After nine seasons coaching the tight ends and tackles at Kennesaw State, Stewart Cook was promoted to co-offensive coordinator Feb. 6, 2024.
Last season, he helped guide KSU into a new offense with the program's transition from a flexbone-based option attack. In just the third game of the season, quarterback Jonathan Murphy set the KSU single-game record for passing yards (309), completions (17) and pass attempts (31).
His position groups paved the way for Michael Benefield to be the only player in program history with four-straight 100-yard rushing games.
Leading the tight ends and tackles, the Owls’ offense has posted explosive numbers in each of its first eight seasons. The rushing attack ranked in the top three of the FCS from 2017-2022, including leading the nation in rushing yards per game in 2017 and 2019. The Owls set the program's all-time record with 352.9 yards per game on the ground in 2018, good for second in the nation among all NCAA Division I FBS and FCS team.
In the 2022 campaign, Cook guided offensive lineman Zion Katina to a Phil Steele All-ASUN selection. Katina finished his KSU career with postseason accolades in each of his final three seasons.
During the fall 2021 season, the KSU rushing attack averaged 278.6 yards per game which ranked third in the FCS. The line also blocked for All-American quarterback Xavier Shepherd, who led the FCS in rushing touchdowns with 23 amd set school records for passing yards in a single season (1,341), passing touchdowns in a single season (15) and passing yards in a single game (4).
Cook was instrumental in the development of left tackle, Jake Lassiter, who was a three-time All Big South First-Team selection. Lassiter was the only offensive lineman in 2021 to start all 11 regular season games and played the most snaps of any Owl with 808.
Kennesaw State had the No. 2 rushing attack in all of Division I in 2018, averaging 352.9 yards per game. The Owls also featured one of the top third-down conversion rates in the FCS (50.3 percent – 86-of-171) to finish the year as one of 11 teams in the country to convert over 50 percent of third down attempts.
During his tenure, he has mentored right tackle Zach Mitchler to an Associated Press FCS third-team All-American selection after back-to-back all-Big South honors (2017 – first team; 2016 – second team). He continued that momentum, tutoring Mitchler's replacement following graduation, Chiaza Nwadike, Jr., to first team all-Big South accolades in 2018.
Cook arrived from the nearby University of West Georgia, where he spent the 2013 season as the program’s defensive line coach after coaching the tight ends/H-Backs in 2012.
While at UWG, he coached 2012 first-team All-Gulf South Conference tight end Daniel Youssif, who also earned first-team All-Region honors that same season.
Cook was a four-year letterman for the Wolves, playing the fullback and H-back positions. He was named a team captain prior to his junior campaign in 2009.
Following his playing career, Cook remained at West Georgia as both a student assistant, and then graduate assistant.
Cook is a 2011 graduate of UWG where he earned a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education.
Cook and his wife, Ashli, were married on April 18, 2015 and have a son, Hudson.
