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2014 UK Football Recruiting
As predicted & mentioned earlier, 4* WR/ATH Terry Googer has committed to South Carolina.
http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/re...ger-140118

As well, 4* WR/ATH Curtis Samuel has committed to the Ohio State University.
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ohiostate/footba...uel-144933

While UK wasn't recruiting either, it has helped UK in recruiting. Googer who projects to be the big outside possession receiver for Spurrier, is the same mold of player as Blake Bone. As Justin Rowland mentioned above, Blake Bone could pop any day now. As it has also been mentioned in this thread, for awhile now Blake Bone was expected to be UK's next commit. Googer waited for school to start back, so he could have the "Hat Ceremony, & the same is expected from Bone. While all indications are UK, he's kept his hand tight to his vest & he could very well swing. However, it appears the ship has sailed with the Gamecocks for Bone & all the experts had said it was a two horse race between South Carolina & UK.

Samuel was mentioned earlier, & projects to play the slot for OSU. It's likely that the Bucks take one more WR in this class, which still leaves room for Berrios. However, Meyer & Company are also favorites for 4* WR/ATH Noah Brown.
http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/re...own-142107
Brown projects as an outside, bigger WR & Ohio State would prefer that than have another slot guy like Berrios. While Berrios is the perfect fit for the Air Raid offense, we have plenty of competition in Miami & Ohio State specifically. South Carolina was in contention but it's unlikely they take another WR, just as it's unlikely that the Bucks take another slot.

With 5 teams (UK, Miami, OSU, Oregon & South Carolina) in contention for Berrios services, it appears that South Carolina & Ohio State are starting to look less likely. Of course we're dealing with his favorite school, as Miami was his ideal school & he has family in the South Beach area. If Miami were to take a hit from the NCAA, for the recent violations its unlikely Berrios would be a take.

Oregon is, well Oregon. With their recent success, & new complex, as well as the trillion different uniform combinations it's appealing to a teenage kid. With Phil Knight as an alum, & Nike headquarters within sight of campus, Oregon gets the best along with the new from Nike. That appeals to kids, but this isn't Chip Kelly's team & rather a team of an unproven coach. The new staff, has a lot of continuity with Chip Kelly though. While Oregon is the newbie, they are also still a dark horse & a threat.

Berrios is likely to use his 5 official visits to the 5 schools listed. He could possibly be an early enrollee & that means after his officials, he's likely to make a decision in November or December.
This is strictly my opinion, based on info I've read but I do feel strongly about that the final 5 scholarships will come from these 10 players:

4* WR Braxton Berrios
4* WR Blake Bone
3* WR Dorian Baker
4* JUCO OT Avery Gennesy
4* OG Marcelys Jones
3* DT Matt Elam
4* DB Erick Smith
3* DB Nick Glass
4* ATH Marshon Lattimore
3* ATH T.J. Harrell

No diamonds in the rough, or low rated guys. All highly touted guys.
As recent as today, it's been said that Dorian Baker & Blake Bone may sit higher on UK's wantlist than Braxton Berrios.

Apparently, UK's list consist of: Dorian Baker, Blake Bone, Braxton Berrios, Javontey Bagley, J.J. Pinckney, Kendrick Holland, & Moral Stephens. In that particular order.

UK is also still working on Derek Kief with optimism but as we all know he's still committed to Alabama & I doubt he flips.

UK is also continuing to recruit Marcelys Jones, & Brady Taylor, despite their commitments to other schools. However, Taylor appears to be solid to Virginia Tech even though he seemed to be unsure of letting UK know his decision on the day he committed.

Of course Jones, is committed to Ohio State. He's held his hand close to his vest, but UK's staff seems optimistic but he's he's kept tight lipped due to the Buckeye staff & fan base.

UK is also recruiting JUCO Offensive linemen Avery Gennesy & Nick Hayes. Not to be confused with 2013 signee Nick Haynes.

It was reported yesterday, that Nick Glass had decommitted from Georgia & that was true. However, UK isn't as high on Glass as orginally expected as Glass is a bigger & stronger safety, who could even project to be a linebacker. UK is looking more so at someone who can play corner & they feel that corner is at more of a need than linebacker.

UK's staff will recruit less & less in Alabama, as they feel they aren't making traction with many there. Most Alabama kids that are of the quality that UK's looking for are either going to Alabama, Auburn, LSU, or Georgia. The staff feels, the time spent there could be better served in Tennessee, Georgia, & Florida.
The Blue Blur Wrote:This is strictly my opinion, based on info I've read but I do feel strongly about that the final 5 scholarships will come from these 10 players:

4* WR Braxton Berrios
4* WR Blake Bone
3* WR Dorian Baker
4* JUCO OT Avery Gennesy
4* OG Marcelys Jones
3* DT Matt Elam
4* DB Erick Smith
3* DB Nick Glass
4* ATH Marshon Lattimore
3* ATH T.J. Harrell

No diamonds in the rough, or low rated guys. All highly touted guys.

I posted a list like this earlier on this thread with most of these guys on it.. but you have a couple I missed on here.

