** Today has seemed like the most likely day for a decision from Vanderbilt RB Ray Davis for a while now. There was some scuttlebutt that it could happen earlier in the week but this weekend on his visit has always been the time to watch. His dad hasn't exactly kept the plan quiet and you know how we've been mentioning this from very early on. Davis has always seemed to love the idea of transferring to Kentucky and not even an offer from Deion Sanders and Colorado seems to have derailed that.
** The plan still seems to be for Jantzen Dunn to visit Kentucky this weekend. At least I have not heard anything to the contrary. UK was initially on a list of 8-12 schools that had reached out upon Dunn going into the portal. If he goes through with a visit to Kentucky this weekend right after going into the portal you have to think that it means Kentucky is right up there toward the top of his list. He could take other visits of course. Kentucky has a great situation for someone like Dunn since they apparently view him as a cornerback.
** Let's dig into the secondary situation a little bit since there are a lot of different pieces back there. I think the most likely scenario is you see Jordan Lovett stay at free safety with Jalen Geiger moving to strong since he has experience playing several positions in the secondary. Andru Phillips is a guy who can play cornerback or nickel and has played well enough that he's going to continue to have a role. As for the nickel position, I would guess that splitting that up between the returning Vito Tisdale and Phillips (depending on who all they bring in/how the other corners are playing) is the move. JQ Hardaway got 88 snaps at wide cornerback for Cincinnati and you have to believe that he's a strong starting candidate, or will at least be competing with someone like Max Hairston for that role.
If Kentucky were to bring in both Dunn and Hardaway then you've got your top four corners (those two plus Phillips, Hairston) and a lot of versatility for the other three spots. Really good pure cornerbacks are tough to recruit so I don't necessarily think they would stop looking.
** There has been talk of Jamarion Wilcox possibly taking an official visit to Auburn this weekend. That's probably the only school to watch in this race if you're a Kentucky fan. The Wildcats are in the best shape going down the stretch and I think it would require something changing for him to end up anywhere else, but Auburn more so than Clemson or Ohio State should be the focus. I wouldn't say worry as I still feel like Kentucky's in good shape. He's a big-time player and a top-10 running back nationally, which would make him the kind of back that a lot of people have expected/hoped for Kentucky to land with all the success their backs have had.
** UK RB coach Jay Boulware mentioned on Twitter that he will be going to Cincinnati. Have to think that stop is to see RB Trey Cornist, who he stands a great chance to coach next year. Of Cornist's remaining options Kentucky stands the best chance at this stage, still.
** Kentucky will be trying to lock down Iowa linebacker Asa Newsom this weekend. UK does not have the length of relationship with Newsom that schools like Iowa and Kansas State have had but the fact he's visiting the last weekend before the early signing period is a good sign and word is the relationship is pretty strong going into this trip. He and Rico Walker are different linebackers so it's not like him going to Maryland has much of any impact here. Think Newsom can be a really good player in the SEC so that's one they need to lock down.
** No timetable on the quarterback situation but chatter definitely picked up late this week. I don't know all the remaining hoops that need to be jumped through, but late yesterday the sense was that Kentucky had emerged as the likely frontrunner.
** 4-star CB Jyaire Hill from Illinois picked up an offer from Kentucky a couple of weeks ago and there has been contact since then. He was at the Louisville game and loved the atmosphere. I would place Kentucky third and in a "darkhorse" position with Illinois and Michigan considered the two long-time favorites. I do think there's a good chance that Hill likes Kentucky more than anybody knows, but haven't seen anything to indicate the interest in the Wolverines or Illini has waned enough for me to predict that will happen. Still worth monitoring. He will make a decision in the early signing period.
** Having asked around a little bit I believe the progress of the young defensive linemen in the program was probably a big reason for Anwar Stewart remaining on staff. I really get the sense that there is a lot of optimism about some of the young defensive linemen in the program, including some of the guys who are not starters yet. Apparently they have really responded to his coaching and if your defensive line is playing at a solid level in the Southeastern Conference that is not something to take for granted.
** I can confirm the report by Matt Jones that a few prominent VIP boosters stepped up to give Kentucky a better NIL situation at the end of this class. Our understanding of everything has not matched up completely these last few weeks but for the record I will state that I agree with what he has said about JMI and the fact that the new NIL stuff that is in the works/progressing needs to be better next year. I don't think NIL will end up holding their class back this year but what happened this year is not something that in the long run will be able to continue.
** When you hear people talk about NIL being something that will require ballpark $8-10 million per year in the SEC that probably isn't an exaggeration. The question is, how sustainable is this? I don't think it's sustainable at all. In a lot of cases you are going to have the university and these NIL groups competing for money, and not a little money, a lot of money. There's no doubt that's got to be a tension many places.
^ Embedding this here because it's a huge story that will affect all of this. If college athletes are employees of schools, conferences, and the NCAA, then that really changes everything. You could imagine the ripple effect going in a million different directions ranging from the length of player eligibility to the possibility of salary caps and money coming directly from schools which has been off limits. What is clear is that these last couple of years worth of revolution in the CFB world is only the beginning of a process that's still unfolding and will totally change the sport. I know many folks are excited that players are finally getting paid but nobody really knows how all of this is going to work out or what it's going to do to the sport in the long run.
