Two 4* Bowling Green Defensive stars don't have UK....

[Black Diamond Cat]

among their final choices. LB Justice Dingle of BGHS, 6'2 235 class of 2018, and DT Jacob Lacey of SWHS, 6'2 295 class of 2019, neither have UK as a finalist for their services.
According to an article in the Bowling Green Daily News, Dingle is down to a final 2 of Purdue and Georgia Tech, while Lacey has 6 finalists, which are Clemson, UofL, Michigan, Notre Dame, Tennessee and Mich. State.
This is both surprising and very disappointing to hear. Two big time 4* in state players and neither will be a wildcat. Does anyone have any idea why this is ? Dingle was quoted saying Purdue and GT both offer great engineering programs, and early playing time options.
This seems like we should be in at least the finalist column, since both have been offered by UK..... Thoughts !

 

[Chimaera717]

Not sure about Dingle, though I've read UK stopped pursuing him ages ago. Lacey grew up in an anti-UK family.

 

[Levibooty]

Bowling Green has always had a strong anti-UK contingent. I think they may even offer a course for college credit.

 

[Black Diamond Cat]

Bowling Green has always had a strong anti-UK contingent. I think they may even offer a course for college credit.

Didn't know that, we do have Adrian Middleton and Eli Brown, 2 very good players, who are from Bowling Green.

 

[The-Hack]

On Lacey, I think there have been statements that his family is big time U of L fans, and UK was a long shot to end up in the mix.

Our coaches are probably able to gauge early interest, and devise a game-plan for each recruit they really want, fairly early in the process for many if not most of these players. In years past, an in-state prospect with talent was our likeliest recruit, given that we couldn't get a sniff from out-of-state four and five star quality players.

Now with the likes of Garner, Blue Smith, Jarren Williams, etc., etc., either committing, or giving us VERY SERIOUS consideration, how much time and effort do the coaches put in to a kid who is obviously cool to the initial approach, or wears Cards stuff to early meetings?

This thread, and we see it 3 or 4 times a year, typically leads to the blanket statement "If we can't put a lid on in-state recruits we are DOOMED, etc."

That old worn out statement is daily being proven wrong.

Jarren Williams commitment to Kentucky will not end quality football at UGA, and should Blue Smith choose Kentucky, there will be no (rational) panic in Ohio.

Ultimately, it is not the initial locale of your talent that matters, so long as you end up with talent.

Gone are the days when the state of Kentucky produced three or four 4 star players, and we sweated out their recruitment because they were the only 4 stars who would give us a sniff . . . . and then on NSD we saw one go to Notre Dame, one to Bama, one to U of L, and we got one . . . . and the other slots were filled in by two star kids who had offers from directionals and MAC schools. And MAYBE we got one late 4 star from Georgia, who never made it to campus for lack of grades.

We have a good shot to sign 7-10 four star players, none of whom are from the state of Kentucky, this year.

We now have the "luxury" of looking at stuff likes grades, community involvement, citizenship qualities, when seeking top rated football players, and not just hoping and praying that a kid from E-town or Bowling Green wants to stay close to home.

 

[EliteBlue]

Bowling Green has always had a strong anti-UK contingent. I think they may even offer a course for college credit.

Yeah, it's a weird place. If you go to a WKU game or spend anytime around there you quickly see that there is a large contingent that thinks they're on the same playing field as UK and views Kentucky as a rival. I've also heard on multiple occasions people in the 40-60 range make passing statements about how "If not WKU then I'd pull for UofL before UK" IDK, a lot of unfounded animosity out that way and they tend to have a larger UofL contingent out west than the rest of the state.

 

[Levibooty]

Yeah, it's a weird place. If you go to a WKU game or spend anytime around there you quickly see that there is a large contingent that thinks they on the same playing field as UK and views Kentucky as a rival. I've also heard on multiple occasions people in the 40-60 range make passing statements about how "If not WKU then I'd pull for UofL before UK" IDK, a lot of unfounded animosity out that way and they tend to have a larger UofL contingent out west than the rest of the state.

Yeah I use to like WKU and wished them well but after dealing with some WKU fans that act like they are now a dynasty and take swipes at UK I don't have much interest in their success other than a relative that goes there.

