Grand slam if Ford happens. Starting experience at the P5 level, and would have 3 yrs eligibility left. Wonder if Coen worked some West coast contacts and connections, haha.
Discussion about possible inbound transfer candidates
- Thread starter Rembrandt90
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An OG? That's surprising. Thought Horsey and Eli were solid at OG. Could this mean Eli is moving back to C and Burton, et al aren't working out at G? Pregnon surely isn't being offered as 'depth'.
My interpretation of coaches comments are they don't like the play of Eli at C or Burton at G. The Wyoming guy might be looked at as an upgrade over Eli at G.
Stoops is jumping on these guys right away. Good for him. Unlike a certain basketball coach who lets players hold him hostage. Hope we get both big o linemen.
He isn't a UK target, but reading about the Bear Alexander at Georgia story tells you all about the new world CFB is in. Super talented D linemen who played every game for them as a true frosh last yr, including 2 sacks against TCU in title game. Jumped into the portal - same time as their Spring game kicks off! Allegedly Texas & USC NIL bidding big bucks to land him.
Makes you appreciate what our NIL has done to keep our elite talent like Barion Brown and D Walker happy to stay.
Makes you appreciate what our NIL has done to keep our elite talent like Barion Brown and D Walker happy to stay.
Stoops spring wrap up press conference mentioned Burton as being a bright spot from spring practice and they are moving forward with him at center. Getting the OG from Wyoming along with Bowles from Bama gives UK quality 2 deep at the guard spot. Important IMO.
Eli Cox could be used at center if needed if Burton either has issues or gets injured. They needed to fix the Oline issues and it appears they are doing just that.
I could be wrong but I don't see Ford coming here. He might go back home to a TX school. Would like to see this one happen for us, but it doesn't seem to add up.
As already mentioned above, UK's staff is recruiting Emmanuel Pregnon, an offensive lineman in the transfer portal, as he is transfering from WY. Pregnon's background is OG, and he does not have an apparent prior connection with UK's staff. I think the only reasons he is a UK target now are that he has three years of remaining eligibility and a stout, strong frame. We do not have a current need for another OG, and Pregnon is evidently not an OT candidate. But he can play through the 2025 season, so he has some long term value. I don't see this having a significant impact on Coach Stoops' pursuit of another OT.
Lucas Taylor (MS St) and Caleb Etienne (OK St) are also in the transfer portal now. Both are OTs. Taylor is from Mobile, AL, and Etienne is from New Orleans. Neither has an obvious prior connection to UK, but both are from SEC territory. It is easier for me to envision one of these players becoming receptive to competing for the RT job at UK, but I do not know if UK's coaches are talking yet with either of them.
Ford is apparently visiting UK Thursday of this week so there must be an interest. First thing I thought of when I saw Ford was visiting and UK had offered was is Coen involved some way, the whole LA/USC thing?
Pregnon is interesting. Thing that impressed me was the guy enters the portal and immediately has 15+ offers. Huge, massive player.
My perception is that a decision has already been made to keep Burton at C. Burton had a positive spring and has embraced the position change. Coach Coen has discussed this at some length. Burton has enough athleticism to get to the second level and block LBs. Assuming he keeps working during the summer, it seems unlikely that this decision will be revisited. I am not crazy about having the third new starting C in three years, but this one does make a certain amount of sense.
It looks like Marques Cox (LT), Kenneth Horsey (LG), Burton (C), and Eli Cox (RG) will start. I expect another OT to be acquired through the transfer portal for August competition, but I don't have a notion about how this will turn out until I see who it is. Flax has not nailed down the job. But players learn and improve as they go. Flax has size and length. He is an effective run blocker. He has struggled at times with pass protection, but he is not the talentless player that some of our fans think. I do not count him out yet, as long as he keeps working at it. But if Coach Coen takes another transfer, it will be someone physically capable of winning the RT starting job.
