By ISU Sports Information
NORMAL – Former Illinois State All-American linebacker Kye Stewart will return to his alma mater and join the football coaching staff, as head coach Brock Spack has announced the hiring of Stewart as the team’s outside linebackers coach.
Stewart comes to Illinois State by way of Alcorn State, where he spent the last two seasons with the Braves as their defensive line coach.
“What I’ve heard about Kye, from his time as a player here and since he has become a coach, regarding his work ethic and character is tremendous,” Spack stated. “Kye wanted to be back in the mix at his alma mater as a coach and my conversations with him only confirmed what I heard from Justin (Fuente) and Galen (Scott). His experience as an outside linebacker here and in the Canadian Football League and his time spent working as a coach with the defensive line makes him a perfect candidate to work with our outside linebackers.”
The Braves improved to No. 2 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference in pass efficiency defense and No. 3 in scoring defense and rushing defense in 2017. The Braves won their fourth-consecutive SWAC East Division title and became the first team in the history of the league to play in four consecutive SWAC Championship games.
“It means a lot for me to able to come back to my alma mater and work with Coach Spack and the rest of the defensive staff,” Stewart said. “I’m ready to learn and bring some of my skills and enthusiasm to the program. I was an outside linebacker here at Illinois State and what the coaches ask the players to do is similar to what I’ve done in the past and coached with the defensive line at other stops. At the end of the day, no matter what the scheme is the mentality doesn’t change and I’ll work hard to get these guys to play fast in space and establish an identity.”
Prior to his move to Alcorn State, Stewart worked for three seasons as a member of the Memphis football coaching staff, serving in the role as a graduate assistant coach on the defensive side of the football. He was mentored by head coach Justin Fuente, who was offensive coordinator at ISU during Stewart’s career, and Galen Scott, who was his defensive coordinator while playing for the Redbirds.
In 2014, Memphis ranked 11th in FBS Football in scoring defense, allowing just 195 points per game. The Tigers only gave up 349 yards a game, which ranked 27th in the nation. Memphis’ 106.31 defensive pass efficiency rating led the American Athletic Conference and ranked eighth nationally while the Tigers’ 121.5 rushing defense average was 19th nationally. Memphis won the American Athletic Conference championship, the team’s first league title since 1971, and posted a 10-3 record en route to a Miami Beach Bowl title. In Stewart’s first season as a member of the staff in 2013, Memphis’ defense ranked 39th nationally in total defense (370.7 ypg allowed) and 12th against the run (116.3 ypg allowed).
Stewart joined the Memphis staff after playing four seasons in the Canadian Football League for the Saskatchewan Rough Riders (2009-11) and the Edmonton Eskimos (2012). Stewart, who played linebacker, was a member a Saskatchewan team which advanced to the Grey Cup Finals both in 2009 and 2010.
Stewart played in the CFL after a four-year playing career at Illinois State. At Illinois State, Stewart was a two-time All-Gateway Conference player who concluded his playing career as an All-American in 2007. That same season, he finished fourth in the voting for the Buck Buchanan Award, which is annually given to the Defensive Player of the Year in NCAA FCS football. ISU advanced to the second round of the FCS playoffs during junior season in 2006.
The Nashville, Tenn. native graduated from ISU in 2008 with a degree in communications and a minor in business administration.
