Time to talk a little football recruiting.
I'm still working under the assumption that Kentucky has about four spots left. That's assuming they don't lose anybody. It's really an impossible task predicting whether they'll lose anyone, how many they'll lose, etc. The more guys that just decide they're going to 'hold the fort' and stick around, the less likely they'll see anybody leaving. However, if there are assistant coaching changes (as there are most years at most programs) then the players will have to evaluate those on a case by case basis and I don't think it'll be as easy to determine.
Coaches are out on the road recruiting and they'll be doing that pretty much through mid-December, which is when the dead period begins. That dead period runs through mid-January.
The coaches have hit pretty much all of the commitments already. In some cases there's one position coach or coordinator going out to meet with a kid at school or their house or to watch their basketball game. In other cases they'll be having in-home visits.
Mark Stoops can just have one in-home visit with each kid so the staff will want to be careful about when they allot those trips for the head coach. He'll want to visit with any top remaining targets that haven't yet committed and on those trips he will probably be accompanied by the player's lead recruiter and possibly others.
It's noteworthy that, to my knowledge, the assistant coaches have all been out on the road recruiting. Really, I wouldn't have expected otherwise. Ansley has been going across the South, from Georgia on through Alabama.
Jamal Couch: Wait and see
It's been reported two other places that Kentucky would be in the mix with Jamal Couch, the linebacker who recently decommitted from Florida State. I can't confirm that he's a major UK target yet and in fact this week Couch told me, after decommitting and after those reports started trickling out, that he hadn't heard from Kentucky "in a while."
He's a bit raw at linebacker and there has been some talk that he would like to play offense. He's not going to be a tight end at Kentucky with Justin Rigg as the only player they're going to take and with C.J. Conrad, Greg Hart and Darryl Long around next year. Also, apparently the Florida State coaches hadn't visited him yet during this evaluation period and he might have been a little put off by that. All that said, no mistaking that he's a very good athlete and the Phenix City (Ala.) Central prospect has been to Kentucky in the past. Worth keeping an eye out for at least.
Seth Dawkins: Still on the board
The visit became complicated after it was reported before the fact last time but I'm hearing Kentucky is still pushing hard for Jaylin Bannerman's good friend.
He's a very big receiver and has drawn rave reviews from all that I've spoken with. Louisville has already lost one receiver commitment in Desmond Fitzpatrick and I can confirm that the interest between Dawkins and UK has been real and ongoing.
My understanding is Kentucky is far from the only school wooing Dawkins, but they still probably have the best chance of flipping him is probably as good or better than anyone else's.
Jordan Bonner: Visited Tennessee.
I know Kentucky was trying to get Bonner in this past weekend for an official visit but he opted to visit Tennessee. He had previously scheduled the Tennessee visit and Tennessee offered before Kentucky. I'm not saying that means UT is the leader and every vibe that I've gotten indicates Kentucky has a good chance, still. I've heard and read conflicting things. On the one hand, he told me that UK and Tennessee were the only two visits he was sure he would take. Then I read a story after that which indicated UT was the only visit he had planned. He could have been referring to an official visit, because since UK is so close to his home in Ohio I'm not sure it's ever been clear whether he would take an official or an unofficial to UK. I'd be surprised if he doesn't visit.
Trysten Hill: Will take official visit.
It was reported elsewhere yesterday that former Georgia Tech line commitment Trysten Hill will officially visit Kentucky. I can confirm that this is the case. I am not 100-percent sure how much of a target Kentucky is for him yet but if you follow our stuff here regularly then you may remember Hill. We first reported on him in late October and that's around the time he surfaced on UK's radar. Here's that story.
He's more of a defensive line target for Kentucky.
Miscellaneous
Kobe Smith is still hearing from Nebraska and Miami -- or at least he was hearing from Miami until Mark Richt is hired. Not sure the direction that will take, but I know Smith has remained solid with Kentucky all along.
I reported this week that Ja'Quize Cross had been hearing from Mississippi State for some time and Virginia Tech more recently. But he's solid as well.
There was some chatter that Davonte Robinson was planning to visit Alabama in the near future. I stay in touch with Davonte to keep track of where he's at and this is what I know: Last week Alabama did reach out to him. It seemed like they were turning things up a bit. He told me earlier this week that he hadn't spoken to Alabama since Thursday. I got it from an Alabama source that the Tide is indeed very serious about Robinson and they are likely to make him a bigger target. Robinson himself has never indicated a huge interest in looking beyond Kentucky at other schools and UK has withstood Notre Dame to this point. The good news is, in the case of Robinson, I think a lot of staff members at UK have a good relationship with him.
I believe some schools were starting to warm up to tight end Justin Rigg but every indication that I've been given is that he's solid. Both from him and sources.
J'Bril Glaze, Monty Rice and Labryan Ray are the prospects to most recently receive offers from Kentucky. I'm going to be profiling each of them individually today.
