We'll interrupt our regularly scheduled coverage of fall camp (which will resume promptly tomorrow) for a late weekend/early week edition of the War Room, so we can get caught up on the latest happenings in recruiting.
-- What's with the apparent delay in Jedrick Wills' seemingly imminent commitment to Alabama? Don't read too much into the timing. I haven't heard anything that would lead me to believe the winds have shifted back towards Kentucky yet. Last week I posted that the expected time frame for Wills' verbal commitment to Alabama was 7-10 days. Roughly, that would be early- to mid-week this week. I'm not sure if that's how it will hold, but he's still a Crimson Tide lean with Kentucky hoping for a long-term shot at him.
-- Where do things stand with Danny Davis? Again, in some of these cases I won't be posting anything groundbreaking. Just where things seem to stand. Some have said that Kentucky's chances with Davis have taken a hit. All I can tell you is that those close to the program still feel like they've got a good shot. Kentucky's in as much contact with Davis as anybody else right now. I'm not sure if he plans on taking official visits, but the football season is here so if he holds off on a decision for the next week or two then the possibility of taking officials becomes much more real.
-- What's the latest on Lynn Bowden? There was a report last week that Bowden was favoring Michigan State. The root of that report / rumor was apparently Bowden's coach, who said he believes Michigan State is in the driver's seat. As with Davis, Kentucky folks still believe they have a strong shot. And that's since that report. I was told that some are skeptical of how closely attuned Bowden's coach is to where he's leaning, and that the family knows more. Apparently the family has given UK the impression that it's far from a slam dunk for Michigan State. Not giving any opinion, just telling you what I've heard.
-- Quinton Bohanna did not play in Cordova's season opener. Although Cordova defeated Memphis East 27-13, Bohanna was out. He told me that he was serving a one-game suspension resulting from a helmet to helmet hit in a playoff game last season. He said it was hard to be out of action, but he's excited about the next game and gearing up for his opener coming up.
-- Confirming that Kentucky is the front runner for Florida defensive back Michael Nesbitt. I can confirm that rumblings are true: Kentucky is the leader for the near four-star defensive back -- and that's a very good thing. He'd be a huge addition. He has not been planning to make a decision in the very near future and is still thinking he's likely to take official visits to Kentucky, West Virginia and Louisville, possibly among others.
-- Three-star UCF offensive line commitment Sebastien Dolcine would likely flip to Kentucky if the Cats offer. That much I'm very confident of. I asked Dolcine this weekend whether he's set his official visit yet and he told me that he hasn't but he's thinking he will try to set it up for a bye week. However, I looked at the schedule for Miramar's football team and I'm not seeing an open date between their first game Aug. 26 and their last regular season game on Oct. 28. That would still leave plenty of time for an official visit after the season, although it could be a possibility that he could schedule a Saturday-Monday official during the season.
-- I wouldn't rule out the possibility of a visit from four-star defensive back Jhavonte Dean. I don't think Alabama wants him to visit, but I think Kentucky will push hard for him to visit. Alabama, remember, wants the JUCO player to enroll early. Not sure if that's going to happen. We'll see how it plays out. He told me not long ago he's not longer planning to officially visit UK, but we'll see.
-- Watch highlights of Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade Madonna defensive end Chris Whittaker, a prime Kentucky target (below). These highlights are from Whittaker and Joshua Ali's season-opener against Deerfield Beach (Fla.).
-- In case you missed it on the front page just now tonight, Whittaker just told me that he will officially visit Kentucky on Sept. 17. It's the only official visit he has scheduled. Read the full report here.
-- What's with the apparent delay in Jedrick Wills' seemingly imminent commitment to Alabama? Don't read too much into the timing. I haven't heard anything that would lead me to believe the winds have shifted back towards Kentucky yet. Last week I posted that the expected time frame for Wills' verbal commitment to Alabama was 7-10 days. Roughly, that would be early- to mid-week this week. I'm not sure if that's how it will hold, but he's still a Crimson Tide lean with Kentucky hoping for a long-term shot at him.
-- Where do things stand with Danny Davis? Again, in some of these cases I won't be posting anything groundbreaking. Just where things seem to stand. Some have said that Kentucky's chances with Davis have taken a hit. All I can tell you is that those close to the program still feel like they've got a good shot. Kentucky's in as much contact with Davis as anybody else right now. I'm not sure if he plans on taking official visits, but the football season is here so if he holds off on a decision for the next week or two then the possibility of taking officials becomes much more real.
-- What's the latest on Lynn Bowden? There was a report last week that Bowden was favoring Michigan State. The root of that report / rumor was apparently Bowden's coach, who said he believes Michigan State is in the driver's seat. As with Davis, Kentucky folks still believe they have a strong shot. And that's since that report. I was told that some are skeptical of how closely attuned Bowden's coach is to where he's leaning, and that the family knows more. Apparently the family has given UK the impression that it's far from a slam dunk for Michigan State. Not giving any opinion, just telling you what I've heard.
-- Quinton Bohanna did not play in Cordova's season opener. Although Cordova defeated Memphis East 27-13, Bohanna was out. He told me that he was serving a one-game suspension resulting from a helmet to helmet hit in a playoff game last season. He said it was hard to be out of action, but he's excited about the next game and gearing up for his opener coming up.
-- Confirming that Kentucky is the front runner for Florida defensive back Michael Nesbitt. I can confirm that rumblings are true: Kentucky is the leader for the near four-star defensive back -- and that's a very good thing. He'd be a huge addition. He has not been planning to make a decision in the very near future and is still thinking he's likely to take official visits to Kentucky, West Virginia and Louisville, possibly among others.
-- Three-star UCF offensive line commitment Sebastien Dolcine would likely flip to Kentucky if the Cats offer. That much I'm very confident of. I asked Dolcine this weekend whether he's set his official visit yet and he told me that he hasn't but he's thinking he will try to set it up for a bye week. However, I looked at the schedule for Miramar's football team and I'm not seeing an open date between their first game Aug. 26 and their last regular season game on Oct. 28. That would still leave plenty of time for an official visit after the season, although it could be a possibility that he could schedule a Saturday-Monday official during the season.
-- I wouldn't rule out the possibility of a visit from four-star defensive back Jhavonte Dean. I don't think Alabama wants him to visit, but I think Kentucky will push hard for him to visit. Alabama, remember, wants the JUCO player to enroll early. Not sure if that's going to happen. We'll see how it plays out. He told me not long ago he's not longer planning to officially visit UK, but we'll see.
-- Watch highlights of Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade Madonna defensive end Chris Whittaker, a prime Kentucky target (below). These highlights are from Whittaker and Joshua Ali's season-opener against Deerfield Beach (Fla.).
-- In case you missed it on the front page just now tonight, Whittaker just told me that he will officially visit Kentucky on Sept. 17. It's the only official visit he has scheduled. Read the full report here.
