Greg Stewart begins his third year as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at the University of South Alabama.
In his first year running the Jaguar defense, the unit featured five individuals ranked among the top 10 in the Sun Belt Conference statistical rankings along with five players who earned all-league recognition at the end of the season.  Tyree Turner was one of three members of South’s defense to be selected second-team all-conference after finishing up among the top 10 in tackles for loss, with Nigel Lawrence also receiving second-team honors following a performance that left him third in the Sun Belt in tackles per game and Darian Mills second in the conference in passes defensed while earning honorable mention accolades.  Bull Barge and Jordon Beaton were named second-team and honorable mention all-Sun Belt, respectively, with Jalen Thompson ending up in the top 10 of the league rankings in both interceptions and passes defended and Chason Milner in the top 10 in the conference’s sack leaders.
In 2019, Nick Mobley led the team and was among the top 10 in the Sun Belt after posting 91 total tackles while both Jeffery Whatley (second-team) and Travis Reed (third-team) received all-league recognition with the former standing second in the conference with a career-best 14½ stops behind the line of scrimmage and the latter in the top five in the SBC in both interceptions and passes defensed.  Sean Brown was selected honorable mention all-conference as well, and in addition to Mobley’s performance Stewart helped Kelvin Johnson (59), Roy Yancey (45) and Shawn Jennings (20) make meaningful contributions to the Jaguar defense in their first seasons seeing significant playing time at the NCAA Division I level.
As a unit, South’s defense finished in the top half of the Sun Belt rankings in five different statistical categories: pass, total and scoring defense, tackles for loss and third-down conversion percentage allowed.
He came to the program from Central Arkansas, where during a four-year stint in the same role on the staff of current Jaguar head coach Steve Campbell his efforts helped the Bears to a 33-15 overall record, a 24-3 mark in Southland Conference action the last three seasons — including going undefeated to claim the 2017 league title — two berths in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs and a first-round playoff victory in ’16.
Over his final two years at the school, Stewart’s UCA units ranked in the top 10 nationally both seasons in defensive touchdowns and tackles for loss, also standing among the top five in the country after the 2016 campaign against the run allowing just 72.8 yards per outing (second) and with 14 fumble recoveries (third).  The Bears were also eighth in the nation that fall with 28 takeaways, and ended up among the top 25 in the final statistical rankings each year in scoring, total and third-down conversion defense as well as total sacks.
In 2017, three of Stewart’s players picked up All-America honors while eight were honored by the Southland Conference including five first-team selections.  Eight Bears garnered all-league recognition following the 2016 season as well, with six individuals honored the prior year.
Stewart was the defensive coordinator at Louisiana from 2011-12, and during those two years his efforts helped the Ragin’ Cajuns to a pair of nine-win seasons that culminated in wins at the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.  He also served two stints on the staff at Jacksonville State, first as a defensive assistant from 1989-97 — during which time the Gamecocks made four NCAA Division II playoff appearances in a five-year span, winning the national title in 1992 — then as defensive coordinator from 2000-10.  During Stewart’s second stretch with the program, he coached 13 All-Americans and had 33 individuals earn all-Ohio Valley Conference honors after joining the league in 2003 as JSU advanced to the NCAA FCS playoffs on three occasions.
Stewart also worked at Delta State from 1998-99, serving as defensive coordinator as the Statesmen went 14-7 over that stretch including qualifying for the NCAA Division II playoffs his first season with the program after winning the Gulf South Conference title.
He earned four letters as a defensive lineman at Troy, where he was a part of national championship teams in both 1984 and ’87 while helping the Trojans go 40-8-1 overall including 29-3 in Gulf South action.
Stewart, who received a bachelor’s degree in sociology/history from Troy in 1988, and his wife Angela have four daughters — Jessie Kate, Hannah, Kinsey and Holly, a junior on the Jaguar softball team — and one grandson, Jace Ferguson.
The Stewart File
Born: Born: June 6, 1965, in Hartselle, Ala.
Education: Troy ’88, bachelor’s degree in sociology/history
Collegiate Playing Experience:
Four years, defensive line, Troy
Won NCAA Division II national championship, 1984 and ’87
Coaching Experience:
Jacksonville State — assistant coach, 1989-97, 2000-10
Delta State — assistant coach, 1998-99
Louisiana — assistant coach, 2011-12
Central Arkansas — assistant coach, 2014-17
South Alabama — assistant coach, 2018-
Family: Wife, Angela; Four daughters, Jessie Kate (26), Hannah (25), Kinsey (22) and Holly (20); One grandson, Jace Ferguson (5)
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