- Kentucky rebuilt through the transfer portal: New head coach Will Stein added 31 transfers, including 13 projected starters, as he reshapes the Wildcats.
- The trenches headline Kentucky’s strengths: The Wildcats added four projected offensive line starters, including PFF’s No. 5 center, Coleton Price, while returning three defensive line starters.
- The offensive backfield carries major questions: Quarterback Kenny Minchey enters with just 32 career dropbacks, while transfer running backs CJ Baxter and Jovantae Barnes have dealt with injuries.
Kentucky has endured back-to-back losing seasons for the first time in a decade, leading to Mark Stoops’ dismissal after 13 years as head coach. The Wildcats replaced him with Will Stein, who spent the past three seasons as Oregon’s offensive coordinator.
A Bluegrass State native, Stein oversaw an Oregon offense that ranked as the most efficient in the country during his tenure in EPA per play, yards per play and successful play rate. He has completely rebuilt Kentucky’s roster, adding 31 transfers, including 13 projected starters.
Notable Transfer Portal Additions
- QB Kenny Minchey (Notre Dame)
- RB CJ Baxter (Texas)
- OT Lance Heard (Tennessee)
- C Coleton Price (Baylor)
- S Jordan Castell (Florida)
Notable Transfer Portal Losses
- QB Cutter Boley (Arizona State)
- RB Dante Dowdell (Georgia)
- ED Steven Soles Jr. (Arkansas)
- CB Quay’sheed Scott (South Carolina)
- S Cam Dooley (Florida)
Biggest strength: Trenches
Kentucky is strong in the trenches on both sides of the ball. The Wildcats added four projected starters along the offensive line through the transfer portal, including PFF’s No. 5 center, Coleton Price (Baylor).
The defensive line also returns three starters, led by Tavion Gadson, our No. 10 interior defensive lineman in the country.
Biggest question mark: Questions in the offensive backfield
Armed with a new quarterback and multiple transfer running backs, Kentucky’s backfield could determine the team’s fate this season. Former Notre Dame backup Kenny Minchey, who has limited career experience, will take over at quarterback. He will be joined in the backfield by transfers CJ Baxter (Texas) and Jovantae Barnes (Oklahoma), both of whom have dealt with numerous injuries throughout their careers.
It’s a talented group, but the running backs’ ability to stay healthy and Minchey’s ability to execute against SEC defenses remain major question marks.
Quarterback: Kenny Minchey
Minchey spent the past three seasons as a backup at Notre Dame. He lost last year’s starting quarterback competition to CJ Carr, leaving him with just 32 career dropbacks.
In that limited sample, Minchey has displayed relatively clean footwork, adequate athleticism and a solid, though not elite, arm. His accuracy has been inconsistent, and he can be too quick to leave the pocket at times. Minchey will need more game experience before it becomes clear whether he can develop into a productive starter.
Offensive Player Spotlight: C Coleton Price
The strength of Kentucky’s offense is its offensive line, led by center Coleton Price. The Baylor transfer is PFF’s No. 5 center in the country after ranking inside the top 15 nationally in both PFF pass-blocking and run-blocking grades last season.
Price also posted a 99.2 pass-blocking efficiency score, which ranked eighth among all FBS centers.
Defensive Player Spotlight: DI Tavion Gadson
Gadson showed in a relatively limited sample last season that he can be a dominant interior pass-rusher. At 6-foot-5 and 303 pounds, he led all qualified Power Four defensive tackles with a 16.9% pass-rush win rate in 2025.
His quick first step and exceptional arm length allow him to beat blockers in multiple ways. If Gadson can sustain that level of production over a larger sample, he could establish himself as one of the best interior defenders in the country.
Bottom Line
Stein more than deserves an opportunity to be a head coach, but Kentucky should still be expected to miss a bowl game for the third straight season as he rebuilds the program.
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