Former UC football player Walter Stewart latest Bearcat to join Fickell's staff

The local flavor continues around Nippert Stadium as another coach with Bearcat ties will be joining coach Luke Fickell's University of Cincinnati football staff. According to University sources and as reported in several outlets, former UC defensive lineman Walter Stewart will don the red and black again coaching Bearcat linebackers/snipers.

Stewart had just been announced Jan. 4 as defensive line coach at Arkansas State where former Bearcat coach Butch Jones has been for a season. However, in less than two weeks he was convinced to return to his alma mater.

Prior to his cup of coffee at Arkansas State, the 31-year-old product of Teays Valley High in Ashville, Ohio had been Temple's defensive line coach the past three seasons where they accumulated 67 sacks. Stewart coached the 2019 American Athletic Conference Player of the Year, Quincy Roche (now of the New York Giants).

In 2018, he was with Northern Illinois where they were second in the nation in sacks behind Clemson with 50.

In 2016-17 he coached defensive line for Eastern Kentucky where current Moeller High School coach Mark Elder was head coach. Elder was also a Butch Jones staff member and has served as a grad assistant for Luke Fickell in 2000-2001 at Akron.

"Walter Stewart is a really high-energy guy, very engaging with his players," Elder said. "He builds great relationships with his players. He's a technician, very knowledgeable of defensive line and outside linebacker play. He has a really bright future as a coach."

Elder still keeps in touch with Stewart and calls him a genuine, positive person.

"I hired him immediately when I got at EKU because of who he was as a person and his ability to build rapport with guys," Elder said. "I thought he was dynamic. Walt's the best man, he's awesome."

Before his time with Elder at EKU, Stewart was defensive line coach at Florida A&M in 2015 and a grad assistant for his former coach Jones at Tennessee after his career ended.

Had it not been for a neck injury his senior season, Walter Stewart was destined for the NFL. A congenital defect in his spine was detected that season, forcing his retirement. He did attempt one more shot at the NFL Combine, but by fall of 2013, he was with the Volunteers as a GA for Jones. He was reunited with Jones briefly in Jonesboro, where the Red Wolves were 2-10 this past season.

Stewart made 41 straight starts for the Bearcats after a redshirt freshman season. He had 17.5 career sacks for the Bearcats, eighth on the all-time list. He was on Brian Kelly's Bearcat squad that went to the Orange Bowl but was redshirted. Stewart also appeared in the Sugar Bowl for Kelly and the Liberty Bowl for Jones. He was part of the 2012 team that won the Belk Bowl over Duke, but didn't play due to his injury.

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Stewart now joins a UC staff that features former players Gino Guidugli (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks), Armon Binns (offensive quality control) and Pat Lambert (director of recruiting).

Soon to be on staff is Kerry Coombs who has been in most of the major high schools as a recruiter for both UC and Ohio State. Plus, defensive coordinator Mike Tressel was previously here on Mark Dantonio's staff before joining him at Michigan State. Tressel returned for this past year's national semifinal season.

Defensive line coach Greg Scruggs is a St. Xavier High School grad who played at Louisville and in Super Bowl wins for the Seahawks and Patriots.

The coaching changes involving Guidugli, Coombs and Stewart should be made official in the coming weeks after UC completes their hiring process.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: UC footballs: Former Bearcats player Walter Stewart joins staff