Anyways, how about Nick Kurtz and Moral Stephens? Still targeting them?
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M'boroYellowJacket Wrote:I posted a list like this earlier on this thread with most of these guys on it.. but you have a couple I missed on here.

Anyways, how about Nick Kurtz and Moral Stephens? Still targeting them?

I am not 100% where Moral Stephens stands on the coaching staff's wishlist but, Moral did tweet out that Kentucky is definitely still in the mix for him and Thaddeus Snodgrass wants him at UK as well. Nick Kurtz committed to BYU a few days ago.
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LeeCoUKFan Wrote:I am not 100% where Moral Stephens stands on the coaching staff's wishlist but, Moral did tweet out that Kentucky is definitely still in the mix for him and Thaddeus Snodgrass wants him at UK as well. Nick Kurtz committed to BYU a few days ago.

Most of the buzz surrounding Moral Stephens is that he's being looked at & projected by many staffs at TE. This includes UK's staff. I had heard a small sentiment that Stephens had lost weight & was trying to trim down. This is because Stephens wants to play WR at the next level & most of his top schools were saying TE. I don't expect UK to take another TE target in this class but I guess if the crunch was on, he'd do. I have no idea on whether or not Stephens, had in fact trimmed down.

You are 100% correct, Kurtz is BYU bound to be a Cougar.
The Blue Blur Wrote:Most of the buzz surrounding Moral Stephens is that he's being looked at & projected by many staffs at TE. This includes UK's staff. I had heard a small sentiment that Stephens had lost weight & was trying to trim down. This is because Stephens wants to play WR at the next level & most of his top schools were saying TE. I don't expect UK to take another TE target in this class but I guess if the crunch was on, he'd do. I have no idea on whether or not Stephens, had in fact trimmed down.

You are 100% correct, Kurtz is BYU bound to be a Cougar.

Well, if that's the case for Stephens, I would say that he is not in contention for one of the 5 scholarships we have left to offer.
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Johnson will take visits, but says he's solid to UK

Justin Rowland
CatsIllustrated.com Football Recruiting Analyst

Brooklyn (N.Y.) ASA College defensive tackle Cory Johnson committed to Kentucky while visiting Lexington for the first time in July and this week he gave Cats Illustrated an exclusive interview largely focused on that choice.

Johnson is just another reason Kentucky fans are excited about the future of the defensive line. Mark Stoops and the coaching staff have been stockpiling talent in the trenches and Johnson, rated a four-star prospect by Rivals.com, has the opportunity to come in and start right away.

Just don't talk to him about promises.

"Yeah, they told me (he could start) all the time right off the bat," Johnson said. "I've got a real good shot at starting once I get there but I'm not really worried about all that. That doesn't mean anything to me. It's just an opportunity. That's all I was looking for, an opportunity to come in and prove myself."

And it happens that he will have an opportunity to do that under coaches he highly respects.

It helps that Jimmy Brumbaugh has coaching experience at the junior college level.

"He's always told me about his plan for the defensive line. We talk about schemes and stuff like that. We talk about all that defensive line stuff and the things he teaches. Once you go to the NFL it's already like you've been there if you played for coach Brumbaugh. He teaches stuff the NFL uses. That was a big factor for me. I want to go in somewhere already feeling comfortable and that's how it will be. I've also got a chance to go to the NFL," he explained.

Johnson said that Kentucky's coaches showed him videos of defensive linemen from Florida State coached by Stoops and new UK defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot. That helped as well.

Going into his July unofficial to Kentucky it seemed like the Cats were about even with Miami.

"I already liked Kentucky going in and I had told coach (Brumbaugh) I wanted to commit but I wanted to come down and see the place. Basically just coming in and seeing it sealed the deal," Johnson said.

"To be quite honest with you if Miami was a little closer to home I might have went there. I already had a thing with those coaches from them being at Temple. But Miami's just too far, man. My parents weren't behind the whole Miami thing. I liked it but my people didn't like it," Johnson said.

Ironically enough those same people are pushing Johnson to continue forward with official visits even though he's verbally committed to UK.

Most of Johnson's family is from South Carolina except his father, who is from Pennsylvania, where Johnson attended high school.

"I don't want to get into it too much," Johnson said of his official visit plans. "I'm planning on still taking my visits. Mostly it's just my parents want me to still take visits. They're still behind me going to Kentucky, they just want me to take visits. I don't really know what their reason is and I've told them no matter what I'm still coming back to Kentucky."

Johnson said he had an open mind when the recruiting process began this time around so he was immediately willing to listen to what the UK coaches had to say.

Another plus for him with Kentucky is the future of the Cats' defensive line.

"I really think it's going to be great with Za'Darius (Smith) there on the edge. I know they had the other kid that's coming in that was a Florida State commit (Denzel Ware). There are a couple of other guys that can play end. There's going to be a lot of guys working hard. I feel like it's going to be a great group," he said.

http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1536602
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Edwards talks in depth about Kentucky commitment

Justin Rowland
CatsIllustrated.com Football Recruiting Analyst

It seems like just yesterday Mike Edwards was going back and forth over when he wanted to go public with his commitment to Kentucky.

It's tough to believe that was more than two months ago.

