Kentucky is reportedly turning to a familiar face as its new defensive line coach. Jon Hale of the Lousiville Courier Journal is reporting that former UK player Anwar Stewart is in the process of rejoining Mark Stoops’ coaching staff.

Stewart was defensive line coach at Appalachian State last season. App State went 13-1 in 2019, winning a Sun Belt championship. Prior to App State, Stewart was on the UK staff as a student assistant while finishing his degree. Hale notes that Stewart worked closely with Derrick LeBlanc, the former Wildcats defensive line coach who recently departed to join the Arkansas coaching staff. Having worked with the position group in 2017 and ’18, Stewart will be familiar with many of the veteran defensive linemen on UK’s 2020 roster.

Outside of college football, Stewart also has experience as a coach in the Canadian Football League with the Montreal Alouettes. Stewart played 11 of his 13 CFL seasons in Montreal.

Stewart was a captain on the Wildcats 1999 team. His hiring is reportedly at the “formal background check” stage.