 

[mrschwump]

Not sure about Dingle, though I've read UK stopped pursuing him ages ago. Lacey grew up in an anti-UK family.

I'm not about to fret about a guy wanting an engineering degree choosing from 2 engineering schools.

 

[jauk11]

I'm not about to fret about a guy wanting an engineering degree choosing from 2 engineering schools.

Believe it or not UK has a pretty good Engineering school. And I kind of think what you get out of a college education is more about what you put into it than anything else. Plus I'm not that sure I even want someone that is seriously considering Transfer U, what are they looking for?

 

[gamalielkid]

Yeah I use to like WKU and wished them well but after dealing with some WKU fans that act like they are now a dynasty and take swipes at UK I don't have much interest in their success other than a relative that goes there.

Unfortunately, UK has been beaten by Western the last few times we played them. U of L has owned UK over the last 8 years as well. Just remember, these kids grew up watching UK football get their butts handed to them by both these schools! It takes time to overcome this prejudice - but it will be changing every year from now on in my opinion. UK needs to make an appearance in the SEC championship game to gain appeal with more fans in the Western part of the State. U of L has great support in that area - I don't know why - as I have been away for many, many years!

Go Big Blue!

P.S. In my era U of L was known as little brother and Western was known as Western Kentucky State Teacher's College - that should say it all for you!

 

[*Bleedingblue*]

among their final choices. LB Justice Dingle of BGHS, 6'2 235 class of 2018, and DT Jacob Lacey of SWHS, 6'2 295 class of 2019, neither have UK as a finalist for their services.
According to an article in the Bowling Green Daily News, Dingle is down to a final 2 of Purdue and Georgia Tech, while Lacey has 6 finalists, which are Clemson, UofL, Michigan, Notre Dame, Tennessee and Mich. State.
This is both surprising and very disappointing to hear. Two big time 4* in state players and neither will be a wildcat. Does anyone have any idea why this is ? Dingle was quoted saying Purdue and GT both offer great engineering programs, and early playing time options.
This seems like we should be in at least the finalist column, since both have been offered by UK..... Thoughts !

I posted here a month or more ago about this. That UK was not in good shape with any of the four star players in the 2018 or 2019 classes. It's not me saying this but guys who are really in-depth on the football status of the kids in the state of Kentucky.
If we were able to land five or six four star players from the state of Kentucky along with another four or five four star players from Ohio and another three or four from say Florida and Georgia then UK could move up big-time in the SEC. One of the reasons I read all the time on here about why Kentucky is not very good in football over the years is because the state has no talent. But yet we see right here that Kentucky is producing some talented kids but none of them are choosing Kentucky. We need to make it the number one destination School for Kentucky kids to come to UK. Just like Ohio kids and Ohio State or Alabama and the Alabama kids

 

[aikenite4uk]

A bit baffling, but hey, our recruiting has improved to the extent we don't need to sweat those guys. If they want to forego the chance to be in state heroes, with all the resulting career enhancing possibilities, more power to them.

 

[*Bleedingblue*]

Unfortunately, UK has been beaten by Western the last few times we played them. U of L has owned UK over the last 8 years as well. Just remember, these kids grew up watching UK football get their butts handed to them by both these schools! It takes time to overcome this prejudice - but it will be changing every year from now on in my opinion. UK needs to make an appearance in the SEC championship game to gain appeal with more fans in the Western part of the State. U of L has great support in that area - I don't know why - as I have been away for many, many years!

Go Big Blue!

P.S. In my era U of L was known as little brother and Western was known as Western Kentucky State Teacher's College - that should say it all for you!

I would say it is because Louisville football is more associated with winning football. Kentucky football is not really associated with winning football but usually bad teams and doing something two grasp a loss out of the jaws of victory.

 

[*Bleedingblue*]

Yeah I use to like WKU and wished them well but after dealing with some WKU fans that act like they are now a dynasty and take swipes at UK I don't have much interest in their success other than a relative that goes there.

