Mailbag: Answers to football and recruiting questions (Part I)
Justin Rowland
Publisher
From time to time I like to interact with Cats Illustrated's readers beyond our daily message board discussions.
I asked for your questions about Kentucky football and recruiting. Now here is my best effort at a good response.
Terry Wilson (UK Athletics)
AP
downw/ball-lineD: How do you see the class finishing up? Gun to your head. Percentages based on today.
Wandale Robinson ... 50-percent (which might not seem high but would be a good deal higher than the odds I'd give any other school).
J.J. Weaver ... 50-percent (see: above).
Shawnkel Knight-Goff ... 75-percent.
Dylan Rathcke ... Believe UK gets him if they push hard for his commitment on his official.
Kamaar Bell ... 40-percent.
Milton Wright ... 33-percent.
Those are the guys I feel comfortable putting numbers to. Obviously there are more guys on the radar.
bushwacker mack: (Are) there any OL/DL recruits that we may not know about that is considering UK?
That is always possible and sometimes there have been some under the radar guys, especially at the JUCO level. I would imagine Kamaar Bell is at the very top of their board and their chances are probably better with him than I thought weeks and months ago.
lz: What is your gut feeling about current commits getting recruited over, no names necessarily, just wondering if you think 2-3 might have that happen to them?
Kind of like a Luke Hiers situation from back in the 2015 class? No, I don't think so. They seem happy with everyone they've got. Nobody has had a bad season in that regard. There don't seem to be injury concerns. They have plenty of spots left to fill so I don't think space is too tight right now.
Zoomfisher 1960: What about the Buford High recruit T Lee.? Buford is a stud team every year in GA with several quality D 1 guys annually. Can we open that pipeline? We need to.
I'm all for it because they need someone whose first name is "T". In all seriousness, that is a school with talent, you're right. Pipelines always help. He is a Class of 2020 guy so there's a long way to go. Right now the question is more whether they can get him on campus enough.
kagoat22: Are the passing game issues more a QB problem or a receiver problem. It does seem to me that most of the receivers lack the ability to gain separation.
I do believe the receivers have had somewhat of a separation problem. I also think there is room for Terry Wilson to improve. Some on the site have said Wilson has to get the ball out quicker and get the timing on the throws a little more, and also that he has to have more confidence to make the throw before someone is wide open. I agree with that take. When a part of a team's game is struggling the issues are usually multi-faceted.
nash21: Have you heard any of the specific pitches that prospects have gotten from our staff? For example, we know they are pitching Weaver on being there next Josh Allen. I would be curious to hear what Coach Gran is saying to the skill position prospects. Is he using his past experiences?
I don't think they are selling anybody a bill of goods. They will make the Allen comparison for sure, and that's a valid point because he was a developmental guy who has been a program success story. The pitches have been what you would expect. I've heard Wandale Robinson likes the idea of being featured in a variety of ways, including out of the backfield, so that makes sense and while the passing game has struggled they have allowed Lynn Bowden to start to do more of that and he's making more big plays this year. I think right now the big selling point for skill guys is opportunity. They need guys who will step up and take that part of the offense to the next level. When it comes to receivers there is some negative recruiting going on that will continue to be "a thing" until the passing game takes off.
SDCatfan13: Is Stoops set on giving Wilson all the reps at quarterback for the rest of the season, or have they made preparations for Hoak to get situational reps? Thank you.
I'll add the additional detail that I'm discounting mop up reps (i.e. late game blowout). If Wilson continues to struggle, what would it take for the coaches to make a change?
I think in an ideal scenario the coaching staff would continue to allow Wilson to be the guy. I don't think they are eager for a quarterback controversy. They saw the two quarterbacks through the spring and fall camp and in limited action for Gunnar Hoak during the season. There was that moment against Texas A&M when they had that conversation about making a change, but in a close game that was a field position, defensive battle, it's easy for me to understand why they wouldn't.
