Second time an elite back escaped Kentucky to attend Alabama. Makes the Matt Elam signing seem even more special.
Shades of Shaun Alexander
- Thread starter StubbornPenny
- Start date
I was too young to follow football recruiting during that era, but I do remember how bad Curry sucked. That being said the program is in a totally different place that we even had a shot at Harris. It's a bittersweet notion, but a few more rungs up and the next elite back will be ours from day one.
The only football player I know with that name always says Alabama is his family and home. Is there a different football player from Kentucky with the same name?
This post was edited on 1/10 2:52 AM by BigBlueCatNation
This post was edited on 1/10 2:52 AM by BigBlueCatNation
This is nothing like Shaun Alexander, he was not even close to being as recuirted as highly as Harris, UK never offered (which was stupid), A bad South Carolina team and late offer by ALA and he was a stretch for them . ALA today would have never recruited him. His recuritment was not followed closely by everyone in the state like Harris
This post was edited on 1/10 11:09 AM by optimus-blue
This post was edited on 1/10 11:09 AM by optimus-blue
But you didn't answer my question. Who is Shaun Alexander? I've honestly never heard of him. If it's the guy that played in the NFL, I thought he was from Alabama. In any interview I've ever seen though, he always talked about being from there and that was his family.
Exactly what I have been trying to say. The whiff on Harris had more to do with having a 5 win team than anything else. If UK had a 8 or 9 win team in 2014, then we probably get DH. Stoops is going to turn this thing around, but DH was just not willing to take the chance to see if it happens or not. We have gotten some highly rated in state players (Couch, D. Johnson, M. Johnson), and only one of them ended up playing on a team that won at least 8 games. Stoops is doing a great job recruiting, but until we take this thing to another level (>Music City Bowl) then we won't get them all.
Bill Curry was 10-1 and won the SEC Championship his last season at Bama. However, my memory is that despite winning the SEC he was catching heat from the Bama fans for losing to Auburn several years in a row. That is the reason he left Bama for Kentucky. It was considered an incredible hire for Kentucky at the time.
Alexander was a parade all american in high school. He chose Bama over Michigan and Notre Dame. His recruitment was not followed closely because of 1) the internet was still in dial up mode 2) Bill Curry (the same one that put Tim Couch in the option) had a terrible eye for talent and didn't recruit him to the state university.
On a side note, I watched the 1995 (i think) UK and TN game on the SEC Peyton Manning tribute day. It was pathetic to look back and see the product that Curry put on the field. Couch signing for a team with that amount of talent and a coach like Curry was a miracle. We were so far behind that TN team (that recruited him) talent wise it was amazing. As bad as it got for UK at times this year, it doesn't even compare to the bad teams that Curry put on the field. If Mumme had not showed up then Tim Couch would of likely been coaching high school football somewhere in Leslie County. Stoops is bringing this thing to another level.
I think that you are right. Curry was basically was telling people that Alexander would never be a good back and he ended up as first team all SEC and a NFL MVP. Alexander was a power back with excellent vision. Just ran into a situation in the NFL where he could demand too much money and most teams are not willing to invest that in a RB.
The national media did consider it an incredible hire. Most UK fans just listened to him talking about whipping the SEC powers with smash mouth football and thought or said "Oh no, not again!".
I remember when he was in Sports Illustrated for rushing records and etc. He was highly touted. Curry didn't touch him. Big difference.
Shaun was Alabama football during their down years. He was the offense.
Shaun was Alabama football during their down years. He was the offense.
Curry was also one that thought he could go into Georgia and get kids that Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, GTech, Tn, and Florida didn't offer and build a SEC winner. Joker pretty much was trying the same thing. Stoops is smart enough to know that you just can't beat out Kent State for recruits and build an SEC winner. That's why I think for UK to win they have to pull some kids north of here.
So the. Is his family in Florence or did they all just go ahead move down to Alabama to be with what he's said is his family?
