247Sports
2019 four-star defensive end signee and current Kentucky freshman pass-rusher JJ Weaver isn’t going anywhere… If you ask his mother, at least.
Over the last several days, rumors have circulated that the Louisville, KY (Moore Traditional) product was second-guessing his decision to sign with Kentucky and was contemplating a transfer to the University of Louisville.
And then over at Cardinal Authority – Louisville’s 247Sports affiliate – UofL insider Jody Demling reportedly said there is “smoke” to these rumors, adding that it’s “not a flimsy rumor” that the prized Kentucky signee was thinking about heading home to play for the Cardinals.
This afternoon, however, the former four-star prospect’s mother, Stacey Sherrell, announced on Twitter that her son “AIN’T GOING NO DAMM WHERE” and respectfully asked fans to “KILL THAT NOISE!!”
Let me start off by saying….@jjtimeee AIN'T GOING NO DAMM WHERE!!! KILL THAT NOISE!! pic.twitter.com/em7xG2yt9A
— Stacey Sherrell (@StaceySherrell2) October 15, 2019
Weaver was listed as the No. 213 prospect in the class of 2019, the 14th-best player in the class at his position, and the fourth-best prospect in the state of Kentucky on Rivals.com. As a senior, the Moore Traditional product recorded 70 tackles, 10 sacks, three interceptions and a fumble recovery, helping lead Moore to 11 wins and a spot in the quarterfinals of the state championships.
Weaver chose Kentucky over Louisville, Miami, Georgia, Tennessee, Ole Miss, and Purdue, among others, out of high school.
Through six games, the 6-foot-5, 237-pound outside linebacker has not played and is currently on pace to redshirt this season.
Andrew Ivins | 247
Thursday evening Jordan Watkins announced he reopened his recruitment. Losing a wide receiver from Louisville, likely to UofL, certainly dampened the spirits of the Big Blue Nation. They may not be down for long.
One of Kentucky’s top remaining targets in the 2020 recruiting class is Michael Drennen II. Hailing from Gunnar Hoak’s alma mater, Dublin Coffman High School (Oh.), Drennen is ranked by Rivals as the No. 6 all-purpose back in America and No. 159 player overall. An incredibly fast running back that also makes plays as a slot receiver, Drennen has offers from Ohio State, Alabama, USC and every other top-ranked college football program in America.
Even though he lives in Ohio State’s backyard, Kentucky is the favorite to land the four-star prospect with 73 percent of the 247 Crystal Ball picks currently in the Cats’ favor. Drennen officially visited UK for the Florida game and left impressed.
“It felt different probably because my momma was there and she had never been on a visit with me. I just wanted to see her reaction, and she loved it. I really couldn’t ask for much more. The crowd was pretty big, the atmosphere was crazy and there was a lot of fans there,” he told Rivals’ Josh Helmholdt.
“Out of all my teams, it feels like they show me the most love. Their offense really fits me. They told me they want me to play a Lynn Bowden (role) – that versatile running back/slot type.”
Recruited by Vince Marrow, if Drennen does in fact pick UK, he would be the highest-ranked skill player to commit to the Cats since Bowden. Earlier this week, Marrow alluded to a few high-profile silent commits. My gut tells me one of those silent commits is Drennen.
@JordanWatkins
Jordan Watkins is no longer a member of Kentucky’s 2020 football recruiting class. The three-star athlete out of Butler in Louisville announced he is no longer committed to UK and he will reopen his recruitment. He thanked the Big Blue Nation for their support and the coaches for making him feel at home. Respect his decision, he says, and no interviews.
No Interviews…????? pic.twitter.com/KAdS0naRRZ
— Jordan Watkins ¹ (@jordantwatkins) October 10, 2019
For what it’s worth, Watkins visited Louisville last weekend.
A week after Kentucky lost its third game in a row, Mark Stoops’ coaching staff hit the road recruiting.
“It’s goods for us to get on the road, to continue to get in front of the prospects that we have committed, to continue to recruit and put the finishing touches on this class,” Stoops said at Monday’s press conference.