I do believe if Wilson comes out and throws a couple of quick picks against Vanderbilt and UK is in a dangerous hole then you could see them bring Hoak in to spark something. But as to whether there is a plan for situational reps, I have not heard that. I believe they want to see Wilson succeed unless it is apparent he's not going to. They haven't gotten there.
TuckyFan: Actually same for Clark. I half expected to see him at some point this season in a goal line/jumbo package. Maybe we just haven’t had the opportunity they want to give him.
Clark is the No. 3 and I don't see that changing. From what I've heard dating back to the start of fall camp, he has made some positive strides that would maybe have the staff a little more confident in him if he needs to play. I still see him as a longer-term developmental/depth guy. As for the goal line situation, I think the preferred alternative would be Snell in the Wildcat.
IDCatfan: I’ll try once more...
DJ Daniel- is he still a possibility?
I did have a conversation several weeks ago that led me to believe they might still have a shot but since the Brandin Echols commitment I have not heard anything about that. Not sure they really want or need to go in on three junior college corners in two years.
bratboy: Do you think the staff has some higher rated committed players on their board that they will work to try to flip in order to take advantage of the season we are having.
I know they have stayed in contact with four-star in-state offensive lineman Bryan Hudson, but he told me he's solid with Virginia Tech and there haven't been signs he's going to waver. Jared Casey just committed to Oregon and there is a long way to go so I would be surprised if they didn't at least stay in touch with him. Baylor defensive back commit Hakeem Vance keeps talking about Kentucky but based on recent comments it sounds more like Group of Five schools are really serious about him. Missouri receiver commit C.J. Boone has kept an open ear to Kentucky but I would still be mildly surprised if he flips. Someone I expected them to stay in touch with was Marvin Grant, the safety who committed to Purdue, but I haven't heard much about that lately.
TXcatFBfan: Why have we seen no success on the recruiting trail based upon this season’s success?
I will admit I expected them to see a little more of a bump in the short-term but I have always heard the expectation was that it would help more with 2020 guys. If they finish 9-3 or 10-2 then you're recruiting almost a full class based mostly on that and what should be a better draft class for Kentucky.
CatsFanGG24: Do you see both QB commits sticking - especially if the need for a Juco QB becomes apparent (xfers by Hoak & Clark)?
I like Wood, but his arm looks shot during pregames from his past injuries...QB room of Wilson/Scalzo/Gilmore seems scary.
I am confident that Nik Scalzo will stick. He's been very solid and really seems all in with UK. Amani Gilmore sounded like he would be open to other official visits. It really depends if bigger programs than Southern start to push for him to get on campus.
Catsfootballguy00: Why is the fan base so negative when discussing Terry Wilson? The kid had one bad game in his 6th start ever in a very tough environment against one of the better defenses in the conference. I'm not making excuses for his but it really seems like the majority of fans are completely overreacting. Also, if Gunnar Hoak was clearly a better option for the team, the coaching staff would certainly have realized that and started him for the past few games.
I try my best to avoid taking sides in the most polarizing discussions but dating back to the first game of the year I made it clear how I felt about it. The negativity in regard to Wilson really baffles me. Going into the season the coaches made their choice, and they weren't going to make a choice they thought was the wrong one. They've stuck with him through good times and bad. We saw what Wilson's upside looks like against Florida. That talent hasn't disappeared since then. I thought he looked good as recently as the first half against South Carolina. His confidence pretty clearly took a hit after that but as I've said, I attribute that to his inexperience and the offensive line's struggles. My honest opinion is that a lot of the Wilson criticism has been reactionary. Some believe the backup is a better alternative than I do. It's not to say I think Hoak is a bad option. I think he would be serviceable and could help the team in some ways. I just haven't seen anything that makes me believe he has the kind of arm that some have assumed he's got. If you go back and watch the drives where he had success, he was throwing to receivers who were mostly wide open, and one of those two scoring drives was in a two-minute drill against really inferior competition.
