Will Stein gained a reputation as one of the most prolific play callers in college football. His goals have certainly changed as he enters his first season as head coach at Kentucky.

“My goal now isn't to be the best play caller in the country and all that,” Stein said during SEC Media Days on Monday in Tampa. “It really isn't my job and my goal is to be the best head coach in the country.”

Stein will rely on former LSU offensive coordinator Joe Sloan to handle the play-calling duties for the Wildcats this season. That doesn’t mean Stein won’t be involved in planning the team’s offense, but making sure the entire team succeeds is his top priority.

“We'll build the game plan up together, but I have to be involved in all facets of our program,” he said. “There's just too much going on to only worry about the offense. (I will)) try to have a holistic approach to our program. Trust the guys that I hired that are high IQ — high character people that know what it takes to win at this level in this league specifically.

“I obviously will have my hand in the offense and making sure that it is running the way that I want it to, but there’s also the freedom of thought.”

Stein added that successful programs have a staff that thrives on delegation and it will take teamwork to succeed.

“It can't just be one person,” he said. “It takes a village. It takes your coordinators, your passing game coordinators, your offensive line coach. Everybody in our organization has freedom of thought and the ability to speak up and add to the pot of ideas. Ultimately, (it’s) my decision and Joe's decision of what we're actually going to call on Saturday. Joe — he's elite and I'm glad he's a Wildcat.”

Entering his debut season as a head coach, Stein has a roster featuring 45 newcomers, sprinkled in with an array of returnees. Most of those players — 41 — have started at least one game at the collegiate level.

“I'm excited about this team,” he said. “We’ve laid a strong foundation. The DNA we've built within Kentucky football centers around connection. As a coaching staff, the first thing that we had to do — was develop a real connection with these players. A connected team is a dangerous team. They typically play the longest, the hardest, or hardest the longest.”

In his short time at Kentucky, quarterback and Notre Dame transfer Kenny Minchey has taken note of the team’s ability to bond in such a short amount of time.

“(I) like the connection on the team coming in,” Minchey said. … “It was a very smooth transition in terms of people, which I feel like I valued and noticed the most in my first few months here.”

Coming off a 5-7 campaign, the team’s second straight losing season, Stein wants to carry over one trait the Wildcats developed under former coach Mark Stoops.

“This is going to be a tough program,” Stein said. “Football is the toughest game played by tough men. It's physically demanding and mentally exhausting. Guess what, life is tough, too. The one thing I refuse to be is soft-minded. I understand; I've already accepted that there will be tough moments this season. There always are in every year that I've ever coached. Our response as a team will dictate the outcomes. I cannot wait to fight adversity with this group.”

The challenge of a grueling season will start on Sept. 5 against Youngstown State.