Alright folks,
Ordinarily there would be a greater number of recruiting War Rooms, but with the class mostly in tact heading into the season we have accurately narrowed down Kentucky's pool of serious targets and our hit rate with predictions has been very solid. That will continue and we will keep it strictly narrowed to the situations that are relevant.
** There is the possibility that the NCAA allows programs to put a LOT more players on scholarship moving forward. From 85 to 105 has been the speculation. We have mentioned this before. It's still something Kentucky is planning for. Mark Stoops mentioned it in a presser not too terribly long ago and I can tell you that as of right now it's just wait, watch, plan. I was told this week that if it happens, Kentucky would probably be able to add another SEC-quality player "at every position," and the context for that made it seem like that's about their standing with 2025 players.
** 4-star corner Dawayne Galloway decommitted from Purdue today. Immediately asked around about this. What I learned: The feeling is Kentucky would be in excellent position and could probably get it done, and there is some interest there but Kentucky didn't work behind the scenes to orchestrate a decommitment here. I would expect other schools to be involved. I do not know if Kentucky is going to make a run at him. He did have a lot of interest in Kentucky before.
** A while ago I mentioned that UK hadn't been in contact with 2026 UK baseball commit and Owensboro RB/ATH standout Evan Hampton since he picked up an offer after camp. He has picked up a lot of power conference football offers since then. However, Kentucky does have interest. Right now the focus has been 2025. If you go back over the course of the Stoops era, they typically do not move very fast on guys who are second semester juniors. I do think UK will be recruiting Hampton, I do not know if he will be "their guy" at RB or a given position. But do not take the lack of talk recently as a lack of interest. More just UK's timing. We will see what schools emerge as the most serious competition in the meantime.
** With the bye week coaches have been on the road extending lots of offers (will have more on all of those, soon!). If you track the offers that have gone out, and we will post them, you will have a decent idea about where the staff has been although they were already familiar with some of the new targets.
** I know Vince Marrow was up in Michigan recently, but the main purpose of the trip was to see UK RB commit Marquise Davis, who remains solidly committed and is probably the only running back they take in this class. He and Cleveland Heights beat River Rouge from up in Michigan 14-7.
** Haven't spoken with UK QB commit Brennen Ward but I did notice that his team is finally clicking. Their offense got off to a very slow start this year and that might have been a bit concerning. The sense I got was they were outmatched. I didn't hear about Ward playing bad. But now the offense is clicking and that's something that should make you feel better.
** Kentucky continues to target Chaz Coleman, ATH from Ohio's 2025 class. Apparently the staff is on board with making him a priority. I haven't heard that this is wrapped up, but Kentucky still seems excited about him and that's worth mentioning. Seems like someone who is a top tier candidate to join the class. They love the idea of pairing Coleman with Cedrick Works, now at Douglass, and that would probably be their EDGE combo for the class if it pans out.
** My confidence on TE Mikkel Skinner joining the class is still higher than my confidence in Coleman, although they are probably the two I have been hearing the most about. He made it to South Carolina for the Ole Miss game. There has been talk of him taking other official visits. I will say what I have said all along: Confidence still remains high. I haven't spoken with Skinner about that trip to South Carolina, but I was told that they wanted it to be an official but it may have only been an unofficial. Whatever you think, UK seems to like its position.
** Hearing that UK is probably going to be targeting five players from the in-state crop of talent in 2027. I don't have those names yet but sounds like that is the number. It can always grow and of course guys can emerge over the next couple of years. Lots of offers out in that class. Some may not be takes but some definitely will be.
** Lot of talk about the South Carolina game now that our last two major samples have been losing to Georgia by one and winning at Ole Miss. Folks I've spoken with believe that if the game took place next week, Kentucky would stand a much better chance "because (they) know who (they) are now." They have found an identity with the ground and pound ball control approach and the offensive plan would have probably been very different, could have set up a kind of game Kentucky is a lot more comfortable winning. But I think that's an interesting insight into how Kentucky probably approaches the rest of the season. BVG is still going to be looking for those receivers but this team has a defense/run identity now.
