It’s been a long road to this point but Mark Stoops has finally put together his 10-man assistant coaching staff at Kentucky.

The Wildcats had been down to nine full-time assistances for most of the offseason but announced on Wednesday that longtime Kentucky director of football operations Frank Buffano has been promoted to the role of safeties coach in Lexington.

Buffano has been on staff in Lexington dating all the way back to 2013.

“I’m so happy to announce the promotion of Frank Buffano from director of football operations to safeties coach,” Stoops said in a released statement. “To say that Frank has paid his dues is an understatement. We began in 2004 when he was an undergraduate student at Arizona. He became a graduate assistant coach, then coached at Youngstown State, and has been with us since we came to Kentucky, so he has spent 16 years getting to this point.

“Frank has a tremendous work ethic and obviously has extensive understanding of our system and the expectations of our coaching staff. I’m excited for our team and for Frank to have this opportunity.”

A Youngstown, Ohio native, Buffano served as an assistant coach at Youngstown State before landing being hired by Stoops at Kentucky. This move should only add fuel to Kentucky’s ability to mine the state of Ohio for elite prospects willing to compete in the nation’s toughest football conference.

Here’s a look at Mark Stoops’ Kentucky staff following the hire:

Eddie Gran – co-Offensive coordinator/Running backs coach
Darin Hinshaw – co-Offensive coordinator/Quarterbacks coach
Brad White – Defensive coordinator/Outside linebackers coach
Vince Marros — Tight ends/Recruiting coordinator/Associate Head Coach
John Schlarman – Offensive line coach
Steven Clinkscale – Defensive backs coach
Frank Buffano – Safeties coach
Jovon Bouknight – Receivers coach
Jon Sumrall – Inside linebackers coach
Anwar Stewart – Defensive line coach