There was a time, years ago, when I somehow found myself as editor of the Just The Cats website. When the radio show took a temporary hiatus, the website went totally defunct—but man—I sure do miss those days.

I also miss working with Michael Bennett.

Even back then, Michael had a gift. Not necessarily for subtlety—but for making every conversation somehow come alive by circling back to Michael Bennett. If there were a tornado warning in Louisville, Michael would somehow mention he once interviewed a meteorologist at a charity golf scramble while standing near a buffet line at Valhalla.

So hearing Michael interview new Kentucky football coach Will Stein this morning on “Just the Cats” felt strangely comforting. It was football talk mixed with a humble brag TED Talk. Part sports radio interview. Part “This Is Your Life: Michael Bennett Edition.”

In other words, it was “radio gold.”

Within the first two minutes, Michael had already managed to mention:

• Churchill Downs Turf Club access
• meeting Stein outside a men’s restroom
• horse ownership
• heading to the Preakness
• Mark Stoops being his friend
• Vince Marrow being one of his closest friends
• his lifelong sales background
• volunteering his phone number for NIL fundraising duty

Honestly, it was magnificent.

To Stein’s credit, he handled it beautifully.

The poor guy probably thought he was doing a simple radio appearance and instead wandered into a verbal obstacle course where every answer eventually led back to Michael either:
A) knowing somebody important,
B) owning something expensive,
or
C) losing 50 pounds.

Still, beneath the accidental comedy, Stein said several things Kentucky fans should pay attention to.

Leave it to Michael Bennett to conduct the perfect Will Stein interview.

First, the recruiting momentum is real.

Stein downplayed the recent run of four-star commitments as merely “old school recruiting,” but the details mattered. He emphasized repeated contact, multiple campus visits, relationship building, and consistent communication with not just players, but parents, trainers, coaches, and agents.

That sounds simple. It isn’t. Just ask Mark Pope.

Kentucky football has often recruited like a program trying to convince players not to leave. Stein is recruiting like a program expecting elite talent to arrive. There’s a difference in tone there. Fans can feel it already.

And yes, part of that energy comes directly from Stein himself. The man sounds like a first-time head coach fueled by energy drinks and Navy SEAL motivational videos.

At one point, discussing preseason predictions that Kentucky could finish near the bottom of the SEC, Stein casually unveiled his team motto:

“F everybody but us.”

That’ll play in Lexington—especially after the last couple seasons where Kentucky football often felt emotionally exhausted before kickoff even started.

Stein’s confidence may ultimately prove justified or delusional. Nobody knows yet. But what’s undeniable is that the temperature around the program has changed dramatically in just a few months.

And unlike some coaches who manufacture swagger like a corporate branding exercise, Stein’s personality feels natural. Maybe borderline unhinged at times—but authentic.

That authenticity came through repeatedly thanks to Michael’s prompting.

When Michael asked how he approaches recruits, Stein didn’t launch into analytics jargon or culture buzzwords. He talked about relationships. About genuinely caring about players before selling them on football.

“It’s not slimy, weird, or scammy,” Stein said.

Considering modern recruiting often resembles international hostage negotiations conducted through collectives and Instagram graphics, that line probably resonated with fans.

Stein also revealed something else Kentucky desperately needed: obsession.

Not fake coach-speak obsession. Actual obsession.

When asked which game he’s most excited about, he didn’t bite on Tennessee, Alabama, Louisville, or revenge narratives.

“Youngstown State, September 5th.”

That answer sounds boring until you realize he means it.

Stein approaches football like a man who still wakes up angry about a missed block in eighth-grade Pop Warner. Kentucky fans have spent years begging for someone to inject life back into the program. Well, careful what you wish for. They may have hired a caffeinated football lunatic.

The most revealing moment, though, came when Stein discussed mindset.

“There’s never been a game I’ve gone into thinking we’re gonna get our asses beat,” he said. “If that’s your mentality, you’re a loser.”

Again—not polished. Not PR-approved. Probably not ideal for SEC Media Days.

But Kentucky fans are starving for somebody who sounds like they actually expect to matter nationally.

For years, Kentucky football’s identity was built around toughness and overachievement. Somewhere along the way, that edge dulled. The program started feeling like it was constantly explaining why it couldn’t compete instead of plotting how it could.

Stein doesn’t sound interested in explanations.

Now, does that guarantee wins? Of course not.

This is still the SEC. The schedule is brutal. And eventually the honeymoon phase ends. Stein himself even called it “the honeymoon buffet,” which may have been the perfect phrase considering Michael Bennett spent half the interview discussing food, cakes, Turf Club seating, and rich people.

But right now, Kentucky football feels alive again.

And honestly, maybe that’s enough for May.

And finally, Michael Bennett deserves some sort of broadcasting lifetime achievement award for successfully turning a Will Stein interview into:

• a Derby recap,
• a weight-loss testimony,
• a horse ownership update,
• a family therapy session,
• and an NIL fundraiser.

All while reminding us he once met the Kentucky football coach outside a bathroom.

Honestly, elite broadcasting range.

Just like the good ol’ days.

Dr. John Huang is a retired orthodontist, military veteran, and award-winning author. He currently serves as a columnist for Nolan Group Media and invites readers to follow him on social media @KYHuangs. His latest book is Whining for Posterity, available on Amazon.