Things have slowed down for Kentucky football, but that doesn’t mean Will Stein and his coaching staff aren’t working. In fact, his coaching staff is growing.
KSR has learned that Jerret McElwain will serve as the Kentucky Director of Player Personnel. The Director of Player Personnel is a position in the front office who will work with Pat Biondo and Pete Nochta to manage Kentucky’s roster. He has an extensive history in the business.
The son of Central Michigan head coach Jim McElwain, Jerret spent the last two years as an Assistant Director of Player Personnel for Kalen DeBoer at Alabama. He got his start in the business while he was a student at Alabama, working as a player personnel assistant in 2014. His father was the Crimson Tide’s offensive coordinator from 2008-11.
Before returning to Tuscaloosa, McElwain worked for Kalen DeBoer at Washington. He earned a reputation in the industry by climbing the ladder in Jim Harbaugh‘s scouting department at Michigan. Like many of the assistants on Will Stein’s staff, McElwain is bringing a ton of experience from some of the top college football programs in America to Kentucky.
Two Other Coaching Moves
McElwain isn’t the only change to the coaching staff. There are official additions and a subtraction.
Stein hired Derek Warehime in late December as the Wildcats’ run game coordinator, serving as Cutter Leftwich‘s No. 2. A veteran in the business, he had offensive coordinator experience and spent the last three years as the Coastal Carolina offensive line coach. The NFL coaching carousel is carrying him away from the UK campus. Matt Zenitz reports Warehime will join the Minnesota Vikings as an assistant offensive line coach. It’s not unprecedented. Once upon a time, Jemal Singleton was UK’s running backs coach for one month in 2021 before he accepted a job with the Philadelphia Eagles.
As for the additions, Kentucky officially announced three new assistants and a graduate assistant. We previously reported that Dallas Warmack (offensive line), Tommy Shuler (Wide Receivers), and Keith Towbridge (Running Backs) were joining the staff. The new name on the roster is Brandon Schnapp, who previously worked for Joe Sloan at LSU. He’ll serve as a graduate assistant for the Kentucky wide receivers.
Kentucky 2026 Coaching Staff
Joe Sloan: Offensive Coordinator
Jay Bateman: Defensive Coordinator
Cutter Leftwich: Offensive Line
Kolby Smith: Running Backs
Joe Price III: Wide Receivers
Josh Christian-Young: Safeties
Anwar Stewart: Defensive Line
Tony Washington Jr: Pass Rushers
Allen Brown: Cornerbacks
Justin Burke: Passing Game, Tight Ends
Parker Fleming: Special Teams, Inside Receivers
Nate Dodson: Assistant Quarterbacks
Ty Holder: Cornerbacks
Chad Wilt: Linebackers
Trey Odom: Safeties
James Gibson: Nickels
Jack Ray: Special Teams
Dallas Warmack: Assistant Offensive Line Coach
Andrew Coverdale, Pass Game Coordinator
Keith Towbridge: Assistant Running Backs Coach
Tommy Shuler: Assistant Wide Receivers Coach
Pat Biondo: General Manager
Pete Nochta: Assistant General Manager
Jerret McElwain: Director of Player Personnel
Yusuf Corker: Graduate Assistant, Defense
Bunchy Stallings: Graduate Assistant, Defensive Line
Paul Rodriguez: Graduate Assistant, Offensive Line
Brandon Schnapp: Graduate Assistant, Wide Receivers