Mark Stoops adds Yusuf Corker and Bunchy Stallings as graduate assistants

Mark Stoops announced several staff additions on Tuesday — including one assistant special teams coach and two new graduate assistants. The former deserves his shine, obviously, but BBN will be particularly excited to hear two former Kentucky football standouts are back in Lexington to begin their coaching careers.

Remember All-SEC members Yusuf Corker and Bunchy Stallings? Both Wildcats are returning home, the former joining the staff to work with defensive backs and the latter switching sides from what he’s used to with the defensive line.

“We are pleased to add Yusuf Corker and Bunchy Stallings to our coaching staff,” Stoops announced. “Both of them played for me and are eager to learn and contribute to the team. They are welcome additions to our program.”

As you may remember, Corker was a star defensive back and two-time captain at Kentucky from 2018-21, playing in 50 games with 37 straight starting assignments. He totaled 240 career tackles with 6.5 tackles for loss, 14 pass breakups, three interceptions, two quarterback hurries, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble, leading the Wildcats to four straight bowl appearances. He was a semifinalist for the Lott IMPACT trophy as a senior in 2021 and earned second-team All-SEC honors as a junior in 2020.

Following his time in Lexington, he spent time in the NFL with the New York Giants and Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent.

As for Stallings, he lettered from 2016-18 and played in 41 career games with 26 starts as a star member of the Big Blue Wall. There, he helped Benny Snell Jr. become Kentucky’s all-time leading rusher and the first player in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in three straight seasons.

He earned First-Team All-America and First-Team All-SEC honors as a senior before being named to the All-Bowl Team by ESPN following the team’s Citrus Bowl win in 2018. After graduating in December of 2018 with a degree in community and leadership development, he signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent.

Now, both are back right where they belong in Lexington.

Jack Ray hired as assistant special teams coach

Elsewhere, Stoops also announced the addition of Jack Ray to its staff as assistant special teams coach under Jay Boulware. He comes to Lexington after serving as the co-special teams coordinator at Hawai’i the past two seasons. Prior to that, he was a graduate assistant at Washington State, a special teams analyst at Nevada and a student assistant at Arkansas Pine Bluff.

“We’re excited to have Jack Ray join our staff and assist Coach Boulware with special teams,” Stoops said. “He brings great energy, attention to detail, and a strong understanding of the game. Special teams are a critical part of what we do, and I’m confident he will make an immediate impact with our players and our program.”

While on staff at Nevada, Ray helped the Wolfpack to three bowl games in as many seasons and served as the team’s interim special teams coordinator for the Quick Lane Bowl at the end of the 2021 campaign. He played a key role in film breakdown, scouting reports and practice and game evaluations during his time there.

“Coaching at Kentucky and in the SEC means a lot to me,” Ray said. “Working with student-athletes at the highest level of college football has always been a goal. I’m also grateful to work alongside Coach Stoops and Coach Boulware—two of the best in the business.”

Welcome to the family.