I wonder how this effects recruiting.

Do we know what bench Kentucky will be using?
We’re listed as home team, so I’m assuming the same bench the Knicks use?

** Arkansas OL portal target Joshua Braun will arrive at Kentucky TODAY For a visit. Played right guard for Arkansas this year, 835 snaps, and scored 70.0 on PFF. That was 67.7 blocking the run, 83.0 in pass protection, and only four penalties. Also played 790 snaps scoring 70.7 the previous season.

** Can confirm this is the first OL visit Kentucky will have hosted.

** Kentucky will not be in play for DB transfer Cameron Calhoun. He originally committed to UK before signing with Michigan and beginning his college career with the Wolverines. Now at Utah, Calhoun went into the portal again. Made sense that Kentucky might have interest but I'm told that he is not a target for them.

** The more I have heard about UCONN WR Brock Montgomery, the less I believe there is any traction here. After the fact I was told that Kentucky's interest is not what the immediate assumption was. There will be lots of recruiting activity and sometimes things will be communicated that are misunderstood.

** Kentucky has offered Cal WR Nyziah Hunter. That happened late yesterday. He's picked up a bunch of other power offers like Ariz St, Utah, Mississippi State, and Kansas just to name a few. Big-time deep threat. Very explosive and efficient in the intermediate and vertical game as a R-Frosh for the Bears.

Steve Wiltfong has reported that New Mexico OL Wallace Unamba will officially visit Kentucky this coming Monday, Dec. 16, and then he will OV to Virginia.

My understanding is he is someone Kentucky may be willing to take eventually but right now they are building a full board and that includes different tiers. TBD on how high he falls on that board but he is at least someone of interest.

The 6'4, 330-pound tackle played 699 snaps and graded out at 63.9 overall per PFF. Solid in run and pass protection, not spectacular, flagged seven times (3x vs Utah St, 2x in 2 other games).

AJ Dybantsa, the nation’s No. 1 overall recruit in 2025, is heading to Mark Pope‘s old stomping grounds. The 6-9 guard out of Massachusetts committed to BYU over Alabama, Kansas and North Carolina on Tuesday with his announcement coming on ESPN’s First Take.

Wow, love it! Must have paid a pretty penny for that commit. Glad he didn't land anywhere else. Enjoy the paycheck as you toll away in obscurity next season.

First, thanks again for a great season of Stupid Underdog. I know that can be a pain and I think most fans here appreciate your work on that. I hope your NIL is paying off.

My question: this year there seems to be quite a competition at the top and the Bowl Games may decide the winner. Has it ever been this close before?

@Old_Red

Looking at my calendar for the next 30 days, I suddenly noticed the absence of the necessity for planning a Bowl trip.

And that’s not entirely negative: I’ll get to watch more bowls than I usually do, given that my brother and I drive to them, and miss those closely aligned with our travels.

Those trips to Orlando/Jacksonville and even Charlotte were pretty taxing on a couple of 60 year old guys in an SUV, but we did them on the cheap, in motels, with Kroger gas cards in hand, and coupons from chain restaurants.

The bowl streak was fun while it lasted.

And as to the Coaching situation, from this point forward, I am adopting the Alcoholics Anonymous philosophy: I must learn to accept that which I cannot change.

If I had a few million to spare, maybe I could make a real difference, but until that lottery lands, I am in the same boat as all (most) other Kentucky fans.

Those who have followed this forum for the last few years have known me as a Stoops’ fan . . . and statistically, until this season, I feel that “fanship” was well deserved. Perhaps my suggestion of re-naming New Circle Road “Stoops’ Loop” was a tad premature?!?

And now our situation “is what it is.”

Our recent recruiting haul, again, by measuring “Stars” is a tad above our pre-NIL level.

Stone Saunders looks like a real competitor with our Frosh phenom.

So, is there any real possibility of finding another 10 win season with Mark Stoops and staff?

I don’t know.

God knows we need to hit some O-line home runs in the Portal to have a shot, again.

But given that Stoops is the only Coach who has achieved it twice in his tenure, here, maybe he, the staff and players can rebuild the fire that once carried a three-star laden team to within a game of an East title, and a New Year’s Day spanking of Penn State.

Nothing is guaranteed. Our conference is a biatch, and scheduling will do is no favors, prior, perhaps than 2026 . . . and that ain’t a guarantee, as the likes of Vandy, Mizzou, Ole Miss, UF and USCe all seem to be stepping up their game, and I think we’ll see nine conference games in ‘26.

So I’m left with some hope: we still landed a Class that should be roughly equal to or better than half the conference. We kind of lucked into Levis for a magical season, and if the portal hurt us in 2023/24, we cannot deny that it “made” us in 2021.

And at a minimum, we’ll have a hell-of-home schedule in 2025, with both UT’s, Florida, and Ole Miss.

And I’ll be there if the Lord allows another season!!

Look, we have known for years that dudes who own car dealerships and have made huge money off of oil or coal or some other industry may want to slip money to recruits and players to entice them to come to a certain school (a handful of small fries do this too to feel big). We know that fake jobs were created to surreptitiously play athletes. We know that.

We also know the NCAA outlawed such things and that some schools (fans) were damaged when the “wrongdoers” got caught breaking the rules.

Then, the Supreme Court suggests that the NCAA might have a problem by not paying players. Heck, college football is raining cash down on big schools by the Brinks truck and players only receive room, board, a small stipend, and a measly edumacation.

The NCAA panics. Does it want to share its cash cow with the athletes who are making it rich?

Hell no!!

How about pretend the old harsh rules no longer exist and pass that buck to the fans in the form of fake NIL?

This way, the NCAA can continue to take in the profits and can look at the fans and blame them if there isn’t enough payola. Your team cannot afford that top rated QB? Your fault fans! Not the fault of Fort Knox … er, the NCAA.

Coaches make millions. NCAA makes billions. Athletic budgets may take a little hit. But, the fan carries the huge extra weight.

Want to hate the NCAA? Seems like at least one reason exists for that sentiment.

College Football Hall of Fame

LINK

** Marshall LB Landyn Watson is officially visiting Kentucky later this week but it's reported he is first officially visiting Mississippi State.

** Jacksonville State LB Reginald Hughes announced an offer from Kentucky. The 6'2, 240-pound MLB will be at Colorado before Kentucky. He was a very productive player this year.

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** Can confirm a report from Zack Geoghegan that USC EDGE Sam Greene will be visiting this week. I will have more on him tomorrow.

** Believe OT Isaiah World, the player alluded to a while ago, will be visiting this weekend. He would be an important player to lock down.

Have one scheduled for the 19th, anyone have this done? TIA

Start a new NCAA organization with bylaws? Members would join voluntarily and agree to abide by the rules of the org. Similar to a country club or civic organization.
Set up a fair compensation agreement that all agree to.

Don’t join if you don’t want. I bet 90% of all ADs and coaches would be willing to start over. It would take some work but could rectify this out of control nonsense.

Would a membership violate the SC decision?

Look at the schedule.

Could be #1 v #2

I know there was a shoe thread a week or so ago. But the Kobe's Brea wears are cool

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Predictions?

Texas is 62 on net yet 40 on kenpom.
I understand kenpom to be a performance statistics based rsnking; so my real question I suppose is how are the net rankings formulated?