The Cincinnati Winton Woods safety knew for a while that Kentucky is where he wanted to end up. But it wasn't always that way.

"I didn't start looking at Kentucky until the new staff came in," Edwards said. "Actually I wasn't thinking about Kentucky at all. I would talk to Jaleel (Hytchye) and see him all the time. He was telling me why he committed to Kentucky. I was like, 'Why would you go there?' He would explain it to me and I still didn't see the reason. Earlier I could see myself at Ohio State or something like that. My favorite team was Boise State and then LSU. I thought I would play some place like that."

Then Edwards visited Kentucky for the first time and things changed.

"I was like, man, I see why he's going there now," he said.

And the coaches were a big reason. Vince Marrow was key in Edwards' decision and the program's positive momentum that had been building also weighed on him heavily.

It became fairly obvious to most that Kentucky was the school to beat. Edwards acknowledges his mind was made up.

"At one time when everybody thought that my parents and coaches had stopped me from committing I already knew I was going to Kentucky. I just thought I had to wait and take some other visits," Edwards said. "I really wanted to wait 'til me and Darius (West) could do it at a press conference. But when we went on that visit and (the coaches) talked to us it was like, why wait?"

So he didn't wait and the proverbial cat got out of the bag.

But why did Edwards wait so long in the first place?

"I was just wanting to see how many DB's they were taking," he said. "I wanted to see who they're recruiting. I didn't want to go to a school that was recruiting a lot of DB's. I was just looking at that. I was talking to coach Marrow and coach (Derrick) Ansley and all them and they told me they only need me and Darius to commit. Then basically they would be done with DB's. They just wanted us."

Since committing to Kentucky some schools have recruited Edwards even harder than they did before his pledge went public. Don't expect that to matter. Edwards classified himself as "100-percent solid" to UK.

He visited Kentucky for their Friday Night Blue Lights camp last month and spent time with Drew Barker, Denzel Ware, West and others.

One reason Edwards said it's tough to imagine anyone backing out of their pledge is how close the class has become.

"It's great because you don't see each other a lot except when we're up there but when we do see each other it's all good," he said. "We've got that bond together. We all get along good. A lot of us Ohio players do see each other sometimes but when we all come together it's great."

Those bonds will come in handy if the Wildcats struggle on the field this fall. Many have wondered how many commitments might waver if things go south.

The coaching staff is covering all their bases.

"I've been thinking about that," Edwards said. "I knew they would probably struggle this year and maybe not do as good. I know that our class coming in will do much better and then after that we'll be really good.

"That's what we were talking to coach (Mark) Stoops about when our parents came down. He was just saying it will get better and better. When our class comes in, after that everything should be great."

The 5-foot-11, 182-pound safety is evidence that Kentucky's presence in the Buckeye State has increased in a big way. And he hopes to help them to do even better in Ohio in the future.

George Brown figures to be one of the state's top 2015 prospects and the two are cousins.

"I'm just telling him that we really want him and need him," Edwards said. "Stuff like that. He always talks about other schools but I'm really trying to get him to come here. I want to take a couple of visits (to Kentucky) with him.

"Then one of my teammates, David Long, is a linebacker and (the UK coaches) really like him. He might try and come down sometime," he concluded.

http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1537003
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Skidmore considering preferred walk-on spot

Justin Rowland
CatsIllustrated.com Football Recruiting Analyst

Somerset offensive guard Kagen Skidmore has a scholarship offer to play football in college but he's also considering a preferred walk-on opportunity with the Wildcats.

The 6-foot-2, 300-pound interior lineman has an offer from Eastern Kentucky and has been hearing from coaches at Cincinnati, Louisville, Vanderbilt, Western Kentucky and Wofford.

But he grew up a Kentucky fan and that could weigh heavily on his mind as he's deciding what he wants to do at the next level. Schools are recruiting Skidmore as a guard or center prospect and he's got good ability.

"I've been a UK fan since I was a little boy," Skidmore said. "I was up there for their junior day and I've been to two camps up there. They said there's a good chance I could earn an offer in a year, that next year."

Offensive line coach John Schlarman has had a lot of contact with Skidmore.

"He played at Highlands and I think he's a great coach," Skidmore said. "I like him a lot. I love the way the program's going at the moment. I love the way coach (Mark) Stoops is doing it."

Skidmore said he thinks of himself as a lineman that effectively gets to the second level. He's a tenacious run blocker and because he has attended 15 camps this summer his pass protection has improved dramatically as well.

According to Skidmore the UK coaching staff has told him to mull over the preferred walk-on offer for as long as he wants.

http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1537863
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Hendrix expects immediate improvement at UK

Justin Rowland
CatsIllustrated.com Football Recruiting Analyst

Huber Heights (Ohio) Wayne linebacker Dorian Hendrix won't be putting on his Kentucky jersey for another year but he's got high expectations for the Wildcats this fall nonetheless.

Part of that is due to his faith in the coaching staff that's currently running the show in Lexington. He wouldn't have committed to the Wildcats in March if he didn't believe the coaches knew what they were doing.