Kentucky may be struggling to win on the field, but that has not been the case on the recruiting trail. Vince Marrow is quick to praise the potential in the 2020 recruiting class.
“I think when we close this class out it has the potential to be better than our ’14 class,” said Marrow.
The 2014 class finished ranked 17th in the country, featuring future stars like Mike Edwards, Darius West, Boom Williams and Juice Johnson. Stoops believes the next group of UK signees could feature just as much star-power.
“We have an opportunity to have one of the most significant classes in, certainly in my tenure,” Stoops said. “I can’t go back into the history of this place, but in my time here this can be a very impressive group.”
As of October 2019, Kentucky’s 2020 class ranks 22nd in America, boasting five-star talent Justin Rogers and seven other players ranked as four-star prospects by at least one recruiting service. The reason why the coaches are so excited is that they consider UK’s 17-man class to be larger than you think.
“We’ve got some guys that have silently — gonna announce their dates on a birthday of a mom or a dad,” Marrow said. “We got some guys that are highly, highly — I don’t get into the rankings — but highly, highly recruited that’s about to jump on board. It ain’t going to shock us but it’s probably going to shock a lot of people.”
Meanwhile, UK is looking to add more into the fold. With about 25 available scholarships, this weekend the Cats will host four-star Louisiana defensive back Joel Williams. During the bye week Marrow went to Kansas to offer a scholarship another cornerback, JUCO product Ronald Williams, and visit cornerback Brian George, considered one of the of the five best JUCO players in America.
“I’ve been a lot of places, covered some miles,” Marrow said. “To step your game up in recruiting you gotta have access to planes and stuff like that. You ever try to fly into Highland, Kansas, then try to be at a football game back in Ohio? I appreciate that. I did some traveling the last three days.”
“Looking for only the best ballers in Kansas on the bye weekend,” Marrow Tweeted.
The recruiting trail isn’t as friendly in the middle of a three-game losing streak. Schools will be quick to throw Stoops’ program under the bus.
While Marrow flew to Highland, Kansas, Butler wide receiver Jordan Watkins attended Louisville’s 41-39 win over Boston College. After visiting the Cardinals’ campus, UK fans became concerned when Watkins Tweeted, “I am not answering any reporters right now, sorry!!”
Marrow is well aware of the negative recruiting efforts by other schools. He responds to those questions by asking a question.
“If Justin Fields got hurt tomorrow, you think Ohio State is favored to go to the National Championship? No. If (Jake) Fromm at Georgia got hurt — it’s so different when it comes to Kentucky. We lost Terry Wilson. Terry Wilson won ten games for us last year and he was even better this year, but people seem to overlook that and we still had a chance to beat Florida without him. We have the pieces, but we really lost three quarterbacks. You lose Terry, you lose Gunnar (Hoak), you lose Danny Clark and then the guy we have come in, he gets hurt.
“When we talk to our recruits, they know the message. They know who we are. They know ain’t nothing changed. We’re not using it as an excuse, but I can guarantee you now if Justin Fields went down tomorrow, I bet oddsmakers would say they’re not going to win the Big Ten. We just take it as it comes.”
As other schools put down UK’s program, the Cats have a handful of talented four-star prospects in their crosshairs. Four-star defensive end Tyler Baron recently took an official visit to Lexington. Michael Drennen II officially visited the same weekend. Since the visit, UK has become the favorite to land the nation’s sixth-ranked all-purpose back. The Cats are also in good position for the state’s last two uncommitted four-star recruits, defensive back Vito Tisdale and defensive tackle Octavious Oxendine. Until they reach a decision, Stoops, Marrow and the rest of the staff will be out on the trail.
“You can take this message to other schools, of course people are going to take shots at you, even when you win or when you lose. There’s some schools, and they know who I’m talking about, all of a sudden they got the right ingredients down there. Time will tell. We’re anxious to get back on the field. We ain’t going nowhere. We’re going to keep recruiting and recruiting. While other guys were chilling on our bye week, we were recruiting.”
