For the first time in his collegiate career, Kenny Minchey will be a starting quarterback as he takes the first snap of the Kentucky coach Will Stein era on Saturday.
Minchey, who played a backup role at Notre Dame for the past two seasons, is looking forward to his first appearance since last November.
"It just feels good knowing we get to play football this week," Minchey said Wednesday. "This will be my first time as a starter, so I don't know if (the pregame routine will) change. From what we practiced last week during our pregame routine, I think it'll stay the same. I just need to try to be calm, relaxed and focus on playing one play at a time."
Stein wants his first starting signal-caller at Kentucky to play within himself in the opener against Youngstown State but also realizes Minchey will have a few nerves.
"There are going to be butterflies," Stein said earlier this week. " If you don't, then you're probably not human. So that's OK."
Stein said the key for Minchey will be "taking all of the fear out of it."
"Don't be afraid to fail – don't be afraid to go play. We have prepped a lot. We walk through all the time, starting in winter and spring and summer, and then now, like, we've had like tons of practice opportunities, and he's done it in practice.
"That's what he needs to do, is just go out there and just take the easy money and run the show, run the offense. We don't need him to be Michael Jordan or LeBron James or freaking Tom Brady — just go be Kenny Minchey, and we'll be fine."
That's what Minchey plans on doing, especially after the first snap when the Wildcats take the field on offense. He added that "executing the play" and staying "even keeled" throughout the game is his plan.
"I think that's when I tend to just like relax and breathe," he said. "I can remember even back to high school there were probably some jitters, some butterflies heading into a game, and then after the first play, it was always good from there."
Earlier this week, Stein was impressed with the way Minchey displayed his competitive spirit during a recent practice session.
"If I'm snapping on somebody, it does take a lot," he said. "I try to coach my teammates, get after my teammates a little bit. I've been very competitive at heart since I was a little kid, so I feel like that tends to show whenever I'm clicking — that'll definitely show at times."
Minchey is prepared for the season and setting the bar high.
"The only thing we are focused on in Week 1 is Youngstown State," he said. "The only thing that matters is to us is a nameless, faceless opponent and it doesn't matter who we're playing on Saturday.
"It's all about us. It's all about how we go out and practice throughout the week to help put our best foot forward on Saturday. No real expectations or pressure are heading into this season but just focus on our job at hand on Saturday."
Gametracker: Kentucky vs. Youngstown State, Saturday, 1 p.m. TV/Radio: UK Radio Network on WiLLiE 102 and 94.7 The Mix, SECN+ TV: Kevin Fitzgerald, Charlie Strong. Radio: Tom Leach, Jeff Piecoro, Dick Gabriel.
Quarterback Kenny Minchey will make his first start against Youngstown State on Saturday. (Keith Taylor/Kentucky Today)
