The 36-year-old Steen, a Kentucky native, has emerged as one of the nation’s top offensive coordinators and playcallers after working with several notable quarterbacks at Oregon.
According to a source, Steen will remain in his role as Oregon’s offensive coordinator and playcaller during the team’s playoff run. The Ducks finished the regular season 11–1 and were ranked sixth in last week’s College Football Playoff rankings.
Oregon coach Dan Lanning hired Steen from UTSA in 2022, where he was part of the offensive staff from 2020 to 2022 as well as co-offensive coordinator during his final season there.
Since arriving in Eugene, Steen has helped lead the program to a top 10 scoring offense in two of his three years. While in this role, Steen has also coached two Heisman Trophy finalists – quarterbacks Bo Nix (2023) and Dillon Gabriel (2024).
Like his predecessor Kenny Dillingham, who left his post as Oregon offensive coordinator to become Arizona State’s coach in 2023 (Dillingham is from Phoenix), Steen will be going back to his roots.
Steen played quarterback at Louisville from 2009 to 2012 and appeared in 25 career games. Steen’s parents both attended Kentucky and he grew up going to Wildcats games.
Kentucky fired longtime coach Mark Stoops on Sunday after 13 seasons. The Wildcats finished with a 5-7 record this season after going 4-8 in 2024.
“I played in a West Coast offense at Louisville,” Steen told ESPN in an interview last year. “So (their offensive system) is all a derivative of that. We play fast and free and we put a lot on the quarterback, but we also give them a lot of freedom.”
With the move, the program is betting on Steen’s offensive skills and the history of the quarterback game after several recent struggles on that side of the ball.
Kentucky has failed to have a top-50 offense since the 2021 season and has ranked no better than 100th in total offense in each of the last three seasons. In 2025, the Wildcats averaged 341 yards, which ranked 105th.
“It’s hard to label what we do (as crime) because we do it all,” Stein said of his outlook in 2024. “This is where college football is headed.”
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