John Schlarman, Kentucky’s offensive line coach and a former All-SEC offensive lineman, died Thursday after a two-year battle with cancer, the university announced. Schlarman was 45 years old.

Schlarman was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, a rare type of cancer that forms in the bile ducts, in 2018. He continued to coach through treatments, missing only Kentucky’s two most recent games. His last game on the UK sidelines was Oct. 17, when the Wildcats defeated Tennessee and head coach Mark Stoops gave Schlarman the game ball.

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Schlarman had been on Kentucky’s staff since 2013. He was a four-year starter for the Wildcats from 1994-97 and was named first-team All-SEC as a senior.

“I’m heartbroken to learn about the passing of my friend, John Schlarman,” Stoops said in a statement. “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.”

(Editor’s note: Kyle Tucker’s feature, The great fight inside John Schlarman, Kentucky football’s ‘total badass,’ has been unlocked and can be found in the Backstory section on this page.)

What was he like as a coach?

Kyle Tucker, Kentucky beat writer: Exactly what he was as a man: conscientious, caring and, above all, tough. Kentucky’s rise over the last four years really started up front. The offensive line, which has earned its “Big Blue Wall” nickname, set a tone for the entire program. Do your job. Be there for the man beside you. Fight to the end. Schlarman built one of the best offensive lines in America, and Stoops built upon that foundation a consistent winner at a place known for losing.

What is his legacy at UK?

Tucker: They ought to build a damn statue. Use the photos of him thrusting game balls skyward in the jubilant visiting locker rooms after streak-busting victories at Florida and Tennessee as a template. No one will ever forget the way he inspired that team — or its fans or total strangers far and wide who care nothing about Kentucky football but admired his remarkable strength. It is poetic, if heartbreaking, that his final game with the Wildcats turned out to be that celebration in Knoxville. Schlarman’s legacy is in his answer to this question: Why keep coming to work every day even as the ravages of cancer and its aggressive treatment batter your body? “The team,” he said. “Because you don’t let the guy next to you down.”

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(Photo: Michael Allio / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)