I don't find any evidence that Coach Coen knew Ford or had any connection with him when Ford was at Southern Cal. Could be wrong, but I think Coen was pretty busy with the Rams. The visit is a positive development, but it just keeps the door open. Ford will visit UK because there is a possibility of an SEC starting job for him. But it is being reported that double digit Power 5 schools are already recruiting Ford now, including some in and around his home state of TX. So, to be realistic, the chance that he will end up at UK still looks low to me unless there is some kind of strong chemistry and immediate connection when he visits here. It's an interesting story, so we will see.
I suspect a lot of OTs will enter the portal in the next several days. It would be interesting to know (although not possible) how many players have privately contacted our coaches to give a heads up that they are about to enter the portal. I'll bet that number is not zero.
REM I follow what you are saying but I think there is an obvious fit with Ford and not just for this year.
Come be our RT this year and transition to LT the following year and then on to the NFL.
UK is thin at tackle especially LT. Nik Hall is the only one on campus ( I believe) that could possibly start there down the road.
Yes there clearly is an obvious fit for Ford at UK. And also at any other program that needs an OT. It would be great to bring him in. But a lot of other coaching staffs are thinking similarly.
A number of OTs will be available in the portal over the next two weeks. Some will be from the southeast, and a few will be as good or better than Ford. We just need one who can compete for a starting job. It could be Ford, but it doesn't have to be. Just needs to be a big, capable, athletic player.
I think they see Eli Cox G spot up for grabs and going after this kid as competition along with Bowles. Cox had some great games in 21 but also some not so great games too. He was at best an average C last year. Hopefully he can kick on and develop more consistency.
It is easy to forget that Eli was a midseason All American in 2021 as a RG. Maybe you did? Coach Coen was emphatic at times during spring practice about how impressed he was with Eli at RG. Now, that's what I would expect him to say. But I doubt he would blow rose petals at Eli if Eli was practicing poorly. So I can't see a reason to think an inbound transfer can beat Eli out next August. I suspect Coen's interest in Emmanuel Pregnon is directly related to the fact that Pregnon has three seasons of eligibility left. In Pregnon, I think Coen is looking for a 2024 starting OG who can also fill in if a 2023 OG gets hurt.
No I didn’t forget, but I have eyes and he wasnt the star that mid season award made him out to be. He could be and I hope he is. I’m not trying to bash the kid but he still has a lot of work to do to become the player some make him out to be.
I think Bouleware is the connection. He recruited him to Texas. Anyway he visits Thursday and doesn't have any other visits lined up. They knew he was entering for awhile and already had this setup. I've heard it may already be over with
I've heard Bouleware is the connection. Not 100 percent sure just what I heard
I sure hope your source is right. If this is correct, a big problem gets addressed at the beginning of the window and they can turn their attention to inside LBs.
Former 5 star and UT QB, transfer to UNLV, enters the transfer portal...uk interest?
Harrison Bailey wasn't good enough to start at UNLV
paaaaaaaaaaaaaaass
paaaaaaaaaaaaaaass
For several reasons, I expect Eli Cox to have a strong season. Not the least of which is Coach Coen's review of his performance in spring practice. He was excellent before the injury in 2021. People are down on him because of 2022, but that was a systemic problem. I don't think another player will take Eli's starting job, and that includes inbound transfers. He has already beaten out Tanner Bowles, a former 4 star recruit with playing experience at AL. If Coach Stoops takes another OG from the portal, it will be someone with multiple years of eligibility who can play after Eli and Horsey have graduated.
The emphasis will be on getting another OT. The transfer window lasts for two weeks, so something needs to happen fast. With Ford coming for a campus visit, I imagine our coaches will go for an immediate commitment. If that doesn't happen, they probably have a plan B lined up.
BereaCat(see above) seems to feel Ford is pretty much a done deal, he's been in the portal or at least has been known he would be in the portal, for a while plus has a history with Boulware. If UK takes an OG does that mean the coaches are concerned about the progress of Bingham, Rodriquez and Wohlabaugh?
Anyone with any news on Jerriente Davis? Visited UK last week, does he have other visits scheduled? Thought(I guess hoped) we'd know something on him by now.
