University of Rochester Head Football Coach Chad Martinovich announced the hiring of a pair of assistant coaches in Eric Ruest and Khalil Steward to round out the football coaching staff ahead of the 2024 season.
 
Ruest will serve as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, while Steward will coach the wide receivers.
 
Ruest joins the Yellowjackets after spending the last four years at the University of New England in Biddeford, ME, serving as the tight ends and fullbacks coach for three years before being promoted to offensive line coach this past year.
 
Over four seasons with the Nor'easters, Ruest helped oversee a multi-win improvement, culminating with the first winning record in program history in 2023, and coached a trio of All-Commonwealth Coast Conference honorees.
 
Before returning to his alma mater, Ruest began his collegiate coaching career as a volunteer offensive assistant at Bryant University in Smithfield, RI, spending one summer with the Bulldogs.
 
A 2020 graduate of the University of New England, Ruest was a three-year member of the Nor'easter's football program, playing during the university's inaugural season in 2017.
 
Ruest earned his bachelor's degree in secondary education and history from the University of New England in May 2020, and his master's degree in sports coaching, leadership and administration from Michigan State University in Aug. 2023.
 
Steward comes to the River Campus after spending the past two years as the wide receivers coach at NCAA Division II Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia, PA. Over two seasons with the Griffins, Steward helped coach a 2023 First-Team All-Collegiate Spring Football League (CSFL) honoree in Kyree Griffin and saw three wideouts haul in 300+ yards receiving.
 
During his time at Chestnut Hill, Steward also coached overseas in both the Italian Football League (IFL) and the German Football League (GFL), spending one season as the wide receivers coach with the Hildesheim Invaders of the GFL, and the following season as the offensive coordinator with the Milano Rhinos of the IFL.
 
Prior to joining the Griffins in March 2022, Steward began his coaching career at Martin Luther King Jr. High School in Philadelphia, PA, serving as both the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach for the Cougars from Feb. 2019 – June 2023.
 
A 2018 graduate of Delaware Valley, Steward played in 21 games over two seasons for the Aggies, earning a Middle American Conference (MAC) Fall Academic Honor Roll selection in 2016 before helping Delaware Valley win the MAC and reach the NCAA Division III quarterfinals in 2017.
 
Steward earned his bachelor's degree from Delaware Valley University in Doylestown, PA in marketing management and research in Dec. 2018.
 
The Yellowjackets will open the 2024 season on Saturday, Sept. 7 with a road matchup against The University of Olivet in Olivet, MI at 12:00 p.m.