But Hendrix doesn't just believe Kentucky has a long-term plan for success. He believes UK will win right away even given the obvious obstacles the program faces in the short term.

"I've talked to the staff and they've explained to me they've probably got one of the toughest schedules in the country," Hendrix said. "I feel like the team can make a bowl game. I talked to the coaches and they kinda feel like the same way. There are some pretty good teams on the schedule. Florida, Alabama and even Louisville.

"I understand they've got a hard schedule. I think they can get six or seven wins and that would be a bowl game. That's just from my standpoint. That's what all the commits are kinda looking for."

The obvious question: What if that doesn't happen?

"I think people would still be on board," he said. "I know I would still be on board. I decided to commit to Kentucky early and I'm in the whole way. I think the base group, the guys that first committed and I'm really close to, I think we're all in it. Mikel Horton, Drew Barker, Thaddeus (Snodgrass) and guys like that."

Wayne's first game is Aug. 30 and Hendrix expects the squad to be strong this year. They return eight starters on defense but the offense has to replace a lot after being senior-laden last year.

"I think the backbone of the team is going to be the defense," he said. "The offense will have to get better throughout the season but I think we're going to be pretty special."

Not surprisingly, Hendrix said he's going to be in a leadership role this year. He was already one of the team's leaders last year but his coaches have told him they want him to step up in an even bigger way. He's doing that by being more vocal and Hendrix hopes to be voted a team captain.

On the field Hendrix wants to play faster than ever largely because of the future he has chosen for himself.

"That's one thing I've wanted to work on," he said. "I've always played pretty fast but I understand what I'm getting myself into playing in the SEC. I'm kinda using this year as a tool to help me."

http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1538662
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South Carolina 4* WR Blake Bone is announcing Tuesday. Kentucky, Louisville, Ole Miss, South Carolina


http://www.nationofblue.com/blake-bone-t...t-tuesday/
Strikeout King Wrote:South Carolina 4* WR Blake Bone is announcing Tuesday. Kentucky, Louisville, Ole Miss, South Carolina


http://www.nationofblue.com/blake-bone-t...t-tuesday/

Am hearing Bone will chose UK Tuesday.. Be a big pickup if so. 6'4"/6'5" with great hands and fast. Should be a great fit in this offense..

Mix1...
Mix1 Wrote:Am hearing Bone will chose UK Tuesday.. Be a big pickup if so. 6'4"/6'5" with great hands and fast. Should be a great fit in this offense..

Mix1...

I will honestly be surprised if he doesn't pick Kentucky.
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LeeCoUKFan Wrote:I will honestly be surprised if he doesn't pick Kentucky.

All the experts & coaches from the other schools recruiting him are now saying he's UK bound.

UK isn't writing off Berrios just yet, nor is Berrios writing off UK.

Alabama just received a commitment from 4* WR Cameron Sims. Sims, is from Louisiana & is the same type of big receiver as Derek Kief. His ship hasn't sailed yet, but he seems firm in his commitment. Maybe this will waver it some but UK isn't taken it lightly.

Don't bank on UK's class rounding out with Bone & Baker. UK won't turn away good players, especially at WR. So the possibilities of Bagley & Pickney are still in the cards. Heck even Kendrick Holland is still out there.

UK hasn't moved on Moral Stephens & he's still not likely a take. I guess he's not trimmed down & gained speed as much as they'd liked.

Baker has set his 5 officials with Kentucky, Tennessee, Vandy, WVU, & Minnesota. It's shocking that Louisville didn't make the list, as his uncle played LBer at Florida & is very familiar with strong. Maybe it's because UofL already has 5 WR commits. Baker has said that his mother loves UK & he's leaning toward the Cats. However, his dad is the one that needs convincing. His father said he wanted to see how the team responds to Stoops this fall before he jumps on the bandwagon. It's likely he would've already committed to UK if not for pops. UK isn't holding a spot for Baker, at this point it's likely first come first serve. I'd like to think between Berrios & Baker.

Marcelys Jones recently announced he would visit Alabama & he received backlash from the Buckeye following. Apparently, that has only fueled the flame for him. I can tell you the staff is growing increasingly confident in an OL that is committed to another school. That really narrows it down, either Brady Taylor or Jones. If Jones were to flip, it's like Taylor would get his OSU offer, ironically enough.

Anyways back to Jones' visit to Bama. Apparently, the trip is actually more smokescreen than fire. Not sure why, but Bama' doesn't appear to be a threat or so the staff feels. Like I said they are growing increasingly confident with him.

Likewise, they are also growing confident with his teammate Marshon Lattimore. Looks like Marrow is putting in more work in Ohio. Those would be two nice gets, & Lattimore could be the high schooler that could play corner that they're looking for.

Add Bone, & another WR. Take Jones & Lattimore. That leaves only Elam to round the class out. Those are some huge gets for the program.
UK commit Barker poised to have huge senior season

Justin Rowland
CatsIllustrated.com Football Recruiting Analyst

Four-star quarterback and UK commit Drew Barker is gearing up for one last ride at Conner and the season is right around the corner.

The 6-foot-3, 214-pound quarterback is poised for a monster senior season.