I think maybe it has something to do with the Western Kentucky and Kentucky competing for players and such many years ago in basketball since Western Kentucky used to have a good basketball program. I know that many westerners do not have an affinity for people from Lexington or Louisville as they seem to think that people from those two places look down their nose at other people in the state. It's just that people from Louisville do it a little less than those from Lexington.

UK is by far the team too many in West Kentucky versus being a Louisville fan. But their is slightly more Louisville fans in Bowling Green than elsewhere in Western Kentucky.

 

[ZZZZCat]

It does make you wonder what happened to "locking down the state"

 

[SanAntonioCat]

Yeah I use to like WKU and wished them well but after dealing with some WKU fans that act like they are now a dynasty and take swipes at UK I don't have much interest in their success other than a relative that goes there.

I think maybe it has something to do with the Western Kentucky and Kentucky competing for players and such many years ago in basketball since Western Kentucky used to have a good basketball program. I know that many westerners do not have an affinity for people from Lexington or Louisville as they seem to think that people from those two places look down their nose at other people in the state. It's just that people from Louisville do it a little less than those from Lexington.

UK is by far the team too many in West Kentucky versus being a Louisville fan. But their is slightly more Louisville fans in Bowling Green than elsewhere in Western Kentucky.

I would agree with all the posters. However, the times are changing and I would hope our neighbors to the west look a bit more in depth to the will to win in Lexington.

 

[southindycat]

It only reinforces the fact that with a limited population, and correspondingly low number of P5 prospects, we must cultivate a strong profile in certain locales outside Kentucky. You will never build a wire-topped fence around The Bluegrass. This staff has been outstanding in and out of state IMHO. No point wasting time and treasure pursuing a ghost.

 

[jauk11]

I would say it is because Louisville football is more associated with winning football. Kentucky football is not really associated with winning football but usually bad teams and doing something two grasp a loss out of the jaws of victory.

Before UL's five game winning streak (I know, a disgrace due to lack of support for our football program) we had a four game winning streak, AND we have the first step on our own five game winning streak.

And really, there ARE a lot of advantages a program has that will do literally ANYTHING to just win baby. Still waiting for it to catch up with them, probably would have when hurtt won the NROTY there if the NCAA hadn't screwed up so badly investigating the CRIMES he used to win the same honor at the U. Well documented how he won the honor at the U using the $940,000,000 his buddy the crook conned his suckers out of, (also pretty obvious that money was no object to jurich either, the #24,500,000 contract to BP and the half million bonus for nothing proof of that) after the way they screwed up the investigation there the NCAA wanted to just run and hide instead of investigating how he did it at a down and out program a thousand miles from the beaches of Florida, although he did have the beaches of the Ohio River-------but then you can't even eat the fish you catch from there.

 

[Black Diamond Cat]

Unless we get Jairus Brents, the 4* db out of Waggner in Louisville, we will get zero of the top 10 ranked recruits in the commonwealth.
We have lost players to Texas, West Virginia, Duke, Vandy and Purdue from among the top 10 rated prospects. Never would have thought that !

 

[Rock_Cat78]

Hard to "lose" players that you never offered.

 

[TNTUK]

Unless we get Jairus Brents, the 4* db out of Waggner in Louisville, we will get zero of the top 10 ranked recruits in the commonwealth.
We have lost players to Texas, West Virginia, Duke, Vandy and Purdue from among the top 10 rated prospects. Never would have thought that !

But we may grab a few of the Top 10 in Ohio this year (Kinnard at #5, Xavier Peters at #6, and Blue Smith at #7 currently), just like last year (Bowden and Aijian, with Richardson at #12).

Nothing against the state I was born and raised in, but I'd take players in the Top 10 in OH over the Top 10 in KY anyday of the week.

 

[Black Diamond Cat]

Hard to "lose" players that you never offered.

They did offer several of them including Dingle and Lacey.

 

[Black Diamond Cat]

But we may grab a few of the Top 10 in Ohio this year (Kinnard at #5, Xavier Peters at #6, and Blue Smith at #7 currently), just like last year (Bowden and Aijian, with Richardson at #12).

Nothing against the state I was born and raised in, but I'd take players in the Top 10 in OH over the Top 10 in KY anyday of the week.

