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2019 YAHTZEE! Top 100 national recruit Keontra Smith HAS COMMITTED TO KENTUCKY!

2106 was the beginning of Mark Stoops' golden years at UK. The next couple of years will see an acceleration of this kind of recruiting haul. It isn't really a new thing. We have seen big commitments here before. But there will be a lot more, and most of them will stick. Time for more staff raises.
 
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2019 is a long way away :joy:
It is. But every college football program has commitments and decommitments. Some people expect failure, but they are out of step with what is happening now in our football program. The important point here is that Stoops is getting more top commitments than ever before, and they are accelerating. This is translating to more wins. Enjoy it.
 
Some Notes on his Commitment:
  • Evidently an Eddie Gran recruit, who is beginning to establish a pipeline in Florida (Josh Ali and Chris Whittaker are both from the same area.
  • Had offers from at least Mich St., Auburn, Oregon, Wisconsin, Oklahoma and OTIS.
  • 5-11 210, fluid athlete that fits the mold of the modern, Ed Reed like safety: athletic enough to cover with the size and strength to bring the wood at the line of scrimmage.
  • Great pick up. You can't have enough versatile athletes in the secondary.
 
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It is. But every college football program has commitments and decommitments. Some people expect failure, but they are out of step with what is happening now in our football program. The important point here is that Stoops is getting more top commitments than ever before, and they are accelerating. This is translating to more wins. Enjoy it.
Awesome to get a highly rated 2019 recruit this early. I haven't followed his recruitment all that closely, but I have to believe his commitment is much more solid than Jermaine Eskridge when he committed in 2015(?).

I'll be watching to see if the mods for other schools recruiting boards start ridiculing UK and this young man like they did with Eskridge. I'm thinking of the Gators 247 mod in particular. Really need to beat them to make them STFU on the recruiting trail.
 
2019 is a long way away :joy:

Football commitments are not like basketball commitments. They may change their minds 3-4 times. But, I'll take early commitments from top recruits all day long. We may lose a few along the way. Every program does.

Stoops has program heading in the right direction. Oh, how things have changed since opening up 0-1 last year. Many thought the sky was falling.
 
Awesome to get a highly rated 2019 recruit this early. I haven't followed his recruitment all that closely, but I have to believe his commitment is much more solid than Jermaine Eskridge when he committed in 2015(?).

I'll be watching to see if the mods for other schools recruiting boards start ridiculing UK and this young man like they did with Eskridge. I'm thinking of the Gators 247 mod in particular. Really need to beat them to make them STFU on the recruiting trail.

He's a rising JR, why would anyone else say anything?
 
Folks, we are in, what, our 6th season of Stoops' recruiting?

Celebrate early commits, and then chill out. If somebody flips this excellent recruit, we will get another one.

Seriously, let's not grumble about our recruiting fortunes, as they are consistently rising with Stoops and company at the helm.
 
It's pretty factual. We were all about some receiver who committed early and he immediately backed out. Commitments THIS early unless part of a family thing I would worry too much about

How early? You're comparing a JR from a pipeline school to an 8th grader from a place we didn't have string ties.

If a '19 from another school was the one committed I'd be pumping the brakes too, but we've got Ali and Whittaker on campus, Hawkins and Alexander on the way. I feel good about Smith.
 
How early? You're comparing a JR from a pipeline school to an 8th grader from a place we didn't have string ties.

If a '19 from another school was the one committed I'd be pumping the brakes too, but we've got Ali and Whittaker on campus, Hawkins and Alexander on the way. I feel good about Smith.

Definitely hope he sticks and overall seems to be all good news these days.
 
Thanks for killing the vibe.

I remember when people would whine and complain when we couldn't get recruits like this now we instantly wonder when they're going to decommit.

This forum...smh.
 
It is. But every college football program has commitments and decommitments. Some people expect failure, but they are out of step with what is happening now in our football program. The important point here is that Stoops is getting more top commitments than ever before, and they are accelerating. This is translating to more wins. Enjoy it.

I know. I was just being sarcastic because the previous poster asked who was going to be the first to say "it" (i.e. decommit).
 
It's pretty factual. We were all about some receiver who committed early and he immediately backed out. Commitments THIS early unless part of a family thing I would worry too much about


I look at it this way:

Take these early commitments when you can get them. If they stick, then you got a solid guy in the fold early so he can help recruit other kids.

If he doesn't stick, he's most likely not the guy you wanted anyway. I am of the opinion that these kids that flip and flop from one commitment to another have some underlying (and very common) psychological issue predicated on the constant desire for adulation and attention. They like the recruiting process so much that they don't want it to end. Other kids just leverage one commitment (and the attention it brings) to get "better" offers down the road. Either way, do you really want that kind of character on your team?

At some point, the courtship is over and that kid has to man up and do the serious, often solitary work (i.e. the long hours in the weight room, film room, and practice field). To maximize his potential, he needs to be able to put in the not-so-glamorous work without the constant praise his queen of the prom personality desires. And that, my friends, is that the strong suit of the kid who must have attention at all times. Chances are he'll never develop the way he should have, and he won't be a good teammate, since narcissists don't particularly relish helping other do their best.

In short, if your girlfriend is trying to stoke a fire in you by hanging out with other dudes, tell her to piss off; she wasn't long-term material anyway. Let some other guy have her. He may find that he got more than he bargained for.
 
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Excellent news. More Ws on the field this year means guys like this stick and more come on board to boot. Stoops and Co. are doing a heck of a job pouring the foundation properly!
 
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How early? You're comparing a JR from a pipeline school to an 8th grader from a place we didn't have string ties.

If a '19 from another school was the one committed I'd be pumping the brakes too, but we've got Ali and Whittaker on campus, Hawkins and Alexander on the way. I feel good about Smith.

