** Turns out, the 4-star CB from Illinois just offered by Chris Collins, Jyaire Hill, was at Kentucky for a visit recently. He told me this morning, "The atmosphere was exciting, off the chains. I didn't expect that...plus they're being coached by one of the GOATs, Big Stoops Dawg. That's what my dad calls him!"
Now the perception on Hill has seemed to be that he would end up at either Michigan or Illinois. I am not super familiar with him, as a newer target for UK, but they are at least on the periphery and he thinks highly of them. Whether he picks them now or not, we're seeing with the portal that former names tend to resurface and you want to have those relationships.
** WKU OL Gunner Britton is in the portal and was one of the OL transfer possibilities I mentioned recently but he told me yesterday he hasn't heard from Kentucky yet.
** Iowa State just moved on from Tom Manning as offensive coordinator. It's the carousel season and I have no reason to believe he's going to be on Stoops' short list for a role but in researching him this morning (one of the reasons I'm not on here 247 is I try to look into the background of every fired coach or portal guy I come across on social media to see if it might be a connection/fit for UK, and if that could be something to follow up on) but he's an interesting guy.
Youngstown native with a history of coaching OL and well regarded as a scheme guy who could offer an OC set of eyes. Has coached different positions and was in the NFL with the Colts around the time Brad White was there and just based on resume alone that is very interesting to me. Matt Campbell at ISU did let him go as OC but they've had strength program issues recently and Campbell obviously liked him having hired him a couple of different times.
** Nothing new on Stephen Herron. Until I hear otherwise my assumption is Kentucky is very much a player.
** Chris Lewis is going into the transfer portal. This year more than ever we are seeing guys who could be legit players at Kentucky going into the portal. He probably has to know that he was never going to beat out Dane Key and that's two to three more years of sitting on the bench for the most part, especially if Kentucky's playing mainly two or three receivers. If there are injuries the impact is going to be bigger than before, you would assume, and it will be really important to evaluate and recruit depth pieces out of the portal well.
** Sumrall winning Sun Belt COY in his first year at Troy is a huge deal. They've had double digit win seasons before but have some familiarity with their history and there's a case for this as maybe the best team they've had since going FBS. No question, he is going to one day be in the running for the Kentucky HC position. It might not be in three or five years or maybe it will be, who knows, but having someone with such strong ties and love for Kentucky winning as a HC and becoming someone to watch for the future is potentially a really big deal.
Now the perception on Hill has seemed to be that he would end up at either Michigan or Illinois. I am not super familiar with him, as a newer target for UK, but they are at least on the periphery and he thinks highly of them. Whether he picks them now or not, we're seeing with the portal that former names tend to resurface and you want to have those relationships.
** WKU OL Gunner Britton is in the portal and was one of the OL transfer possibilities I mentioned recently but he told me yesterday he hasn't heard from Kentucky yet.
** Iowa State just moved on from Tom Manning as offensive coordinator. It's the carousel season and I have no reason to believe he's going to be on Stoops' short list for a role but in researching him this morning (one of the reasons I'm not on here 247 is I try to look into the background of every fired coach or portal guy I come across on social media to see if it might be a connection/fit for UK, and if that could be something to follow up on) but he's an interesting guy.
Youngstown native with a history of coaching OL and well regarded as a scheme guy who could offer an OC set of eyes. Has coached different positions and was in the NFL with the Colts around the time Brad White was there and just based on resume alone that is very interesting to me. Matt Campbell at ISU did let him go as OC but they've had strength program issues recently and Campbell obviously liked him having hired him a couple of different times.
** Nothing new on Stephen Herron. Until I hear otherwise my assumption is Kentucky is very much a player.
** Chris Lewis is going into the transfer portal. This year more than ever we are seeing guys who could be legit players at Kentucky going into the portal. He probably has to know that he was never going to beat out Dane Key and that's two to three more years of sitting on the bench for the most part, especially if Kentucky's playing mainly two or three receivers. If there are injuries the impact is going to be bigger than before, you would assume, and it will be really important to evaluate and recruit depth pieces out of the portal well.
** Sumrall winning Sun Belt COY in his first year at Troy is a huge deal. They've had double digit win seasons before but have some familiarity with their history and there's a case for this as maybe the best team they've had since going FBS. No question, he is going to one day be in the running for the Kentucky HC position. It might not be in three or five years or maybe it will be, who knows, but having someone with such strong ties and love for Kentucky winning as a HC and becoming someone to watch for the future is potentially a really big deal.