There are plenty of reasons to believe that, not least of which would be his first scrimmage of the year. He completed 17-of-22 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown to go along with 236 rushing yards on 15 carries and two scores in a 28-14 win over Beechwood that could have been by a much larger margin if not for miscues.

"I thought we did really good actually," Barker said. "The only times we got stopped on offense were because new guys were getting in and guys hadn't really played with each other that much so it's stuff that will be easy to fix for the rest of the season.

"Our defense was much improved and had like six three and outs. We changed the whole scheme from the past few seasons."

Barker was a regular on the camp and combine circuit over the spring and summer even though he committed to Kentucky in May. From the Rivals Challenge to The Opening and the Elite 11, Barker competed against the best and received some excellent coaching along the way.

He's hoping to incorporate much of what he learned this season.

"One of the things I worked on is the speed of my drops," Barker explained. "If you get your feet in the right spot your throw will be on time and accurate. That's really important. Also, taking your feet with your eyes. Wherever your eyes go, adjusting your feet based on that."

At the Elite 11 Barker spent plenty of time with Clemson quarterback commit Deshaun Watson, Texas commit Jerrod Heard and Texas A&M commit Kyle Allen.

He received coaching from former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer and former college quarterback George Whitfield Jr.

"Guys that are kinda quarterback expects," Barker explained. "I still stay in contact with all of them. I'm trying to go out to California to work with George Whitfield before I go to UK sometime."

Several current UK commits have shared their expectations for their Wildcats this year. Barker is hopeful but seems to strike a more realistic tone.

"I think you have to have realistic expectations," Barker said. "That's what coach (Mark) Stoops has been telling all of the commits. Just being real, they came off a two-win season last year. Coach Stoops and the new staff and the 2013 class coming in has definitely helped. They've brought a new swagger to the program which I think has elevated other players' games. Before I don't think they were too confident and I think that's helped a lot."

"I think they'll be a lot better than what most national people say. I think they might win one or two upset games. As far as the record I'm not really sure. Hopefully they can win five or six games."

Since committing to the Cats, Barker has been one of Kentucky's most enthusiastic recruiters. He's taken it upon himself to sell the program to other top prospects from his class.

While the UK class is almost full, Barker continues to help pursue top targets.

"I'm still working on Matt Elam, (Braxton) Berrios, Blake Bone, Dorian Baker, Marcelys Jones and guys like that," Barker said. "I'm really just excited to play with all of them. To play with them and against them in practice every day. We're going to make the team better and make the team better individually.

"I'm definitely looking forward to throwing passes to Thaddeus (Snodgrass), Darryl (Long), T.V. (Williams) and Garrett (Johnson). I'm really looking forward to throwing passes to those guys and Boom (Stanley Williams) and Mikel (Horton). I'm excited about the linemen, too. Basically just everybody. I'm really excited about our class and can't wait to get up there."

http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1538984
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Snodgrass ready for a big season

Justin Rowland
CatsIllustrated.com Football Recruiting Analyst

Thaddeus Snodgrass is excited about his future at Kentucky, but he's hoping for his best year of high school football yet.

The Springfield, Ohio, receiver expects to enroll at Kentucky early, as do most or even all of the Wildcats' commitments from Ohio. So it won't be long until the 6-foot-1, 184-pound receiver is in Lexington.

He's been a regular there since committing to UK at the Cats' spring game earlier this year, visiting the school for both major recruiting events this summer. He was at the big June event and then made it to the Friday Night Blue Lights camp in July.

Snodgrass has helped Kentucky recruit other players along the way and he was one reason fellow receiver T.V. Williams felt so comfortable at UK. Now he's talking to North Carolina receiver Braxton Berrios and trying to convince him to join the Cats' corps of wide-outs.

"I heard he got offered by Oregon but I know he's open to any school," Snodgrass told Cats Illustrated recently.

But recruiting and the process is mostly behind Snodgrass. All that's left for the four-star receiver is to sign his letter of intent later this year in December.

Now his focus is on finishing strong at Springfield.

"It's a whole new offense," Snodgrass explained. "We're going to be a more balanced offense this year. I'm very excited. I've been working on my hands and concentration just going up against good competition."

He saw that competition at The Opening and other major recruiting events that helped him fine-tune his skill set.

In a recent scrimmage against Cincinnati Winton Woods, and UK commit Mike Edwards and 2015 target George Brown, Snodgrass scored twice on receptions. Snodgrass said Springfield's biggest games this fall will be against Trotwood-Madison, Middletown, Wayne and Northmont.

While that's now his focus he hopes to attend UK games and follow along as the Wildcats step into the Mark Stoops era.

"I know it's going to be a struggle," he said. "But we're going to make a bowl game this year."

http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1539439
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Elam adds fourth star, talks visit plans

Justin Rowland
CatsIllustrated.com Football Recruiting Analyst

The most recent round of ranking revisions on the Rivals.com network were good to defensive tackle Matt Elam.

The John Hardin lineman received his fourth star from the network and he now holds down the No. 215 spot on the new Rivals250, making him the No. 2 prospect in Kentucky behind only four-star quarterback and UK commit Drew Barker.