I don't think so. They are only looking at one OG in the portal. If they take Pregnon, they get three years of eligibility and a likely September, 2024, starter who can push guys around. Bingham or Rodriguez would probably get the other 2024 starting job unless Ramsey develops quickly. But overall numbers at OG take a hit once Horsey and Eli graduate. I think OT is still Wohlabaugh's long term position, but he needs more work in the gym.
Davis is looking at a lot of programs. My guess would be that he commits somewhere at the end of this month, not much earlier than that. If Coach Marrow is talking with Jaheim Thomas (just my conjecture, but not unlikely), Davis may not yet hold a committable offer from us.
Is Thomas an ILB? All the film I've seen on him he's playing OLB. Maybe he can play inside, I don't know.
The Wyoming RG is a workout warrior. No offers out of HS. 3rd rated OL by PFF last season in the conference. Better at pass blocking than run blocking last year if I remember correctly. Probably a plug and go starter, I doubt with his offer level that he's going to be a backup now. Just what I've seen around (Penn State offered as well).
Since Eli has moved back to RG, our thoughts about Eli as a C have become obsolete. If former 4 star AL player Tanner Bowles could not beat out Eli at RG this spring, what makes you think a former WY OG can accomplish it in August? Coach Coen was very positive about Eli's performance this spring. I believe four positions on our OL are set. Still waiting to see what they decide to do at RT.
Inside LB Rian Davis from Apopka, FL, was offered by UK (and seven other SEC programs) coming out of hs, but signed with GA. Now he is in the transfer portal. I have no idea whether he is talking with UK's coaches now, but he would be a great fit for our defense. Big, athletic guy who runs unusually well.
RB Antonio Martin from Fairburn, GA, was offered by UK (and at least four other SEC programs including AL) coming out of hs, but signed with GA Tech. Now he is in the transfer portal. The only reason I am mentioning this is because Martin was a member of the 2022 class and still has three or four years of eligibility left, depending on whether 2022 was a redshirt season for him. RB is not an immediate need for UK, but three UK RBs are scheduled to graduate after the 2023 season. So a RB with SEC upside and multiple years of eligibility could be interesting, depending on how many UK scholarships are still open nearer the end of this month.
The likelihood of us getting the Wyoming kid is low so it probably doesn’t need a lot of discussion. I’d expect to see Cox as the starting RG come the season opener but I don’t think the competition with him and Bowles is over.
Just thinking from a practical standpoint if Bowles beat Cox out in the spring for RG then Cox probably transfers which no one wants. I’m not saying that’s the case but I think they will keep competing. And that’s good cause we need depth and to rotate guys in.
Just thinking from a practical standpoint if Bowles beat Cox out in the spring for RG then Cox probably transfers which no one wants. I’m not saying that’s the case but I think they will keep competing. And that’s good cause we need depth and to rotate guys in.
The window to enter is two week, but do they have to commit during that time? I know last year Addison entered the last day then transferred later. They keep changing it but I'd assume they have more time to decide
The Wyoming kid is actually a Colorado kid. Not sure deion has offered but already seen a YouTube video of some guy telling deion to go bring him home. I'm sure he is gonna get offered a good chunk of NIL money.
Talking to a guy that trained both, he didn't think Bowles could compete with Eli.
A little more to the Alexander story than the alledged tampering, Texas also got a WR transfer from UGA. But when it comes to buying players the 2 big Texas teams can throw more than anyone else can.
But regardless UGA is over numbers was 6 Friday night, but down to 4 now with a LB entering. So 4 more before AUG 1, I think that's still the day you have to be at 85.
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When he announced the word we got was Texas or USC would be his destination and looking like it's going to be USC. Had another hit portal last night, an OL who wasn't going to see the field and like won't at any P5. so the word we are getting we are now at 86. Bear is a loss, the others are looking for playing time.
No absolutely not, there is no drop dead date for a portal transfer to pick a school and enroll to play the 2023 season. They can theoretically wait until August, or Fall semester enrollment date.
I think it's based on the day all of your incoming freshman report for summer/fall camp. Aug 1 is probably close, but it usually varies with the teams who play week 0 and the like.
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