Nick Mingione says Will Stein’s football success is elevating other UK sports

Nick Mingione did not need long to answer the question. Asked how Kentucky Football’s success has helped his baseball program, the Bat Cats head coach talked for nearly four minutes, and he made it clear the benefits reach a lot further than Kentucky Proud Park.

“How has the success of football helped? It’s helped tremendously,” Mingione said Tuesday as fall ball wrapped up.

His best example came from the recruiting trail. Mingione said he had three baseball recruits on campus when Kentucky knocked off No. 10 LSU, and when the game ended, the recruits rushed the field right along with the students. He met with them the next morning and asked to see the pictures.

That is a recruiting pitch no brochure can match.

“So happy for Will and our football program, and really, the Big Blue Nation,” Mingione said. “The amount of excitement has been awesome. And you guys know this, but when football is doing well, it helps everyone, including you, you guys sitting in your (media) seats. This has helped you.

“Football success goes far beyond just a football field, so this success…I’m just so happy for Will, because he cares.”

It helps that Stein can hold his own around the baseball program, too. Mingione noted that Stein was a solid baseball player back in the day and has taken batting practice at Kentucky Proud Park.

“Our guys were thoroughly impressed,” he said.

More than the results, though, Mingione sees a familiar story. Stein arrived in Lexington with no head coaching experience and immediately had to sell a vision on the biggest stage in the sport. That is exactly where Mingione was when he took over the Bat Cats.

“In a lot of ways, Will reminds me of myself my first year at Kentucky,” Mingione said. “Zero head coaching experience and just stepping in on the biggest stage, trying to make things happen. And he’s actually doing it.”

“But Will Stein believes. Part of our job as coaches is to get not only our student-athletes, but our coaches, our fanbase, and other people to believe. Will Stein does that. His belief is awesome, and it actually carries over. It spills over into our team. I’ve been so impressed with his poise.”

That belief has Kentucky at 6-1, tied for first in the SEC and pushing toward the College Football Playoff, with Vanderbilt coming to Kroger Field on Saturday. If the Cats keep winning, Mingione and every other coach on campus will keep reaping the benefits. Stein chasing the Playoff this fall and Mingione chasing another trip to Omaha in the spring would have sounded crazy not long ago. Right now, neither one feels far-fetched.