Kentucky Football Class of 2020
| Name | Position | Hometown | Height | Weight | Rivals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Rogers | DT | Oak Park, MI | 6-4 | 315 | 5-star, #14 Overall |
| Samuel Anaele | DE/OLB | Miami, FL | 6-4 | 250 | 4-star, #112 Overall |
| John Young | OT | Louisville, KY | 6-6 | 295 | 4-star, #5 KY |
| Beau Allen | QB | Lexington, KY | 6-2 | 200 | 4-star, #20 QB |
| Tre'vonn Rybka | DL | Dickson, TN | 6-4` | 281 | 4-star, #18 SDE |
| Andru Phillips | CB | Mauldin, SC | 6-0 | 180 | 3-star, #5 SC |
| Torrance Davis | RB | Cleveland, OH | 6-1 | 215 | 3-star, #26 RB |
| JuTahn McClain | APB | Fairfield, OH | 5-9 | 176 | 3-star, #12 APB |
| Kalil Branham | WR | Columbus, OH | 6-1 | 205 | 3-star, #84 WR |
| Deondre Buford | OT | Detroit, MI | 6-5 | 270 | 3-star, #70 OT |
| Jordan Watkins | WR | Louisville, KY | 6-0 | 180 | 3-star, #13 ATH |
| Izayah Cummings | WR | Louisville, KY | 6-3 | 210 | 3-star, #11 KY |
| Earnest Sanders | WR | Flint, MI | 6-2 | 190 | 3-star, #100 WR |
| D'Eryk Jackson | LB | Dexter, GA | 6-2 | 235 | 3-star, #106 GA |
| Joshua Jones | OT | Phenix City, AL | 6-6 | 300 | 3-star, #58 OT |
| Carrington Valentine | CB | Cincinnati, OH | 6-0 | 218 | 3-star, #28 OH |
| Rickey Hyatt Jr. | S | Westerville, OH | 6-1 | 195 | 3-star, #38 S |
Kelvin Jospeh might not be the only incredibly talented cornerback from Baton Rouge on UK’s 2020 football roster.
Joel Williams revealed on Twitter that he will officially visit Kentucky when the Cats host Arkansas Saturday night at Kroger Field.
Recruited by Michael Smith, Rivals ranks Williams as the No. 25 safety in America. A one-time Florida commit, Alabama, LSU, Tennessee and Houston are the Cats’ top competition for the four-star talent.
If the rankings and offers don’t speak to Williams’ talent, consider that he’s an athlete with a sub-4.5 40-yard dash and a 36-inch vertical. Williams does a little bit of everything for Madison Prep, returning punts and catching touchdowns as a wide receiver. Enjoy his best work.
They worried about what I’m doing askin if im still going, just know I ain’t going no where… pic.twitter.com/MEm6fZoYmC
— Joel Williams? (@sayyjoee) August 24, 2019
I don’t know who that guy knows, but I sure don’t want to meet him. I do know that Kentucky’s coaching staff did a lot of recruiting during the bye week.
Offers Extended to Underclassmen
Dakota Patterson — Kentucky is the first school to offer Corbin’s 6-3 freshman wide receiver.
Jantzen Dunn — The South Warren athlete from the class of 2021 also has offers from WKU and UofL.
Jaden Payne and Kenneth Beard— Michael Smith awarded each junior from Cane Ridge, Tn. their first scholarship offers.
Logan Taylor — Brad White offered the 6-8, 290-pound junior offense tackle from Alexandria, Va.
Jordan Young — The junior defensive back from Tampa’s Jesuit High School already has offers from Alabama, Florida and Florida State.
Ronald Williams Jr. — The only upperclassman on the list, UK offered this JUCO cornerback from Hutchinson C.C. is in the 2020 class.
Peter Delaportas — You have to look for quarterbacks earlier than most positions. Darin Hinshaw offered this 6-3 pocket-passing sophomore from New Jersey. Delaportas already holds offers from Boston College and Rutgers.
Salute to Square
The coaches weren’t the only ones watching Friday Night Football. UK linebacker DeAndre Square made the trek from Lexington to Hazard to watch the Bulldogs take on Somerset. UK target Kaiya Sheron completed 10-of-18 passes for 136 yards, two touchdowns and an interception to give the Briar Jumpers a 21-9 victory. This play right before half was a back-breaker for Hazard.
