Bold move: Kentucky expands its football leadership with a heavy-hitting addition to the front office. Even as on-field action slows, Will Stein and his staff are quietly building depth and experience behind the scenes. The latest development is Jerret McElwain joining as Kentucky’s Director of Player Personnel, a role focused on overseeing the roster alongside Pat Biondo and Pete Nochta. McElwain brings a rich resume from major programs, reinforcing Kentucky’s talent development pipeline.
A quick look at the background: Jerret is the son of Jim McElwain, the longtime Central Michigan head coach. He spent the past two years working as Assistant Director of Player Personnel for Alabama under Kalen DeBoer, after starting his career as a player personnel assistant at Alabama in 2014. Before his return to Tuscaloosa, he cut his teeth with DeBoer at Washington, and he built his industry reputation rising through the scouting ranks in Jim Harbaugh’s program at Michigan. This track record means he’s accrued a broad, high-level perspective from some of the nation’s top college programs, which Kentucky is aiming to leverage.
Two other coaching moves also shape Kentucky’s 2026 staff. Late last year, Stein added Derek Warehime as run game coordinator, effectively serving as Cutter Leftwich’s primary assistant. Warehime brings OC experience and previously coached the Coastal Carolina offensive line; however, reports indicate he’s headed to the NFL to join the Minnesota Vikings as an assistant offensive line coach. The move isn’t without precedent in UK history—Jemal Singleton briefly served as running backs coach in 2021 before switching to the Eagles.
Kentucky also officially announced three new assistants and a graduate assistant: Dallas Warmack (offensive line), Tommy Shuler (wide receivers), Keith Towbridge (running backs), and Brandon Schnapp (graduate assistant for wide receivers). Schnapp previously worked with Joe Sloan at LSU.
Kentucky’s 2026 coaching staff now includes:
- 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
What this means for Kentucky: The program is doubling down on building a robust roster operation with veterans who have previously helped manage talent at elite programs. McElwain’s experience across Alabama, Washington, Michigan, and exposure to Harbaugh’s scouting networks could provide Kentucky with sharper player identification, depth chart planning, and development strategies.
What do you think about adding a Director of Player Personnel with this caliber of background? Does McElwain’s track record signal a strategic shift toward stronger roster management, or are there potential drawbacks to integrating more front-office roles into college football coaching staffs? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
