here,” Stein told KSR on Monday when asked about the craziest moment while doing two jobs at once. “In the heat of the portal. Or no, that might have been the first day. Was that the first day the portal opened? Yeah, and we had like 10 guys here. We were like the only team in the country that just like grinded to get guys here. I was on like no sleep. Yeah, that was probably the wildest day.”

During that first weekend, Kentucky welcomed several high-profile visitors, including CJ Baxter Jr., Coleton Price, Ahmad Breaux, and Tavion Wallace, who all ultimately signed with UK. Despite Stein’s short stint in Lexington during that critical weekend, the Cats managed to complete important recruiting work thanks to the dedicated staff at the Joe Craft Football Training Facility.

“I truly have some of the best people in the world that were here, that were grinding through it. That were on the phones constantly. Getting kids to campus. A recruiting staff that had never really worked together that were just figuring it out,” Stein explained. “And that was really encouraging for me to see. Knowing that I’m not here but things are getting done. But that was probably the most chaotic day.”

Juggling Two Roles

So what about when Stein was in Eugene during playoff prep or at the bowl site? The 36-year-old was transitioning from Oregon offensive coordinator to Kentucky head coach. Sometimes, the Oregon gear stayed on as Stein tried to complete important recruiting work for the Wildcats on Zoom. There was never a clear line between the two jobs.

“A lot of times I just had Oregon gear on and I just took my hat off. But yeah, that was happening every single day. I was definitely lying to you guys and everybody that I was focused on one thing at one time. I was not,” said Stein. “I was focused on everything at the same time. So you can imagine what that’s like.”

For a wild few weeks, Will Stein had to manage two jobs without an on/off switch. Fortunately, Kentucky had a strong core of staff in Lexington to handle essential roster-building. Now, the UK head football coach is fully committed to his new role and has mostly completed his first full roster, thanks to late nights and a dedicated team.

A Unique Challenge

The situation highlights the challenges faced by college football coaches who must navigate multiple responsibilities simultaneously. It’s a demanding path that requires not only personal sacrifice but also the support of a strong team. Stein’s experience shows that while the workload is intense, it’s possible to achieve success with the right people and determination.

What a sport.