Kentucky football announces pair of support staff hires

The Kentucky football season is less than nine weeks away, and Mark Stoops will be taking the podium at SEC Media Days in just two weeks. We’re getting very close to some football time in the Bluegrass. However, important moves are being made to help the program improve.

After agreeing to a contract extension with the university following the 2021 season, Stoops mentioned the need for a bolstered support staff. Those requests were met by Director of Athletics Mitch Barnhart. Two significant hires in those roles were announced on Thursday.

.@UKCoachStoops has announced the addition of two new staffers prior to the start of the 2022 season.

Danielle Braswell has been named the executive director of football recruiting, while Tim Owens joins as the director of player development.

📰🔗 https://t.co/W13wYkdkFk pic.twitter.com/pCVzRXBbn1

— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) July 7, 2022

Executive Director of Recruiting Danielle Braswell

Alabama native and former Auburn alum Danielle Braswell was reported as a new hire for Kentucky back in April and the former staffer in recruiting departments at Arkansas, Auburn, and Texas A&M has been hard at work helping Kentucky build for the future. The new recruiting assistant is helping elevate Kentucky’s recruiting operation.

“We are thrilled to have Danielle join our program,” Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops said in a release. “She brings new energy, organization and a lot of creativity to our team. She helps us raise the bar in how we recruit and showcase what we have to offer a prospective student-athlete. In the short time she’s been here, she’s already made a positive impression.”

Braswell plays a key role in organizing on-campus events when prospective recruits visit campus. In June, Kentucky wrapped up a month of official visits with 18 prospect taking official visits. The Wildcats were able to land a couple of commitments from those big weekends.

Expect Braswell to continue to play a vital role as Kentucky looks to expand its recruiting operation.

“I am honored and excited to join Coach Stoops and his staff here in Lexington and help them continue to build on their success,” Braswell said.

Director of Player Development Tim Owens

To find a new employee to take over the Director of Player Development position, Stoops looked to the NFL. Tim Owens has spent the last three years working with the Jacksonville Jaguars as the player engagement and youth football manager. For the AFC South franchise, Owens coordinated all team life skills programming as well as the Jaguars Rookie Club and NFL Rookie Success Program.

“I’m very grateful to Coach Stoops and his staff for this opportunity,” Owens said. “When I was in the NFL, I heard that Coach Stoops led a player-centric program and I really liked that about him. I’m going to be very similar in my approach and I’m going to lead with love and accountability while being firm, fair and consistent. I’m excited to be a part of the Big Blue Nation and I can’t wait to get started.”

A retired United States Marine, Owens has an extensive military background to go along with five years spent in Annapolis working with the Naval Academy football program. The South Carolina native will bring a unique background to a position designed to help football players make plans for the future.

Graduate Assistant Courtney Love

Former Kentucky defensive lineman Anwar Stewart is now a full-time position coach. Bryan Berezowitz, C.J. Conrad, and Drake Jackson are all former players in graduate assistant roles. Stoops is starting to build a coaching tree in Lexington. Courtney Love is joining that group.

The former Nebraska transfer and Youngstown (Ohio) Cardinal Mooney alum is returning to the field as a graduate assistant in 2022 and serving in an off-field role as the Director of Player Development for three seasons.

Love was a team captain at Kentucky in 2016 and 2017 bringing home the Wuerffel Trophy as a senior as the top community servant in college football. As Mike Stoops transitions to coaching linebackers at Kentucky, a man very familiar with the program will be there to help.