Why does it have to be either/or, get the best from both states. Agree Ohio, Georgia, Florida have more top notch players, but Kentucky produces some quality talent, not as much, but talent regardless.

 

[Roe07]

I was Jacob Lacey's Social Studies at South Warren his freshmen year in 2015-16. He was one of maybe a select few freshmen that played significant minutes on SW's varsity team in 2015 that won the 4A State Championship. Here's what I know about him, and this is based off information from almost 2 years ago. First of all, Jacob is a great kid and student! He's a yes sir, no sir, straight A type who works very hard and does everything you ask of him in the classroom. He was also a BIG Louisville fan. I know that he went down to visit UT in Knoxville at some point that year and he was really impressed with them. After that visit he wore a lot of Vol orange to school on a pretty regular basis, so I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up at either Louisville or Tennessee. Kid is also a pretty good baseball player too. I'd love it if he came to UK, but it's likely not going to happen.

 

[southindycat]

Hard to "lose" players that you never offered.

This. Look at some of the schools we are "losing" local recruits to this cycle. Look at who we are courting from out of state and the other schools vying for their commitment. We are determined to compete at the highest level. If you are from the Commonwealth, and need a lot of selling, you are probably not who we want, no matter your talent.

The simple fact is that there are sometimes guys in-state who for any number of reasons are less motivated to rep Blue and White than kids from our out-of-state pipeline programs and regions. When that is the case, let them go to UVA, Duke, Purdue, or even a school with a meaningful football program...

Who cares? If they are from the Commonwealth and don't bleed Blue, we don't need to be begging. 4 stars from KY should be lobbying for an opportunity at UK, leading the drive to build a class, then leading the team, not playing hard to get.

 

[Grumpyolddawg]

among their final choices. LB Justice Dingle of BGHS, 6'2 235 class of 2018, and DT Jacob Lacey of SWHS, 6'2 295 class of 2019, neither have UK as a finalist for their services.
According to an article in the Bowling Green Daily News, Dingle is down to a final 2 of Purdue and Georgia Tech, while Lacey has 6 finalists, which are Clemson, UofL, Michigan, Notre Dame, Tennessee and Mich. State.
This is both surprising and very disappointing to hear. Two big time 4* in state players and neither will be a wildcat. Does anyone have any idea why this is ? Dingle was quoted saying Purdue and GT both offer great engineering programs, and early playing time options.
This seems like we should be in at least the finalist column, since both have been offered by UK..... Thoughts !

I know nothing about either kid, but sounds like Dingle has a particular interest academically and those 2 schools fit that best. GT is a top flight engineering school and I believe Purdue has a very good academic reputation too. UK may fit that too, but doesn't have the reputation those two have.

 

[Black Diamond Cat]

I know we cannot have all 20 plus recruits being from Kentucky every year, but there are usually 4/5 players per year that could play here, some years 8/10.
I am surely thankful for all the good players we get from Ohio, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee etc. We need them all to be successful, but some of the top home grown talent always helps.

 

[jauk11]

I was Jacob Lacey's Social Studies at South Warren his freshmen year in 2015-16. He was one of maybe a select few freshmen that played significant minutes on SW's varsity team in 2015 that won the 4A State Championship. Here's what I know about him, and this is based off information from almost 2 years ago. First of all, Jacob is a great kid and student! He's a yes sir, no sir, straight A type who works very hard and does everything you ask of him in the classroom. He was also a BIG Louisville fan. I know that he went down to visit UT in Knoxville at some point that year and he was really impressed with them. After that visit he wore a lot of Vol orange to school on a pretty regular basis, so I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up at either Louisville or Tennessee. Kid is also a pretty good baseball player too. I'd love it if he came to UK, but it's likely not going to happen.

Sorry, and JMO but any player with those two "schools" at the top of their list is either on the take or has a defective gene somewhere. The top RB prospect in the nation in his class. Brown, chose Thug U AFTER they let him spend the entire weekend with his choice "Orange Pride" but he left in short order saying he just didn't fit in with the players------apparently he had some morals. And how any parent would want their son to go to the cesspool that is Transfer U is beyond me. I hope he gets over these two where ever he ends up.

