Stoops puts finishing touches on coaching staff

Staff report | @KyKernelSports

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UK football head coach Mark Stoops announced Saturday the hiring of the final two members to his completed coaching staff.

Tommy Mainord becomes the Cats’ wide receivers coach, with Derrick Ansley being appointed cornerbacks coach.

Ansley becomes the final piece of Stoops’ defensive coaching puzzle. Since being introduced as head coach on Dec. 2, Stoops has appointed D.J. Eliot as defensive coordinator/linebackers coach, Jimmy Brumbaugh as defensive line coach, and Bradley Dale Peveto as special teams/safeties coach.

“I’m excited to have Derrick join our staff,” Stoops said.  “He is an outstanding young coach and I am extremely impressed with his football knowledge.”

Ansley spent last season as cornerbacks coach at Tennessee. Prior to that he had spells with Central Florida, Alabama and Huntingdon College (Ala.).

“I wanted another coach on the defensive staff who would bring a diversity of knowledge and experience in addition to the system we used at Florida State,” Stoops said. “Although Derrick is a young coach, he fits that with three years’ experience in the SEC at Alabama and at Tennessee.”

During Ansley’s time at Alabama, where he was a defensive graduate assistant coach, he helped the Crimson Tide to the 2011 NCAA national title.

“Coming to Kentucky is a great opportunity to learn from Coach Stoops and Coach Eliot, who obviously have had tremendous success and have great defensive minds,” Ansley said.  “Our goal is to build a championship defense.  I’m also excited about continuing to coach and compete in the SEC.”

Mainord, the son of former NFL coach Carlos Mainord, joined the Cats from Texas Tech, where he served as assistant coach for outside receivers during the past three seasons.

Prior to his time in Lubbock, Mainord held the position of offensive coordinator at Lamar University, where he helped to rebuild the program following over 20 years with no football team at Lamar.

“Tommy brings a wealth of experience and success to our program,” Stoops said.  “Coming from a coaching family, he is well-rounded with a great depth of football knowledge.  Tommy is a true professional who is also known for his relentless work ethic.”

Mainord becomes the third coach this winter to leave Texas Tech for UK, following in the footsteps of offensive coordinator Neal Brown and assistant coach Chad Scott.

“His familiarity with our offensive system will help the players’ transition to the new offense,” Stoops said.

Before working under Brown at Texas Tech, Mainord coached at both Sam Houston State and Tarleton State in addition to his stint with Lamar.

“I’m eager for the opportunity to work with Coach Stoops,” Mainord said.  “I have great respect for his accomplishments and I had heard all the excitement in Kentucky about his hiring.  Getting to work with Neal Brown again made it even more attractive to come to UK.”