A veteran coach with experience as both a head coach and offensive coordinator, Mitch Stewart joined South Alabama as wide receivers coach in Jan. 2026.
Most recently, Stewart spent two years on staff at Memphis. He was the quarterbacks coach in 2025 after service as a senior offensive analyst during the 2024 campaign. In 2025, Stewart helped guide the Tigers to a record of 8-5 with an appearance in the Gasparilla Bowl. He mentored quarterback Brendon Lewis who threw for 2,673 yards and 16 touchdowns on the season while rushing for 660 yards and additional nine touchdowns. During the 2024 season, Stewart helped guide the Tigers to an 11-2 record and a victory over West Virginia in the Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl. Offensively, Memphis ranked fourth in the NCAA in time of possession, 17th in third down conversion percentage, 20th in passing offense and 26th in first downs.
Prior to making the move to Memphis, Stewart was the offensive coordinator at Middle Tennessee for two seasons. In his first year with the Blue Raiders, he guided an offense that ranked 16th nationally in completion percentage. Wide receiver Jaylin Lane notched 69 receptions that season, ranking him 10th all-time for a single season in Middle Tennessee history. Then, in 2023, Stewart coached Nick Vattiato who finished second in Conference USA in passing, 12th nationally in completions per game and 15th in total offense. Stewart also had five of the top 25 receivers in the C-USA that season that included Holden Willis and Elijah Metcalf who were ranked eighth and ninth, respectively, in receiving that season.
Stewart spent two years at Samford before moving to Middle Tennessee. In 2020, Stewart was the receivers coach for the Bulldogs. He coached four All-Conference players that season, including Liam Welch, who was named SoCon Offensive Player of the Year and was a Second Team All-American recipient. After the 2020 season, which was played in spring of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Stewart was promoted to offensive coordinator at Samford. In fall of 2021, the Bulldogs were ranked sixth nationally in completion percentage, eighth nationally in red zone offense, ninth in passing offense, 11th in total offense, 17th in fourth down conversion percentage and 18th in first down offense under Stewart’s leadership.
Before joining Samford, Stewart spent five seasons as the head coach at Murray State. During his tenure at Murray State, Stewart saw five players make it to the NFL, including Quincy Williams who became the program’s highest-ever pick after being taken in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Stewart led the Racers to their best finish in seven years during the 2018 season which included a 4-0 start and a top 25 win. He also guided Murry State to the largest comeback in program history after overcoming a 31-point deficit to then No. 19 Southeast Missouri State. Stewart saw a career-high six players earn All-OVC honors that season along with Malik Honeycutt and Levi Nesler earn All-American honors.
During the 2017 season, Stewart coached the Racers to an upset over then No. 24 UT Martin to mark his third ranked win in two seasons. Individually, O’Montre Wade was named to the All-OVC First Team while Jordon Gandy, Gabriel Vicente and Shuler Bentley also earned All-OVC recognition. Zach Shipley was named as a Google Cloud Academic All-American honoree.
In his second season at the helm, Stewart led the program to back-to-back ranked wins (No. 15 Eastern Illinois, No. 25 Tennessee State) for the first time in its history. Stewart coached quarterback KD Humphries to become the program’s all-time leader in. passing yards, passing touchdowns, pass attempts and pass completions.
Stewart also saw his kicker, Connor Mitchell, set a school record for most field goals made in a game (6) and was named as the National Special Teams Player of the Week by STATS. Mitchell would go on lead the FCS in field goals per game (1.8). Five Racers were honored with All-OVC nods while the team was awarded the OVC Sportsmanship Award for a second consecutive year.
In his first season as head coach at Murray State, Stewart led the Racers to the second-best passing offense in the nation (347.3 yards/game) and the 12th ranked offense while leading the team to its first road win since the 2012 season with a thrilling 46-43 overtime win at Tennessee State. Four players were named to All-OVC teams while KD Humphries finished seventh in the STATS Offensive Player of the Year voting.
Before being named head coach, Stewart was on staff at Murray State for five seasons. He served as wide receivers coach for two years prior to being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2012. In his first two seasons as the offensive coordinator, Stewart spearheaded an offense that was the only team in FCS to rank in the top five in total offense both seasons. The Racers went on to lead the OVC, and ranked fifth nationally, in passing offense, total offense and scoring offense. In 2012, Stewart coached Casey Brockman to All-American honors for the second-consecutive season and led him to program records in passing attempts, pass completions, passing yards and passing touchdowns. During his first season calling plays, Stewart led Murray State’s offense to 5,070 yards of offense, including a 707-yard effort against Tennessee State.
Stewart’s first college football job was at Georgia Southern, where he was wide receivers coach from 2007-09. In his second season with the Eagles, the offense led the SoCon and ranked 20th nationally in passing offense. Stewart coached receiver Raja Andrews, who shattered three single season records, one single-game mark and the career receptions record at Georgia Southern.
Stewart played quarterback at Valdosta State for four years where he was part of the 2004 National Championship team and 2022 national runner-up squad. Stewart earned his bachelor’s degree in 2005. He and his wife, Rikki, have two daughters, Stella and Emerson.
THE MITCH STEWART FILE
PERSONAL
Born: Nov. 8, 1982
Hometown: Opelika, Ala.
Education: Valdosta State, 2005
Wife: Rikki
Children: Stella and Emerson
PLAYING CAREER
College: Valdosta State (Quarterback)
COACHING CAREER
2006: Newnan High School (Offensive Coordinator)
2007-09: Georgia Southern (Wide Receivers)
2010-11: Murray State (Wide Receivers)
2012-14: Murray State (Offensive Coordinator)
2015-19: Murray State (Head Coach)
2020: Samford (Wide Receivers)
2021: Samford (Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers)
2022-23: Middle Tennessee: (Offensive Coordinator)
2024: Memphis (Offensive Analyst)
2025: Memphis (Quarterbacks)
2026-present: South Alabama (Wide Receivers)