And if those two are his top choices I'm not at all sure I want him at UK.

 

[Faithful Blue in the 812]

I do find it amusing though, that the Alumni Hall store at the mall in BG is all WKU and UK. Not a single UL item in the store. As a WKU alum and lifelong Cats fan, by far my fav store there.

 

[SmokinGun9]

I think that the guys doing the recruiting for UK should not be questioned as to why they are not pursuing two guys that obviously have no interest in coming here. As for the guys leaving the state? More power to them, again, I am fine with the guys we are recruiting whether they are from Louisville, Lexington, or Juneau Alaska.

This. Look at some of the schools we are "losing" local recruits to this cycle. Look at who we are courting from out of state and the other schools vying for their commitment. We are determined to compete at the highest level. If you are from the Commonwealth, and need a lot of selling, you are probably not who we want, no matter your talent.

The simple fact is that there are sometimes guys in-state who for any number of reasons are less motivated to rep Blue and White than kids from our out-of-state pipeline programs and regions. When that is the case, let them go to UVA, Duke, Purdue, or even a school with a meaningful football program...

Who cares? If they are from the Commonwealth and don't bleed Blue, we don't need to be begging. 4 stars from KY should be lobbying for an opportunity at UK, leading the drive to build a class, then leading the team, not playing hard to get.

 

[ukalum1988]

among their final choices. LB Justice Dingle of BGHS, 6'2 235 class of 2018, and DT Jacob Lacey of SWHS, 6'2 295 class of 2019, neither have UK as a finalist for their services.
According to an article in the Bowling Green Daily News, Dingle is down to a final 2 of Purdue and Georgia Tech, while Lacey has 6 finalists, which are Clemson, UofL, Michigan, Notre Dame, Tennessee and Mich. State.
This is both surprising and very disappointing to hear. Two big time 4* in state players and neither will be a wildcat. Does anyone have any idea why this is ? Dingle was quoted saying Purdue and GT both offer great engineering programs, and early playing time options.
This seems like we should be in at least the finalist column, since both have been offered by UK..... Thoughts !

I'm not about to fret about a guy wanting an engineering degree choosing from 2 engineering schools.

I know nothing about either kid, but sounds like Dingle has a particular interest academically and those 2 schools fit that best. GT is a top flight engineering school and I believe Purdue has a very good academic reputation too. UK may fit that too, but doesn't have the reputation those two have.

I'm proud to have an engineering degree from UK. It's a good engineering school, but at much as I hate to admit it, GT and Purdue at least a notch above UK. I haven't followed Dingle's recruitment that closely but if he has his heart set on elite engineering school there's nothing any of us can do about it.

 

[zcats]

We are still paying the price for decades of neglect and misrepresentation by the UK administration especially the AD and the president. UKFB has been a national running joke until the money started flowing from the SEC network and conference realignment got UK moving. GT and Purdue are both elite engineering schools. UK is solid but not in their class (not many are). Western humiliated us the last few times we played. What do you expect? It takes time.

 

[kentucky_wildcat_#1]

If we were dealing with a coaching staff that had problems with recruiting, these kids deciding to go elsewhere might make me sweat it. We have a check of a coaching staff in recruiting. We don't have to beg any home state 4 star player to stay home and help the state school. Our staff will just go into another state and find a more talented, or just as talented kid than you. With Kentucky fans, it used to be sour grapes, but now when we say it's more your loss than UK, it's probably true. I know some of our fans want as many KY born players on Kentucky's roster, but I am not one of those fans. I want the most talented, no matter where from. We all know you can't sign all KY born kids and expect to win in the SEC. If we could take the few best from the state, I'm fine with that. If our guys can go into a more tough state to put up stats in, I would much rather trust the upside of that 4 star player than one that is playing in KY and racking up his stats by running over Casey County talent. No disrespect to small towns high school football programs, but going through a 5'7 210 pound lineman just ain't that impressive and doesn't scare teams from the SEC.