The 6-foot-6, 325-pound tackle now has offers from Alabama, Kentucky, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Tennessee, the schools that are widely believed to be among his favorites.

Elam now has official visits scheduled to Notre Dame (Oct. 18), Kentucky (Dec. 13) and Alabama (in December). What about the remaining two allotted trips?

"I'd rather do those after the season so I can bond more with the coaches and players so that they don't have to stress about the game," Elam said.

But Elam does want to get a taste for game day atmospheres. His official visit to South Bend coincides with Notre Dame's home game against Southern Cal.

He will also unofficially attend big games in Lexington and Tuscaloosa.

"I know (I'll visit) LSU at Alabama and Alabama at UK for sure," he said.

There's also a chance Elam could attend other UK home games because of his proximity to campus and an impressive home schedule that features games against Louisville, Tennessee and Florida.

Elam is Kentucky's top remaining recruiting priority and would give a huge boost to an already impressive crop of defensive linemen that have committed to the Wildcats.

http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1539885
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Kentucky among top choices for WR Holland

Justin Rowland
CatsIllustrated.com Football Recruiting Analyst

Kendrick Holland hasn't spoken much about the recruiting process in recent months but he briefly touched base with Cats Illustrated this week.

The Winter Haven (Fla.) receiver has the kind of size Kentucky needs at receiver, and Holland's 6-foot-4, 193-pound frame helps him to stretch the field and make plays in the vertical passing game.

Holland has always maintained a high interest level in Kentucky and though he still has never visited Lexington he's got the Cats high on his list.

"Kentucky, Virginia Tech, USF, Indiana and Minnesota in order," Holland relayed via text to Cats Illustrated when asked about his current favorites.

Holland did go on the record at greater length in July after his unofficial visit to Auburn. The Tigers did not offer him but told Holland that he was on their radar.

There had been some talk that Holland might visit UK over the summer but that trip did not materialize. He still plans to get on campus sooner rather than later and he said it's likely that it will be an official visit.

"It will be sometime this season," Holland said.

However, sources have indicated that the Wildcats will generally try to schedule their official visitors to come by after the season, while encouraging recruits to take unofficial visits during the season.

In other words while Kentucky is Holland's favorite there may not be any movement towards a decision for a while. Holland did say that he has continued to stay in regular contact with UK running backs coach Chad Scott, his area recruiter, so it would seem the interest is still there from UK's end.

It is widely believed that Kentucky will take at least two more receivers from the Class of 2014. Blake Bone, Braxton Berrios, Dorian Baker, Javontey Bagley and J.J. Pinckney are some of UK's other top wide-out targets still on the board.

http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1539442
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Flannigan will play safety this fall

Justin Rowland
CatsIllustrated.com Football Recruiting Analyst

Just a year from now, Ryan Flannigan expects to compete for a starting linebacker spot in the Southeastern Conference.

But this year at Blinn Community College in Brenham, Texas, he will be playing in the secondary for the first time in his life.

"Right now they've got me at safety," Flannigan said. "I feel I've improved my coverage a lot, especially one-on-ones. I can come down and bump players and play zone better too. It's my first time playing safety.

"It's been a major adjustment. I wasn't really used to getting out on the slot or even sometimes out on receivers. It had just been covering running backs. I feel like it's going to help me in a major way though."

Only time will tell if his improved coverage skills will compensate for what he's missing at linebacker, namely, experience and more body mass which will be essential in the SEC grind.

Flannigan said he currently checks in at 6-foot-1 and 215-pounds, so if he could add 10 to 15 pounds over the next year it would give him a much better chance of actually competing for a starting spot at UK next year.

"Our first game is Saturday," Flannigan said. "We're playing Georgia Military and I think we're going to be pretty strong. We've got a lot of sophomores returning from last year. A lot of us have to step up. We know what we have to do on offense and defense."

Chad Scott and D.J. Eliot are the coaches from the UK staff that he stays in contact with most regularly. They expect Flannigan to finish up at Blinn in December and enroll a semester early in January so he can have that extra preparation time.

All Flannigan is taking right now is a math course.

He said that both he and teammate Shyquawn Pullium will take their official visits to UK in September the weekend of the Florida game.

http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1540166
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Pullium says he's still solid with UK

Justin Rowland
CatsIllustrated.com Football Recruiting Analyst

Shyquawn Pullium could be the Nate Willis of the 2014 recruiting class. He's a cornerback that UK needs and expects to succeed as an early contributor.

For now the plan is for Pullium to enroll at Kentucky early after graduating from Brenham (Texas) Blinn in December. That hinges on his ability to finish up his necessary coursework in the meantime, which Pullium does not believe will be a problem.

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound prospect told Cats Illustrated this week he's been working hard in preparation for his sophomore year at Blinn. Two-a-days recently finished up and he has noticed significant improvement in his technique from the previous year.

That's what needed to happen for Pullium to take his game to the next level. No one has questioned his athleticism. It's just been a matter of getting a little more polished.

Both Chad Scott and Derrick Ansley have been recruiting Pullium for the Wildcats and they have continued to stay in contact since he committed at the start of June.

