UK Football Announces Four Staff Additions

Kentucky football has announced the additions of four new members of head coach Will Stein’s staff in Dillon Sanders, inside linebackers; Rob Snyder, assistant defensive line coach; Leah Barnard, assistant director of recruiting; and John “Hova” Herron, acquisition coordinator.

Sanders returns to Lexington for his second stint with the Wildcats after serving as a defensive assistant from 2016-18. He will serve as the assistant defensive line coach and work specifically with the defensive ends. Sanders most recently served as defensive coordinator at Ensworth School in Nashville, Tennessee.  Before Ensworth, Sanders spent four seasons at Murray State as defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach under Dean Hood.

Sanders full bio: https://ukathletics.com/sports/football/roster/coach/dillon-sanders/

Snyder arrives in Lexington after a brief stint at Illinois State and two seasons at Nicholls State, where he helped build one of the FCS’s top defensive units. He has coached multiple all-conference defensive linemen throughout his career, including current Wildcat Mi’Quise Humphrey-Grace while at South Dakota State.

Snyder full bio: https://ukathletics.com/sports/football/roster/coach/rob-snyder/

Bolstering the recruiting office, Barnard, a former student worker and recruiting operations assistant, was promoted after playing an integral role in organizing recruiting operations and on-campus visits. In her new role, she will assist with the planning and execution of on-campus recruiting operations, including official and unofficial visits, recruiting events, prospect communications and the day-to-day coordination of the program’s recruiting efforts.

Barnard full bio: https://ukathletics.com/sports/football/roster/coach/leah-barnard/

Herron joins the Wildcats as acquisition coordinator, bringing nearly three decades of coaching, leadership and talent evaluation experience to Kentucky’s recruiting operation. He will work closely with the coaching staff, recruiting personnel, and support departments to identify and evaluate prospective student-athletes. He will also assist in managing the program’s transfer portal strategy and high school recruiting. Before Kentucky, Herron spent the 2025 season at the University of Texas as a scouting consultant. He served as the director of recruiting at Louisville from 2022-25.

Herron full bio: https://ukathletics.com/sports/football/roster/coach/john-hova-herron/