What a play before the half. Kaiya Sheron finds time, and finds Jayden Gilmore as time expires. @BJNFBALL up 7-3 at the half. @SportsOT pic.twitter.com/J213vlb75u
— Willie Hope (@WillieWYMT) October 5, 2019
The home team didn’t get the W, but they did appreciate Square’s presence at the game. The UK Detroit native took pictures and signed autographs for fans after he was named a Duke of Hazard.
@D_square10
Two Scoops
One of UK’s top remaining targets, defensive tackle Octavious Oxendine, pulled off a 25-yard scoop and score for North Hardin in a victory over Meade County. Butler High School did not get the win, but Jordan Watkins showed off excellent athleticism in this extra effort play.
Pretty impressive play from Butler's Jordan Watkins (@jordantwatkins) against Central Hardin tonight. The UK commit showing some speed to chase down the runner and force the fumble. pic.twitter.com/KeJRtlneZq
— Dominique Yates (@RealDYates) October 4, 2019
Tyler Baron Connections
The elite defensive lineman from Knoxville officially visited Kentucky for the Florida game. Also considering Ohio State and Tennessee, his father is currently on the Vols’ payroll. Patrick Abernathy serves on Jeremy Pruitt’s staff in a player development role.
Baron has a connection to Kentucky too. His coach at Knoxville Catholic, Steve Matthews, played alongside Vince Marrow with the Kansas City Chiefs. A tip of the cap to Josh Edwards for digging into Baron’s background.
Izayah_cummings jordanwatkins | IG
Two future Kentucky Wildcat wide receivers met on the gridiron Friday night. Each put up impressive numbers, but only one could leave the field victorious.
Izayah Cummings caught five passes for 153 yards and a 65-yard touchdown reception in Louisville Male’s 61-22 victory over Butler. His team may have gotten the win, but Cummings was slightly bested by Jordan Watkins, who caught five passes for 168 yards a touchdown. Cummings also left the game with a crown as homecoming king.
KSR was in the house for all of the action and spoke to each player after the game. The wide receivers are excited to share a sideline in Lexington next season.
Beau Allen put on a show in the Holy War between Lexington Catholic and Lexington Christian Academy. KSR was there to see it all.
The future Kentucky quarterback was almost perfect through the air, completing 24-of-28 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns, including a 31-yard dime that tied the game up in the fourth quarter after the Knights trailed by two touchdowns. He also rushed for 142 yards and three touchdowns, including a score from 43 yards out.
Unfortunately, it was not enough for the Knights to win. LCA’s Mattie Lebryk stripped the ball from Allen with two minutes to play. In less than a minute LCA marched down the field, scored a touchdown and completed a two-point conversion to take the lead. Allen got the Knights into field goal range with four seconds to play, but the 33-yard attempt missed.
Allen finished the night with five touchdowns and 374 total yards, yet LCA left with the 43-42 victory.
@IzayahCummings
In a battle of the top two high school football teams in the state of Kentucky, a future Wildcat wide receiver made every big play in crunch time to lead his team to an overtime victory.
No. 1 Trinity and No. 2 Male each only scored one touchdown when the Bulldogs’ game-winning field goal attempt at the end of regulation missed. Seeking his third straight win over the Shamrocks, wide receiver Izayah Cummings rose to the occasion in extra time.
Cummings caught a ten-yard touchdown pass to start the first overtime period. After Trinity responded with seven points, the defending 6A state champs held their ground to force a Trinity field goal in the second overtime.
Male’s possession started with chaos. Elijah Parish was sacked on the first play. While they scrambled to recover, Cummings told Parish to find him on a corner route. Even with two guys on him, it was no problem for the 6-4 220-pound athlete.
.@IzayahCummings with the game-winning TD against Trinity (KY) tonight.
