[LeeCoUKFan]

Gennesy could follow Smith's path to Kentucky

Justin Rowland
Special to CatsIllustrated.com

As a high school senior at Southaven (Miss.) two years ago Avery Gennesy had several scholarship offers but after a couple of years at the junior college level a whole new world of possibilities has opened up for him.

Two years ago Gennesy was a 6-foot-4, 285-pound high schooler with offers from Arkansas State, Florida International, Memphis, Southern Miss and UAB.

Now he's a 6-foot-5, 315-pound young man with offers from Kentucky, Kansas State, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Oklahoma State.

Notice the difference?

Kentucky's coaches have. Gennesy told Cats Illustrated that offensive line coach John Schlarman stopped by Scooba (Miss.) East Mississippi Community College recently and that's when Kentucky offered him.

"That was the first time I talked to him and I talked to him like a week later," Gennesy said. "He's just told me that they really like me and they've watched my tape and stuff.

"I have interest in them just like I have interest in everybody. I'm looking at everybody."

Those who follow Kentucky football recruiting will notice the school Gennesy currently attends. East Mississippi is where defensive line coach Jimmy Brumbaugh coached before he landed his current position at UK.

That's also the former home of current UK junior Za'Darius Smith.

Smith is evidence that Brumbaugh's ties to the school can help. But Jarran Reed, also from the last recruiting class, is evidence that it's not always a huge factor. Reed went on to sign with Florida.

"I know (Smith)," Gennesy went on to say. "We're pretty close. Me and coach Brumbaugh are real close too."

So in this case those ties might help the Wildcats. But don't expect Gennesy to do anything in the near future.

"I'm going to take my time," he concluded. "I don't have any favorites."

Gennesy said he has visited Mississippi State but in spite of his history in the state of Mississippi he has never visited Ole Miss.

http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1501162