Justin Rowland
Publisher
From time to time I like to interact with Cats Illustrated's readers beyond our daily message board discussions.
I asked for your questions about Kentucky football and recruiting. Now here is my best effort at a good response.
Terry Wilson (UK Athletics)
AP
downw/ball-lineD: How do you see the class finishing up? Gun to your head. Percentages based on today.
Wandale Robinson ... 50-percent (which might not seem high but would be a good deal higher than the odds I'd give any other school).
J.J. Weaver ... 50-percent (see: above).
Shawnkel Knight-Goff ... 75-percent.
Dylan Rathcke ... Believe UK gets him if they push hard for his commitment on his official.
Kamaar Bell ... 40-percent.
Milton Wright ... 33-percent.
Those are the guys I feel comfortable putting numbers to. Obviously there are more guys on the radar.
bushwacker mack: (Are) there any OL/DL recruits that we may not know about that is considering UK?
That is always possible and sometimes there have been some under the radar guys, especially at the JUCO level. I would imagine Kamaar Bell is at the very top of their board and their chances are probably better with him than I thought weeks and months ago.
lz: What is your gut feeling about current commits getting recruited over, no names necessarily, just wondering if you think 2-3 might have that happen to them?
Kind of like a Luke Hiers situation from back in the 2015 class? No, I don't think so. They seem happy with everyone they've got. Nobody has had a bad season in that regard. There don't seem to be injury concerns. They have plenty of spots left to fill so I don't think space is too tight right now.
Zoomfisher 1960: What about the Buford High recruit T Lee.? Buford is a stud team every year in GA with several quality D 1 guys annually. Can we open that pipeline? We need to.
I'm all for it because they need someone whose first name is "T". In all seriousness, that is a school with talent, you're right. Pipelines always help. He is a Class of 2020 guy so there's a long way to go. Right now the question is more whether they can get him on campus enough.
kagoat22: Are the passing game issues more a QB problem or a receiver problem. It does seem to me that most of the receivers lack the ability to gain separation.
I do believe the receivers have had somewhat of a separation problem. I also think there is room for Terry Wilson to improve. Some on the site have said Wilson has to get the ball out quicker and get the timing on the throws a little more, and also that he has to have more confidence to make the throw before someone is wide open. I agree with that take. When a part of a team's game is struggling the issues are usually multi-faceted.
nash21: Have you heard any of the specific pitches that prospects have gotten from our staff? For example, we know they are pitching Weaver on being there next Josh Allen. I would be curious to hear what Coach Gran is saying to the skill position prospects. Is he using his past experiences?
I don't think they are selling anybody a bill of goods. They will make the Allen comparison for sure, and that's a valid point because he was a developmental guy who has been a program success story. The pitches have been what you would expect. I've heard Wandale Robinson likes the idea of being featured in a variety of ways, including out of the backfield, so that makes sense and while the passing game has struggled they have allowed Lynn Bowden to start to do more of that and he's making more big plays this year. I think right now the big selling point for skill guys is opportunity. They need guys who will step up and take that part of the offense to the next level. When it comes to receivers there is some negative recruiting going on that will continue to be "a thing" until the passing game takes off.
SDCatfan13: Is Stoops set on giving Wilson all the reps at quarterback for the rest of the season, or have they made preparations for Hoak to get situational reps? Thank you.
I'll add the additional detail that I'm discounting mop up reps (i.e. late game blowout). If Wilson continues to struggle, what would it take for the coaches to make a change?
I think in an ideal scenario the coaching staff would continue to allow Wilson to be the guy. I don't think they are eager for a quarterback controversy. They saw the two quarterbacks through the spring and fall camp and in limited action for Gunnar Hoak during the season. There was that moment against Texas A&M when they had that conversation about making a change, but in a close game that was a field position, defensive battle, it's easy for me to understand why they wouldn't.