Catch the @UKFootball commit in our Facebook Watch broadcast on November 1st against Manual. ?? pic.twitter.com/90WXpdF2dk
— GreatAmericanRivalry (@AmericanRivalry) September 21, 2019
A closer angle of the game-winning score:
Check out High School Playbook's Highlight of the Night! No. 2 @MaleBulldogs beat No. 1 Trinity 20-17 in double overtime on this @ElijahParish01 touchdown pass to @IzayahCummings ??
More scores and highlights —> https://t.co/bBn8hqqjIR pic.twitter.com/PTyGy5MkJs
— WLKY (@WLKY) September 21, 2019
“It was a crazy rush. It was unbelievable. My whole body shook,” Cummings told reporters after the game. “All my emotions came out. I was just happy to win.”
Cummings finished the game with two touchdowns and 146 yards on only six receptions in Male’s 20-17 victory. This will not be the last time Izayah Cummings makes a play on the gridiron when it matters most.
The top-ranked junior from the Commonwealth of Kentucky has received scholarship offers from just about every school in the country, most recently Oklahoma. It has its positives, as well as its drawbacks.
Jager Burton received his first scholarship offer last fall from the University of Kentucky. The Frederick Douglass lineman is now ranked by Rivals as the No. 6 offensive guard in America and the No. 132 player overall. His recruitment picked up steam over the summer when offers rolled in from all over the country.
“I guess it was kind of surprising. I worked hard enough to earn that stuff, but it’s so early it feels like,” Burton told KSR. “I guess it feels like I’m older than I am because everything happened so fast. But it’s crazy knowing that I can pick pretty much anywhere that I wanna go to school at and reach out to schools that are the biggest schools in college football on a daily basis.”
Over the summer, Burton had to initiate communication with college coaches. Beginning in September college coaches could start contacting him directly. Now he cannot answer texts from coaches fast enough.
“It’s really exhausting. It’s like almost having however many schools text me, it’s like having that many girlfriends. Sometimes the texts are about football. Sometimes they’ll just be like, ‘Hey, what are you doing?’ It’s weird. It’s a lot for sure. I have a ton of unread messages,” Burton said.
Like juggling prospective dates, Burton must toe a fine line with college coaches. Some schools only have one coach contacting him regularly, but the school up north does things differently.
“Most schools only one coach will text me consistently, but Ohio State, a good majority of their staff texts me like everyday just asking, ‘What’s up?'”
Aside from Ohio State, Kentucky is the only other school where Burton speaks to multiple coaches, talking frequently to Mark Stoops, Vince Marrow and John Schlarman, the coach who first suggested that Burton try out offensive line.
The Lexington native grew up cheering for Oregon and attending UK games at Commonwealth Stadium. Saturday’s game against Florida was unlike any other Kentucky home football game.
“It was definitely different. The Lexington vibe was different. Whenever I woke up and it was game day and I went out — I went over there early. That was weird too, getting to hang out with my friends before the recruiting thing. I tailgated with some friends and hung out. It was one of the first items I’ve been to a Kentucky game where it felt like an Ohio State game or something like that atmosphere wise, like a big-time school game. It had a big-time school vibe football-wise, which I think now is going to be a regular thing for Kentucky because of how much they’re winning and how the program’s heading, which is really cool because it’s where I live. It’s cool to see the change over time.”
Seeing the support from the BBN was important. Playing in front of a packed house is what Burton wants to do at the next level.
“It’s really important to me. I think everyone who wants to play college football always dreamed about playing in front of tons of people week in and week out, and having a really supportive fan base who’s with you through winning seasons, losing seasons; no matter what they’re always there to support you. That’s important to me for sure.”
Fan support is just one of the many things that are factoring into Burton’s decision.
“Obviously, there are big things like, do I like the coaching staff, the facilities, all that stuff. The depth chart is important. Having an opportunity to play in the first two years is definitely a thing I’m really interested in. I like to talk to players about how they like the school because they don’t have a reason to lie. Coaches have a reason to lie because it’s their job is to get me there. Players a lot of the time won’t lie to you about stuff like that. They’ll just tell you straight up if they like it or not, how they like the coaches and how they like the schedule and everything like that.”
