[LeeCoUKFan]

WR Snodgrass makes UK commitment public

Justin Rowland
Special to CatsIllustrated.com

Four-star Rivals250 wide receiver Thaddeus Snodgrass got the Blue/White spring game weekend off to a roaring start Friday with his commitment to Kentucky.

It was expected. In fact, it was already done. It just wasn't public yet.

Snodgrass, a 6-foot-1, 184-pound receiver from Springfield, Ohio, told Kentucky's coaches a long time ago of his plans to join the Wildcat program after his high school days are done.

"It was the junior day when they played Missouri," Snodgrass said, referencing the day when he told the staff of his decision.

So it has been about a month and a half. The timing of Snodgrass' public declaration was obvious. With more than 50 top Kentucky targets expected to descend on Lexington for the weekend's festivities, Snodgrass' decision gives the Wildcats much-needed recruiting momentum.

"It was just the family atmosphere and the coaching staff and all the background they have," Snodgrass said.

Vince Marrow was a key factor in his decision.

"We are pretty tight because he's an Ohio guy," he said. "The whole coaching staff treated me well. I got to watch spring practice and saw how they coach. The way they talk to you is the way they're going to coach you. They're not going to change just because they aren't recruiting you anymore."

Now the four-star prospect, ranked No. 198 on the Rivals250, turns to recruiting for UK.

"I'm going to talk to Drew Barker, Derek Kief, Marcelys Jones, Darius West, Darryl Long, Brady Taylor, Damien Harris and a couple of others," he said.

With many of those recruits expected in Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday night, Snodgrass could well have a real influence on them.

Snodgrass told Cats Illustrated that his commitment is solid and he does not believe he will seriously entertain interest from other schools.

The nation's No. 24 receiver hauled in 36 passes for 457 yards last year in Springfield's run-heavy, triple-option offense.

He said his decision ultimately came down to Kentucky, West Virginia, Louisville and South Carolina before he locked in on the Wildcats in February.

http://kentucky.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1494583