 

[Poetax]

This used to bother me in the past but we have to realize that, one, we haven't been at the top of the class in football in the state of Kentucky for a while. And two, not every kid is a UK fan, and I can accept that. Too many times in the past we have taken Kentucky kids because we pretty much had to, and not all panned out. One thing we did see from ul in their early success was that recruiting FLA instead of Kentucky actually helped them win more games. We are just now seeing the fruits of that kind of recruiting (FLA) with Gran being here.

 

[EclipsingYou]

7 days ago Dingle was down to UT, UK, and PU. I wouldn't count him out. UK still has him on their big board along with Brents, Blue, and Tyreke Smith.

They're saving these last 10-12 rides for a RB or 2, a WR or 2, and big timers on DL, OL, or CB.

 

[EclipsingYou]

Garner, Blue, Rodriguez, Pechac. Traynor if Blue goes elsewhere and Tyreke is a definite no. Oats is always a take. Meechie and Terez are having to wait it out. Then it'll be all out for Dingle, Brents, and other big time white whales. One guy currently committed to UL on DEF is feeling froggy according to another board. Would be a HUGE get.

 

[EclipsingYou]

Is a commit from Florida that has family wanting him to go elsewhere after all this negative UL press.

Just a rumor and nothing more. I'm sure they are saying the same about Peters and McQual amongst themselves leaving UK right now too.

All in my completely worthless opinion as always.

 

[*Bleedingblue*]

Before UL's five game winning streak (I know, a disgrace due to lack of support for our football program) we had a four game winning streak, AND we have the first step on our own five game winning streak.

And really, there ARE a lot of advantages a program has that will do literally ANYTHING to just win baby. Still waiting for it to catch up with them, probably would have when hurtt won the NROTY there if the NCAA hadn't screwed up so badly investigating the CRIMES he used to win the same honor at the U. Well documented how he won the honor at the U using the $940,000,000 his buddy the crook conned his suckers out of, (also pretty obvious that money was no object to jurich either, the #24,500,000 contract to BP and the half million bonus for nothing proof of that) after the way they screwed up the investigation there the NCAA wanted to just run and hide instead of investigating how he did it at a down and out program a thousand miles from the beaches of Florida, although he did have the beaches of the Ohio River-------but then you can't even eat the fish you catch from there.

There is no doubt that Louisville would do anything to get an edge in football or even basketball. We are seeing that here recently with the basketball scandals and the contract with the Yum Center and as you mentioned when Charlie Strong was coaching them when he brought in a guy who is a part of a scandal at a scandalous University of Miami. And they brought in Petrino who was in his own scandals they bring in players who are involved in scandals it is obvious that they win at all cost.

A lot of people find that attractive though that you will be part of an organization that wants to win and wants to win bad.
We see that with Baylor University and at Ole Miss. At Ole Miss apparently they were paying players and maybe even using prostitutes just like Louisville does but it doesn't stop top players from attending that school it is because they know that they are going to a university that's going to win at all cost. A lot of people want to be a guy known as a winner. I am sure that 75% or maybe even 90% of the school's out there are doing some form of cheating. It does it make it right but some people will do anything to get an edge over the competition because they have worked with other staff members from other schools and they were at other institutions and they knew what was going on so they take notes and see what works and what does not. There are probably a few schools that do not have to cheat but you will still find some small amount of cheating going on just like at Southern Cal a football school who had boosters buying houses for player's parents. Even a school that can recruit like they can will still cheat just to get an edge over the competition. I'd say most SEC schools will be doing something

 

[*Bleedingblue*]

Garner, Blue, Rodriguez, Pechac. Traynor if Blue goes elsewhere and Tyreke is a definite no. Oats is always a take. Meechie and Terez are having to wait it out. Then it'll be all out for Dingle, Brents, and other big time white whales. One guy currently committed to UL on DEF is feeling froggy according to another board. Would be a HUGE get.

Are you talking about a particular 4 star safety at St Thomas Aquinas High School?

 

[TNTUK]

Why does it have to be either/or, get the best from both states. Agree Ohio, Georgia, Florida have more top notch players, but Kentucky produces some quality talent, not as much, but talent regardless.

It doesn't have to be either or, unless we get a player from OH, or FL for that matter, that plays the same position as a player from KY. For instance, I'll take Xavier Peters over Dingle any day of the week.