** The plan still seems to be for Jantzen Dunn to visit Kentucky this weekend. At least I have not heard anything to the contrary. UK was initially on a list of 8-12 schools that had reached out upon Dunn going into the portal. If he goes through with a visit to Kentucky this weekend right after going into the portal you have to think that it means Kentucky is right up there toward the top of his list. He could take other visits of course. Kentucky has a great situation for someone like Dunn since they apparently view him as a cornerback.
** Let's dig into the secondary situation a little bit since there are a lot of different pieces back there. I think the most likely scenario is you see Jordan Lovett stay at free safety with Jalen Geiger moving to strong since he has experience playing several positions in the secondary. Andru Phillips is a guy who can play cornerback or nickel and has played well enough that he's going to continue to have a role. As for the nickel position, I would guess that splitting that up between the returning Vito Tisdale and Phillips (depending on who all they bring in/how the other corners are playing) is the move. JQ Hardaway got 88 snaps at wide cornerback for Cincinnati and you have to believe that he's a strong starting candidate, or will at least be competing with someone like Max Hairston for that role.
If Kentucky were to bring in both Dunn and Hardaway then you've got your top four corners (those two plus Phillips, Hairston) and a lot of versatility for the other three spots. Really good pure cornerbacks are tough to recruit so I don't necessarily think they would stop looking.
** There has been talk of Jamarion Wilcox possibly taking an official visit to Auburn this weekend. That's probably the only school to watch in this race if you're a Kentucky fan. The Wildcats are in the best shape going down the stretch and I think it would require something changing for him to end up anywhere else, but Auburn more so than Clemson or Ohio State should be the focus. I wouldn't say worry as I still feel like Kentucky's in good shape. He's a big-time player and a top-10 running back nationally, which would make him the kind of back that a lot of people have expected/hoped for Kentucky to land with all the success their backs have had.
** UK RB coach Jay Boulware mentioned on Twitter that he will be going to Cincinnati. Have to think that stop is to see RB Trey Cornist, who he stands a great chance to coach next year. Of Cornist's remaining options Kentucky stands the best chance at this stage, still.
** Kentucky will be trying to lock down Iowa linebacker Asa Newsom this weekend. UK does not have the length of relationship with Newsom that schools like Iowa and Kansas State have had but the fact he's visiting the last weekend before the early signing period is a good sign and word is the relationship is pretty strong going into this trip. He and Rico Walker are different linebackers so it's not like him going to Maryland has much of any impact here. Think Newsom can be a really good player in the SEC so that's one they need to lock down.
** No timetable on the quarterback situation but chatter definitely picked up late this week. I don't know all the remaining hoops that need to be jumped through, but late yesterday the sense was that Kentucky had emerged as the likely frontrunner.
** 4-star CB Jyaire Hill from Illinois picked up an offer from Kentucky a couple of weeks ago and there has been contact since then. He was at the Louisville game and loved the atmosphere. I would place Kentucky third and in a "darkhorse" position with Illinois and Michigan considered the two long-time favorites. I do think there's a good chance that Hill likes Kentucky more than anybody knows, but haven't seen anything to indicate the interest in the Wolverines or Illini has waned enough for me to predict that will happen. Still worth monitoring. He will make a decision in the early signing period.
** Having asked around a little bit I believe the progress of the young defensive linemen in the program was probably a big reason for Anwar Stewart remaining on staff. I really get the sense that there is a lot of optimism about some of the young defensive linemen in the program, including some of the guys who are not starters yet. Apparently they have really responded to his coaching and if your defensive line is playing at a solid level in the Southeastern Conference that is not something to take for granted.
** I can confirm the report by Matt Jones that a few prominent VIP boosters stepped up to give Kentucky a better NIL situation at the end of this class. Our understanding of everything has not matched up completely these last few weeks but for the record I will state that I agree with what he has said about JMI and the fact that the new NIL stuff that is in the works/progressing needs to be better next year. I don't think NIL will end up holding their class back this year but what happened this year is not something that in the long run will be able to continue.
** When you hear people talk about NIL being something that will require ballpark $8-10 million per year in the SEC that probably isn't an exaggeration. The question is, how sustainable is this? I don't think it's sustainable at all. In a lot of cases you are going to have the university and these NIL groups competing for money, and not a little money, a lot of money. There's no doubt that's got to be a tension many places.
^ Embedding this here because it's a huge story that will affect all of this. If college athletes are employees of schools, conferences, and the NCAA, then that really changes everything. You could imagine the ripple effect going in a million different directions ranging from the length of player eligibility to the possibility of salary caps and money coming directly from schools which has been off limits. What is clear is that these last couple of years worth of revolution in the CFB world is only the beginning of a process that's still unfolding and will totally change the sport. I know many folks are excited that players are finally getting paid but nobody really knows how all of this is going to work out or what it's going to do to the sport in the long run.