Ordinarily there would be a greater number of recruiting War Rooms, but with the class mostly in tact heading into the season we have accurately narrowed down Kentucky's pool of serious targets and our hit rate with predictions has been very solid. That will continue and we will keep it strictly narrowed to the situations that are relevant.
** There is the possibility that the NCAA allows programs to put a LOT more players on scholarship moving forward. From 85 to 105 has been the speculation. We have mentioned this before. It's still something Kentucky is planning for. Mark Stoops mentioned it in a presser not too terribly long ago and I can tell you that as of right now it's just wait, watch, plan. I was told this week that if it happens, Kentucky would probably be able to add another SEC-quality player "at every position," and the context for that made it seem like that's about their standing with 2025 players.
** 4-star corner Dawayne Galloway decommitted from Purdue today. Immediately asked around about this. What I learned: The feeling is Kentucky would be in excellent position and could probably get it done, and there is some interest there but Kentucky didn't work behind the scenes to orchestrate a decommitment here. I would expect other schools to be involved. I do not know if Kentucky is going to make a run at him. He did have a lot of interest in Kentucky before.
** A while ago I mentioned that UK hadn't been in contact with 2026 UK baseball commit and Owensboro RB/ATH standout Evan Hampton since he picked up an offer after camp. He has picked up a lot of power conference football offers since then. However, Kentucky does have interest. Right now the focus has been 2025. If you go back over the course of the Stoops era, they typically do not move very fast on guys who are second semester juniors. I do think UK will be recruiting Hampton, I do not know if he will be "their guy" at RB or a given position. But do not take the lack of talk recently as a lack of interest. More just UK's timing. We will see what schools emerge as the most serious competition in the meantime.
** With the bye week coaches have been on the road extending lots of offers (will have more on all of those, soon!). If you track the offers that have gone out, and we will post them, you will have a decent idea about where the staff has been although they were already familiar with some of the new targets.
** I know Vince Marrow was up in Michigan recently, but the main purpose of the trip was to see UK RB commit Marquise Davis, who remains solidly committed and is probably the only running back they take in this class. He and Cleveland Heights beat River Rouge from up in Michigan 14-7.
** Haven't spoken with UK QB commit Brennen Ward but I did notice that his team is finally clicking. Their offense got off to a very slow start this year and that might have been a bit concerning. The sense I got was they were outmatched. I didn't hear about Ward playing bad. But now the offense is clicking and that's something that should make you feel better.
** Kentucky continues to target Chaz Coleman, ATH from Ohio's 2025 class. Apparently the staff is on board with making him a priority. I haven't heard that this is wrapped up, but Kentucky still seems excited about him and that's worth mentioning. Seems like someone who is a top tier candidate to join the class. They love the idea of pairing Coleman with Cedrick Works, now at Douglass, and that would probably be their EDGE combo for the class if it pans out.
** My confidence on TE Mikkel Skinner joining the class is still higher than my confidence in Coleman, although they are probably the two I have been hearing the most about. He made it to South Carolina for the Ole Miss game. There has been talk of him taking other official visits. I will say what I have said all along: Confidence still remains high. I haven't spoken with Skinner about that trip to South Carolina, but I was told that they wanted it to be an official but it may have only been an unofficial. Whatever you think, UK seems to like its position.
** Hearing that UK is probably going to be targeting five players from the in-state crop of talent in 2027. I don't have those names yet but sounds like that is the number. It can always grow and of course guys can emerge over the next couple of years. Lots of offers out in that class. Some may not be takes but some definitely will be.
** Lot of talk about the South Carolina game now that our last two major samples have been losing to Georgia by one and winning at Ole Miss. Folks I've spoken with believe that if the game took place next week, Kentucky would stand a much better chance "because (they) know who (they) are now." They have found an identity with the ground and pound ball control approach and the offensive plan would have probably been very different, could have set up a kind of game Kentucky is a lot more comfortable winning. But I think that's an interesting insight into how Kentucky probably approaches the rest of the season. BVG is still going to be looking for those receivers but this team has a defense/run identity now.
