Heartbreaking news has arrived from the University of Kentucky, as the team announced former Wildcat great and current offensive line coach John Schlarman has passed away.
Over the last two years, Kentucky offensive line coach John Schlarman had courageously been battling cancer while still working closely with the team. A former standout player for Kentucky himself, Schlarman said multiple times seeing the players and coaches each day made his battle worth going through.
Unfortunately, heartbreaking news arrived on Thursday morning, as the team announced on Twitter that Schlarman has passed away at the age of 45.
With extremely heavy hearts, we're devastated to announce @CoachSchlarman's passing.
— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) November 12, 2020
Please keep the Schlarman family in your hearts and we'll always remain #SchlarmanStrong | #BigBlueWall💙https://t.co/fxyLVVzJmz pic.twitter.com/xLtY4DkXVW
John Schlarman was 45 years old and had battling cancer for the last two years
In the team release, head coach Mark Stoops shared how devastated he was to hear the news that his friend and assistant coach had passed away.
“I’m heartbroken to learn about the passing of my friend, John Schlarman,” Stoops said. “My prayers go out to LeeAnne and the kids, Joseph, Benjamin, Matthew and Evelyn, through this very difficult time.
“John was everything we all strive to be – honest, tough, fair, respected. Kentucky football won’t be the same without him but his legacy will never fade. He was a fighter and we will strive every day to honor his warrior spirit.”
Schlarman was hired as Kentucky’s offensive line coach back in 2013, re-joining his alma mater. During his playing days for the Wildcats, Schlarman was an All-SEC offensive guard. Under his direction, the offensive line continued to make tremendous strides at Kentucky, including giving up the third-fewest sacks in the SEC in 2019.
In 2018, Schlarman was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, which is a cancer that forms in the bile ducts. That didn’t stop him from giving his all to his team. His bravery was something Wildcats fans everywhere admired throughout the past two years.
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