State of 2023 Recruiting
- Thread starter Canned Heat
- Start date
Correct. UK offered Joe Crocker in April, 2020. To give an idea how much has changed since then, John Schlarman was UK's OL coach when Crocker was offered. Crocker unofficially visited UK on June 21, 2021, more than a year and a half ago and also attended junior day at UK a year ago. All of this is on the public record. During the spring of 2022, Crocker and UK took different paths and grew apart. The reasons are not public AFAIK but this happens in recruiting all the time. After playing footsie with B10 schools WI and MI St, Crocker committed to MS St on July 18, 2022. He remained committed to the Bulldogs until decommitting shortly after Mike Leach's passing. By the time Crocker decommitted from MS St, Stoops' staff was carefully counting their final scholarships and had not recruited Crocker for months. So it has been a long time since there was anything going on between UK and Crocker.
Rembrandt now that all visits are over do you have a prediction on where Woo ends up ?
And Gilbert ?
And Gilbert ?
I was basing that on an article I read maybe a year ago(I've tried unsuccessfully to find it) that stated mid-TN is forecast by govt/business entities to "add 1M people over the next decade." Wish I could find the article, it was clearly stated. Don't recall what they were basing their data on.
I am not really in the prediction business. Predicting what teenage football players will do perplexes everyone, especially coaches. But I am happy to say what I think the public evidence suggests.
UK got Kendrick Gilbert's final visit. Generally speaking, that is a recruiting advantage. Gilbert has made a lot of visits to Lexington, so there has been a mutual interest for months. We know Gilbert is committed to Purdue but did not sign there during the early signing period. That tells us it was a weak commitment. Jeff Brohm left for UL. When that happened, I expected Gilbert to flip to UL or UK. Of the two schools, his current interest in UK appears stronger. Coach Stewart has been hinting that his room will get another commitment. So I expect Gilbert to join UK's class.
Spencer has been getting crystal ball and futurecast predictions to UK for a while. We know he has a strong relationship with Coach Marrow. UK is recruiting Spencer as an OG, while the rumor mill says UL may want him as a DT. It is worth remembering that UK has a lot of underclass OGs on the roster. Louisville is Spencer's home town, and we know Jeff Brohm has made a push for his commitment. UL got his final visit, so no one should be surprised if he commits to UL. But a couple of UL insiders recently predicted Spencer will sign with UK, and that is important.
I will say this. Spencer is a popular topic among our fans this week because he is from Louisville and online evaluators have given him high ratings. To people who want more Kentuckians on the roster, that kind of thing weighs heavily. But a player's home town does not put points on the scoreboard. Although UK needs more OTs, a lot of OGs are already on our roster. I caution people not to look at Spencer's and Ramsey's player ratings and conclude Spencer is better on that basis. Just forget that. Ramsey is from a larger urban area in a football state where hs competition is at a higher level. Ramsey also has the better offer sheet of the two. This does not tell us which player will have the better college career. That depends on work ethic and staying healthy. But it tells me not to put too much stock in the online player rating. I would also point out that OG Grant Bingham looks like a really good developing player. So I will be glad if Stoops can sign Spencer, and I expect Spencer will see the field a lot at UK over time. But Gilbert is the more important recruit of the two, and we need him more. I would rather have both, of course.
Not saying 1 million will or won’t happen, but when these analysts project huge growth in that area they usually say in Middle Tennessee rather than just Nashville. So it probably includes Nashville, Williamson county, Murfreesboro etc.
UL lost D lineman Caleb Banks. 6’7,303lbs. Signed with ul in 2021. Wonder if we considered him.
He is talking about Spencer. Don't be surprised or disappointed if Spencer picks UL. I'm sure there is a lot of pressure on him from inside the city.
Yeah, I thought with Marrow with him and all the positives of having an advantage being at UK to not only be successful after his playing days but also a better chance to thrive in the pro's. Thought he might worry about appeasing his dad and friends over all that instead of what is the best for his future.
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No doubt, all of that and more weighs on his decision. I don't know what Spencer will do, but I would just caution everyone that this is not make or break for Stoops' class. He is a good prospect, but not unique.
Last I read from Spencer the other day he said that it was going to be tough decision. Suppose doing what he feels good about versus what others want.
Purdue saying they feel good about Gilbert signing to Purdue. Could be part of a salty dline next year.
PT could be a factor for both these players. Both would likely RS at UK but would be in the rotation at U6/Purdue. That plus playing in weaker conferences may push both away from UK.
I'm not entirely sure you can pencil Gilbert in as a rotation gut unless Purdue rotates 12-14 DLman again this year. Especially since he's an undersized DT that needs the weight room.
I strongly suspect he’s see more freshman snaps at U of L than either Purdue or Kentucky.
Well, ya. Brohm went there. Thanks to him for fixing Purdue, but we have coach Walters now. Hopefully he can fix the waning culture Brohm left Purdue. Notice how few players followed Brohm.... rumors of mass transfer was alove and well before Brohm left. I don't think the change will be bad for Purdue.
Pray tell!!
Surely not!
Brohm walked on the water near the Second Street Bridge within a week of his return!
2022 Total Defense Rankings:
Kentucky . . . . . . . . . 12
Louisville . . . . . . . . . 24
Purdue . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Mmmmm. Sometimes merely returning numerous bodies is not the answer.
Will have to wait all day for Spencer. Announcing at 6:30 from Aspirations Gym. To get a guy with that size and power to go with Ramsey and Keenum would make a nice OL class along with Wood.
The dline wasn't the issue. Mark Hagen was the dline coach. He is outstanding. 3 of Purdues starters on the dline grad transfered to usc, Miami, and Auburn. Their best LB is turning heads at the senior bowl. They will have a CB drafted. English wasn't a great play caller and there was zero back 7 development. There was talent. Brohm also couldn't recruit defense or hold a defensive staff.
Walters took a bad Illinois defense and made it #1 in 2 years. Coaching matters.
Yes, definitely a tell...that he has aspirations of playing in college.
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I'll be here all week, folks! Including weekends!
Fifty thousand comedians and recruiting experts out of work . . .
and we are left with entropy13?
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