Kentucky football’s coaching staff is beginning to come together under new head coach Will Stein, and two familiar faces will remain in Lexington.
Nick Roush of KSR has confirmed that former Wildcats Anwar Stewart and Mike Hartline will stay with the program for the 2026 season, providing continuity at two key developmental positions.
Stewart, Kentucky’s defensive line coach since 2020, has quietly become the program’s most consistent developer of talent. Under his guidance, the defensive line has repeatedly
anchored the Wildcats’ defense. His work with portal standouts Mi’Quise Humphrey-Grace and David Gusta stood out last season, and the hope is he’ll find more guys like that for next season.
A Wildcat himself in the 90s, Stewart is most famously known for returning a blocked field goal for a touchdown to help Kentucky defeat Alabama in 1997 in overtime.
On the offensive side, Hartline joined the staff as an analyst in 2025 and quickly became key in the development of quarterback Cutter Boley, who is currently slated to be QB1 next season, pending any transfer portal additions at the position.
Tight ends coach Derek Shay is also expected to remain, while LSU’s Joey Sloan will join Stein’s staff as offensive coordinator.