I do believe if Wilson comes out and throws a couple of quick picks against Vanderbilt and UK is in a dangerous hole then you could see them bring Hoak in to spark something. But as to whether there is a plan for situational reps, I have not heard that. I believe they want to see Wilson succeed unless it is apparent he's not going to. They haven't gotten there.
TuckyFan: Actually same for Clark. I half expected to see him at some point this season in a goal line/jumbo package. Maybe we just haven’t had the opportunity they want to give him.
Clark is the No. 3 and I don't see that changing. From what I've heard dating back to the start of fall camp, he has made some positive strides that would maybe have the staff a little more confident in him if he needs to play. I still see him as a longer-term developmental/depth guy. As for the goal line situation, I think the preferred alternative would be Snell in the Wildcat.
IDCatfan: I’ll try once more...
DJ Daniel- is he still a possibility?
I did have a conversation several weeks ago that led me to believe they might still have a shot but since the Brandin Echols commitment I have not heard anything about that. Not sure they really want or need to go in on three junior college corners in two years.
bratboy: Do you think the staff has some higher rated committed players on their board that they will work to try to flip in order to take advantage of the season we are having.
I know they have stayed in contact with four-star in-state offensive lineman Bryan Hudson, but he told me he's solid with Virginia Tech and there haven't been signs he's going to waver. Jared Casey just committed to Oregon and there is a long way to go so I would be surprised if they didn't at least stay in touch with him. Baylor defensive back commit Hakeem Vance keeps talking about Kentucky but based on recent comments it sounds more like Group of Five schools are really serious about him. Missouri receiver commit C.J. Boone has kept an open ear to Kentucky but I would still be mildly surprised if he flips. Someone I expected them to stay in touch with was Marvin Grant, the safety who committed to Purdue, but I haven't heard much about that lately.
TXcatFBfan: Why have we seen no success on the recruiting trail based upon this season’s success?
I will admit I expected them to see a little more of a bump in the short-term but I have always heard the expectation was that it would help more with 2020 guys. If they finish 9-3 or 10-2 then you're recruiting almost a full class based mostly on that and what should be a better draft class for Kentucky.
CatsFanGG24: Do you see both QB commits sticking - especially if the need for a Juco QB becomes apparent (xfers by Hoak & Clark)?
I like Wood, but his arm looks shot during pregames from his past injuries...QB room of Wilson/Scalzo/Gilmore seems scary.
I am confident that Nik Scalzo will stick. He's been very solid and really seems all in with UK. Amani Gilmore sounded like he would be open to other official visits. It really depends if bigger programs than Southern start to push for him to get on campus.
Catsfootballguy00: Why is the fan base so negative when discussing Terry Wilson? The kid had one bad game in his 6th start ever in a very tough environment against one of the better defenses in the conference. I'm not making excuses for his but it really seems like the majority of fans are completely overreacting. Also, if Gunnar Hoak was clearly a better option for the team, the coaching staff would certainly have realized that and started him for the past few games.
I try my best to avoid taking sides in the most polarizing discussions but dating back to the first game of the year I made it clear how I felt about it. The negativity in regard to Wilson really baffles me. Going into the season the coaches made their choice, and they weren't going to make a choice they thought was the wrong one. They've stuck with him through good times and bad. We saw what Wilson's upside looks like against Florida. That talent hasn't disappeared since then. I thought he looked good as recently as the first half against South Carolina. His confidence pretty clearly took a hit after that but as I've said, I attribute that to his inexperience and the offensive line's struggles. My honest opinion is that a lot of the Wilson criticism has been reactionary. Some believe the backup is a better alternative than I do. It's not to say I think Hoak is a bad option. I think he would be serviceable and could help the team in some ways. I just haven't seen anything that makes me believe he has the kind of arm that some have assumed he's got. If you go back and watch the drives where he had success, he was throwing to receivers who were mostly wide open, and one of those two scoring drives was in a two-minute drill against really inferior competition.