I'm still working under the assumption that Kentucky has about four spots left. That's assuming they don't lose anybody. It's really an impossible task predicting whether they'll lose anyone, how many they'll lose, etc. The more guys that just decide they're going to 'hold the fort' and stick around, the less likely they'll see anybody leaving. However, if there are assistant coaching changes (as there are most years at most programs) then the players will have to evaluate those on a case by case basis and I don't think it'll be as easy to determine.
Coaches are out on the road recruiting and they'll be doing that pretty much through mid-December, which is when the dead period begins. That dead period runs through mid-January.
The coaches have hit pretty much all of the commitments already. In some cases there's one position coach or coordinator going out to meet with a kid at school or their house or to watch their basketball game. In other cases they'll be having in-home visits.
Mark Stoops can just have one in-home visit with each kid so the staff will want to be careful about when they allot those trips for the head coach. He'll want to visit with any top remaining targets that haven't yet committed and on those trips he will probably be accompanied by the player's lead recruiter and possibly others.
It's noteworthy that, to my knowledge, the assistant coaches have all been out on the road recruiting. Really, I wouldn't have expected otherwise. Ansley has been going across the South, from Georgia on through Alabama.
Jamal Couch: Wait and see
It's been reported two other places that Kentucky would be in the mix with Jamal Couch, the linebacker who recently decommitted from Florida State. I can't confirm that he's a major UK target yet and in fact this week Couch told me, after decommitting and after those reports started trickling out, that he hadn't heard from Kentucky "in a while."
He's a bit raw at linebacker and there has been some talk that he would like to play offense. He's not going to be a tight end at Kentucky with Justin Rigg as the only player they're going to take and with C.J. Conrad, Greg Hart and Darryl Long around next year. Also, apparently the Florida State coaches hadn't visited him yet during this evaluation period and he might have been a little put off by that. All that said, no mistaking that he's a very good athlete and the Phenix City (Ala.) Central prospect has been to Kentucky in the past. Worth keeping an eye out for at least.
Seth Dawkins: Still on the board
The visit became complicated after it was reported before the fact last time but I'm hearing Kentucky is still pushing hard for Jaylin Bannerman's good friend.
He's a very big receiver and has drawn rave reviews from all that I've spoken with. Louisville has already lost one receiver commitment in Desmond Fitzpatrick and I can confirm that the interest between Dawkins and UK has been real and ongoing.
My understanding is Kentucky is far from the only school wooing Dawkins, but they still probably have the best chance of flipping him is probably as good or better than anyone else's.
Jordan Bonner: Visited Tennessee.
I know Kentucky was trying to get Bonner in this past weekend for an official visit but he opted to visit Tennessee. He had previously scheduled the Tennessee visit and Tennessee offered before Kentucky. I'm not saying that means UT is the leader and every vibe that I've gotten indicates Kentucky has a good chance, still. I've heard and read conflicting things. On the one hand, he told me that UK and Tennessee were the only two visits he was sure he would take. Then I read a story after that which indicated UT was the only visit he had planned. He could have been referring to an official visit, because since UK is so close to his home in Ohio I'm not sure it's ever been clear whether he would take an official or an unofficial to UK. I'd be surprised if he doesn't visit.
Trysten Hill: Will take official visit.
It was reported elsewhere yesterday that former Georgia Tech line commitment Trysten Hill will officially visit Kentucky. I can confirm that this is the case. I am not 100-percent sure how much of a target Kentucky is for him yet but if you follow our stuff here regularly then you may remember Hill. We first reported on him in late October and that's around the time he surfaced on UK's radar. Here's that story.
He's more of a defensive line target for Kentucky.
Miscellaneous
Kobe Smith is still hearing from Nebraska and Miami -- or at least he was hearing from Miami until Mark Richt is hired. Not sure the direction that will take, but I know Smith has remained solid with Kentucky all along.
I reported this week that Ja'Quize Cross had been hearing from Mississippi State for some time and Virginia Tech more recently. But he's solid as well.
There was some chatter that Davonte Robinson was planning to visit Alabama in the near future. I stay in touch with Davonte to keep track of where he's at and this is what I know: Last week Alabama did reach out to him. It seemed like they were turning things up a bit. He told me earlier this week that he hadn't spoken to Alabama since Thursday. I got it from an Alabama source that the Tide is indeed very serious about Robinson and they are likely to make him a bigger target. Robinson himself has never indicated a huge interest in looking beyond Kentucky at other schools and UK has withstood Notre Dame to this point. The good news is, in the case of Robinson, I think a lot of staff members at UK have a good relationship with him.
I believe some schools were starting to warm up to tight end Justin Rigg but every indication that I've been given is that he's solid. Both from him and sources.
J'Bril Glaze, Monty Rice and Labryan Ray are the prospects to most recently receive offers from Kentucky. I'm going to be profiling each of them individually today.