"They've said they're ready for me to come and compete for a starting spot," Pullium explained. "I know they're in two-a-days for themselves right now so they're getting ready too. I'm excited to get up there."

The former Penn State commit said he feels good about his commitment to UK. On a scale of 1-10 where would he put it?

"It's high," he responded. "I'd say it's like a nine."

But that doesn't mean this one is over quite yet.

"Arizona State and Cincinnati are still talking to me. I'll probably take a couple of (official) visits," Pullium said. "I'll probably visit both of them. But UK is still where I want to be. I'm trying to enroll in January too."

Pullium's official visit to UK will be in September.

http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1540168
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How Kentucky football recruits fared over the weekend

Justin Rowland and Derek Terry
CatsIllustrated.com Staff

Cats Illustrated is embarking on a season-long project to track the weekend performances from Kentucky's commitments and top recruits. Prep ball opened this weekend and several future Wildcats were in action.

Lakota West and Mikel Horton scrimmaged for a couple of quarters but their season doesn't kick off until Saturday when they take on Winton Woods. The game will be of special interest to Wildcat fans as it will feature defensive back commit Mike Edwards and top 2015 target George Brown.

That game, which will be Winton Woods' opener as well, will be held at 7 p.m. at Lakota West.

Kentucky's other running back commit turned in a stunning performance. Stanley Williams churned out 161 yards on only three carries with two touchdowns. That was a 29-21 victory for George Walton Academy, but that was only a scrimmage as well. Their season kicks off on Friday at Macon (Ga.) First Presbyterian Day.

Drew Barker turned in another huge scrimmage performance in very limited action. In Conner's first scrimmage the future UK signal caller rushed for more than 200 yards as the defense played off the ball to prevent an aerial assault.

On Friday Barker completed four of just six passes for 137 yards and three touchdowns. He only led the team for three drives against Cincinnati (Ohio) St. Bernard, a squad that was terribly over-matched.

Contrary to what some Internet sites have reported Stone Mountain (Ga.) Stephenson has not yet taken on Miami (Fla.) Norland. That game will take place next week and will serve as our first opportunity to track Jared Tucker.

Down in Florida, defensive end Denzel Ware made his presence felt in a huge way as Crestview defeated Pace (Fla.) 17-14. Ware racked up six total tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles in his first game at his new school after transferring over from Alabama last year.

Ware's head coach has raved about him ever since he joined the team over the summer, praising his work ethic and his athleticism. Earlier this year he was downgraded from four-stars to three on Rivals.com, and he appears to be motivated to improve his stock.

Derrick Kelly and the Havana (Fla.) East Gadsden offense weren't able to get anything going against Bainbridge (Ga.) and they were blanked 3-0 in a road game.

Receiver Garrett Johnson doesn't get started until Friday when Winter Garden (Fla.) West Orange takes on Boone (Fla.) under the lights at home. Longwood (Fla.) Lyman and linebacker Nico Firios also kick off next week against Oviedo (Fla.).

Linebacker and safety Kobie Walker had a chance to perform on ESPN on Friday night but his Good Counsel squad lost a hard fought 20-14 contest against Baltimore (Md.) Gilman. Walker and the defense performed well enough to win but the Good Counsel offense struggled for much of the game.

Springfield (Ohio) receiver Thaddeus Snodgrass will lead his squad against perennial power Trotwood-Madison in a road game on Friday at 7 p.m. That will be the season opener for both schools.

Youngstown Christian, coached by Vince Marrow's brother, opens their season Friday at Lowellville (Ohio). Tymere Dubose played his first season of organized football last year so it will be interesting to see how a little seasoning and more preparation has advanced his game.

Liberty Township (Ohio) Lakota East and Jarrett LaRubbio kick off on Friday against Western Hills (Ohio). Nick Richardson will lead Westerville Central (Ohio) out for the first time against St. Francis de Sales that night as well.

Lima Central Catholic will be in action against Bath (Ohio) this week but four-star UK safety commit Darius West has been expecting to miss the first game or two as he recovers from his injury.

Huber Heights (Ohio) Wayne opens against Gahanna (Ohio) Lincoln next week and that will be the first time UK commit Dorian Hendrix and 2015 Wildcat target Tyree Kinnel are in action.

Ryan Flannigan and Shyquawn Pullium showed well for Blinn Community College but they fell to Georgia Military Academy 34-21 in their season opener on Saturday. Stats were not immediately available for Pullium but Flannigan registered 10 tackles and a sack while breaking up a pass from his safety position.

ASA College and four-star defensive tackle Cory Johnson don't kick off their season until Sept. 8 in a game at Widener University.

UK's top remaining recruiting target, Matt Elam, registered five tackles, including two behind the line of scrimmage, and a sack. That was Friday night in John Hardin's opener against Seneca, a 35-6 win for Elam's squad. The defense turned in a dominant performance and Elam swallowed up blockers for most of the night.

Top 2015 quarterback target Elijah Sindelar completed 18 of 29 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns in a 45-22 win over Christian County. The Caldwell County junior also rushed for 47 yards on six carries.

