A.J. Steward has been appointed as the running backs coach for the UCLA football team, according to an announcement made by head coach DeShaun Foster. Steward transitions to UCLA from Kansas, where he was an offensive analyst.
Steward’s coaching career began in 2012, and he has since worked at several universities including Baylor, Oregon State, Arizona, BYU, and Rice. “I am really excited to complete my staff with Coach Steward,” Foster stated. “He always gets the most out of his backs and it shows in how they play.”
At Kansas in 2024, the team’s offense ranked among the top 40 nationally with an average of 420.2 yards per game. The running game was particularly strong, ranking 13th with an average of 211.4 yards per game. Devin Neal played a key role in this success and received All-Big 12 Honorable Mention.
During his time at Oregon State in 2022, Steward contributed to a successful season that saw the team finish No. 14 in the College Football Playoff rankings with a record of 10-3. Running back Damien Martinez earned recognition as Pac-12 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year under Steward’s guidance.
In previous roles at other institutions such as Arizona and BYU, Steward developed effective rushing units that consistently delivered strong performances on the field.
Steward began his coaching journey at Rice University where he served as a graduate assistant before becoming the running backs coach. He played college football at Kansas as a tight end after initially playing quarterback and wide receiver.
Steward holds a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education from Kansas University and is married with two sons.