And who knows who else from that particular School? :eyes:
 
Folks, we are in, what, our 6th season of Stoops' recruiting?

Celebrate early commits, and then chill out. If somebody flips this excellent recruit, we will get another one.

Seriously, let's not grumble about our recruiting fortunes, as they are consistently rising with Stoops and company at the helm.
Exactly right. You would think everyone would be happy. This guy is the kind of recruit you want for a rising college football program. He isn't the 1st, and he won't be the last. Coach Gran is pulling top recruits out of Florida like Coach Marrow is pulling them out of Ohio. The more top guys like him who commit to us, the less the inevitable recruiting setbacks will matter later.
 
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Thanks for killing the vibe.

I remember when people would whine and complain when we couldn't get recruits like this now we instantly wonder when they're going to decommit.

This forum...smh.

It's not just this forum it's the fans in general. It's really sad. I'm 54 years old and have watched and followed UK football since I could walk. I have never seen the quality of players we are getting except a few years with Curci and that was a train wreck waiting to happen. This has been built on a solid foundation. Enjoy the process and the journey because it's special for a long time UK football fan!!
 
GREAT way to start the class off, and most of the times commits stay with it-------even if he doesn't other top recruits will notice and pay attention to UK now. Not only is he a four star, he is a top 100 four star, almost certainly a 5.9 and probably a 6.0 from his ranking.

No other way to view it, great news.

Now I am not sure I wouldn't rather we slow down our recruiting in the 18 class until we see how we play this year, with the year we could have our list of prospects could rise a great deal.
 
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These coaches are doing an absolutely amazing job. Before Stoops got here, it would have been laughable to think UK could get in on a top 100 national prospect from somewhere like Florida. Ain't nobody laughing now! ;)
 
These coaches are doing an absolutely amazing job. Before Stoops got here, it would have been laughable to think UK could get in on a top 100 national prospect from somewhere like Florida. Ain't nobody laughing now! ;)
That's right. I believe our 2014 and 2015 classes were much better than people think, when you forget the attrition and just look at the 2014-15 signees who are starting and contributing. Several of those guys will play on Sundays. 2016, 2017 were monster, underrated classes. We haven't seen anything like this around here since Still and Ramsey. Now that Coach Gran is here, Florida is becoming as important as Ohio. We are beginning to pull top players out of Michigan. Jarren Williams is from Georgia. Would like to get back into Georgia a little more now. With guys like Meechi Harris, Xavier Peters, Tyler Baylor in play for Coach Marrow now, our 2018 class could become Stoops' best class yet.
 
Keontra was a beast at camp. We listed him as a top performer from the four days we observed. Good size, plays bigger than he is, hypercompetitive streak and was super focused throughout.
And that's the type of guy you build a team around!
 
It's not just this forum it's the fans in general. It's really sad. I'm 54 years old and have watched and followed UK football since I could walk. I have never seen the quality of players we are getting except a few years with Curci and that was a train wreck waiting to happen. This has been built on a solid foundation. Enjoy the process and the journey because it's special for a long time UK football fan!!

Wow, I couldn't have said it better, tight down to the age listed (1963 was a very good year for Kentucky fanship!)

For years, heck, for decades, I said we needed a scheme to get wins, and then draw recruits.

And one might claim that Stoops and company created the best scheme of 'em all, beginning in 2016. Essentially, as I watched the season unfold, it appeared that our offensive linemen knocked people out of the way, and then Snell stepped on them heading into the endzone.

Beautiful football.

Seriously, the slow but certain accumulation of quality depth, and a spread of talent across the classes finally began to show in 2016.
 
Now I am not sure I wouldn't rather we slow down ouor recruiting in the 18 class until we see how we play this year, with the year we could have our list of prospects could rise a great deal.

A normal thought from just a couple of seasons ago.

But think about it, Jauk, look at the commits for '18, so far. I would argue that 9 or 10 wins could not cause our list of prospect to "rise a great deal," because we are already much closer to the top of the recruiting world than to the bottom. Yes, a 5 star or two might be drawn to us by a trip to Atlanta, but I'm pretty certain that there will be a few spots left by early December, anyhow.
 
A normal thought from just a couple of seasons ago.

But think about it, Jauk, look at the commits for '18, so far. I would argue that 9 or 10 wins could not cause our list of prospect to "rise a great deal," because we are already much closer to the top of the recruiting world than to the bottom. Yes, a 5 star or two might be drawn to us by a trip to Atlanta, but I'm pretty certain that there will be a few spots left by early December, anyhow.

Hey, I didn't say stop recruiting, but on the other hand I think I just read where we were talking to a five star. Not long ago a five star wouldn't give us the time of day.
 
I posted this in The House of Blue last week but not here. I met him in Chattanooga at a subway last week when they were headed up for camps. Talked to him and Marlin Mayo. I noticed Mayo had a Chaminade Madonna shirt on and I started a conversation with him. I told them I followed recruiting and I knew they had alot of prospects. Then I said I was a Kentucky fan and that's when Smith came over. Said UK was in his top 5 and was talking about Gran. So you have to think there is a good relationship there. Said he had just got an offer from Ole Miss. Real nice kid. Alexander had just walked out and I didn't get to meet him. They said Hawkins was at the hotel. Mayo told me he is actually Smiths uncle even though he is younger so that could help us with Mayo for sure. They mentioned Whittaker and Ali too and I think Smith is pretty close with Ali. So there is 4 guys that he is buddies with either here or commited. You have to like that. He told me to keep up with him on twitter and I told him I hope I keep up with him while he is wearing blue for us. So yesterday suprised the hell out of me when I checked the boards. I'm pumped about this kid.
 
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