Junior Stephenville (Texas) quarterback Jarrett Stidham was behind center for the second time in game action but that was only a scrimmage.

http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1540591
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Kentucky has dropped to #7 in the rivals rankings, below Georgia (#6), Ohio State (#5), Miami FL (#4), Florida State (#3), Tennessee (#2) and Alabama (#1)
4* WR Blake Bone is a Kentucky Wildcat.

Blake chose Kentucky over the likes of Arkansas, South Carolina, Clemson, Louisville, Marshall, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, UCF. Tennessee had interest but didn't offer
Four-star receiver Bone picks Wildcats

Justin Rowland
CatsIllustrated.com Football Recruiting Analyst

Kentucky scored big on Tuesday with a commitment from four-star receiver Blake Bone, the number eight prospect from the talent-rich state of South Carolina.

"It came down to Kentucky being the place where I can catch the most balls. It was the offense for me," Bone told Cats Illustrated. "I can have success in that offense."

The Woodruff (S.C.) receiver had picked up offers from Arkansas, Auburn, Clemson, Louisville, Ole Miss, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and UCF over the course of the recruiting process to date, but he had narrowed his choices to Auburn, UK, Ole Miss and South Carolina.

Things had been trending in Kentucky's direction for a while now.

Bone said he "liked everything I saw" on a summer visit to UK, and having an aunt and uncle in Lexington also was a bonus.

"I fell in love with the coaches from Day One," Bone said. "Coach (Mark) Stoops, Coach (Tommy) Mainord, even the defensive backs coach (Derrick) Ansley. They're the kind of coaches that want you to get better."

His decision is big for Kentucky on a number of levels. Wide receiver was one of the biggest remaining needs for UK. Bone becomes the fourth wide-out to commit to the Wildcats in this cycle and the second four-star after Thaddeus Snodgrass.

Kentucky has also needed an influx of height and length at the position and at 6-foot-5 and 183-pounds Bone fills a big need.

Bone is the eighth four-star commitment for the Wildcats in the class of 2014 and the 11th since Stoops took over the program.

He's ranked the No. 47 receiver in the nation and the No. 8 prospect in South Carolina. He's the fifth offensive skill position player ranked as four-stars in UK's class, not including quarterback Drew Barker.

"I know Drew Barker and I know a few of the other receivers they've got coming in, like Thaddeus Snodgrass out of Ohio and T.V. (Williams) out of Texas," Bone said. "I know a safety from Cincinnati, Mike Edwards. I think the direction of the program is great. They're surprising and really moving up. UK isn't a football school, it's more of a basketball school, but they're doing big things."

http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1541370
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Walker disappointed with season opener, still solid to UK

Justin Rowland
CatsIllustrated.com Football Recruiting Analyst

The season didn't get off to the kind of start Kobie Walker was hoping for and it went down in front of a nationally televised audience.

ESPN televised Olney (Md.) Good Counsel's season opener against Baltimore (Md.) Gilman, a game that turned out to be a 20-14 loss for Walker's squad.

Early in the game it appeared as though Good Counsel would cruise.

"In the beginning we were doing great," Walker told Cats Illustrated. "It was 14-0 in the first quarter. Five minutes into the game our starting running back had like 78 yards and then he got hurt. He banged up his knee and messed the whole rest of the game. That hurt our momentum. It had us down. A lot of people had their head down. After that we didn't score at all."

Of course Walker didn't have anything to do with the offensive woes but he believes he could have played better.

"I feel like I could have done a lot better honestly. Around the middle of the first quarter is when I really got warmed up so it took too long. I feel like I did make a lot of plays that helped the team out. I saved a lot of touchdowns. I'm not too down on myself. I'm just trying to get ready for next week," he said.

Walker played linebacker for most of the game but did log a couple of plays at safety in the fourth quarter. He currently checks in at 6-foot-4 and 210-pounds, and he's hoping to add ten pounds of muscle mass between now and the time when he enrolls at Kentucky.

Noted for his long frame and ability to play sideline to sideline, many believe Walker has a lot of potential once he fills out.

"I'm athletic enough to play safety but I definitely like being in the box," he said. "I feel like my coverage has gotten a lot better. There were a couple of times when the quarterback rolled out and he hesitated because I was in the slot and we'd get a sack. I'll be in the flats and he noticed I was there and would throw somewhere else. I didn't get any balls caught on me in my zone."

Walker said he's not sure when he will visit Kentucky but most of UK's current commits will take their official visit after the season the weekend of December 14.

Since his commitment most other schools have backed off Walker but Boston College, Rutgers and Miami still maintain minimal contact. It's just usually not even acknowledged.

"I'm not even interested so I don't even respond," he said.

http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1541241
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4-star 2015 Florida CB Tyrek Cole evidently offered by Kentucky this weekend.
I hope Elam goes elsewhere and frees up a scholarship for someone else.
Iam4thecats Wrote:I hope Elam goes elsewhere and frees up a scholarship for someone else.

I do hope you're being facetious. Elam on Kentucky's DL instantly gives them credibility, something they are severely lacking this year.
2* JUCO Safety Michael Mathis has committed to Kentucky.

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/re...his-147486
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