Reaching out to players at the school is something he’s learned through the recruiting process by watching his friend, Walker Parks, go through the same situation a year ago. The Frederick Douglass offensive tackle will play at Clemson next fall.
“It’s cool be cause he gave me the insight before I really got into it, the things I need to look for and when he knew it was decision time for him. It’s been cool. I haven’t made some of the mistakes he said he made through it all, which has helped a lot, especially at the speed things are going. I’m thankful for that. It’s pretty cool knowing that we could have the chance to play together in college. It’s awesome for me.”
Burton attended a camp at Clemson over the summer with Parks, where he received a scholarship offer. He visited Death Valley for the Tigers’ win over Texas A&M earlier this season. During the trip, he took a wild ride down the slide at Clemson’s football facility.
“It’s actually so fast, I almost fell,” he laughed.
Clemson and Ohio State are just two of the dozens of schools Burton is juggling along with Kentucky. There’s no timetable for a decision in the immediate future. Right now, he’s focused on receiving some vengeance against Scott County next Friday, the team that ended Douglass’ season last year.
“That’s the game everyone’s had highlighted on their schedule since what happened last year in the playoffs. We’ve been waiting for our revenge and it’s almost that time. We’re really excited.”
@RickeyHyatt
Kentucky’s 2020 recruiting class grew to 17 Wednesday night. Three weeks after officially visiting the Wildcats, Rickey Hyatt Jr. committed to Kentucky.
Hyatt grew up in Ohio State’s backyard and attends Benny Snell’s alma mater, Westerville Central. Even though he held an offer from the Buckeyes, the talented safety and track star would rather be a Wildcat.
The addition of Hyatt moves Kentucky’s class to No. 22 overall in the Rivals national team rankings. UK is tenth in the SEC, but three conference teams sit directly in front of UK in the rankings. All have more commits than the Cats. If UK continues at this trajectory, they’ll surpass those teams and finish somewhere in the top 20.
Kentucky Football Class of 2020
| Name | Position | Hometown | Height | Weight | Rivals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Rogers | DT | Oak Park, MI | 6-4 | 315 | 5-star, #14 Overall |
| Samuel Anaele | DE/OLB | Miami, FL | 6-4 | 250 | 4-star, #112 Overall |
| John Young | OT | Louisville, KY | 6-6 | 295 | 4-star, #5 KY |
| Beau Allen | QB | Lexington, KY | 6-2 | 200 | 4-star, #20 QB |
| Tre'vonn Rybka | DL | Dickson, TN | 6-4` | 281 | 4-star, #18 SDE |
| Andru Phillips | CB | Mauldin, SC | 6-0 | 180 | 3-star, #5 SC |
| Torrance Davis | RB | Cleveland, OH | 6-1 | 215 | 3-star, #26 RB |
| JuTahn McClain | APB | Fairfield, OH | 5-9 | 176 | 3-star, #12 APB |
| Kalil Branham | WR | Columbus, OH | 6-1 | 205 | 3-star, #84 WR |
| Deondre Buford | OT | Detroit, MI | 6-5 | 270 | 3-star, #70 OT |
| Jordan Watkins | WR | Louisville, KY | 6-0 | 180 | 3-star, #13 ATH |
| Izayah Cummings | WR | Louisville, KY | 6-3 | 210 | 3-star, #11 KY |
| Earnest Sanders | WR | Flint, MI | 6-2 | 190 | 3-star, #100 WR |
| D'Eryk Jackson | LB | Dexter, GA | 6-2 | 235 | 3-star, #106 GA |
| Joshua Jones | OT | Phenix City, AL | 6-6 | 300 | 3-star, #58 OT |
| Carrington Valentine | CB | Cincinnati, OH | 6-0 | 218 | 3-star, #28 OH |
| Rickey Hyatt Jr. | S | Westerville, OH | 6-1 | 195 | 3-star, #38 S |
More Recruiting Talk
The fine folks from the Sources Say Podcast talk recruiting for more than an hour, just a different kind of recruiting. The talented trio breaks down the latest additions to John Calipari’s 2020 basketball recruiting class in episode five.
If you prefer football talk, you’ll get plenty of that later today. Aaron Torres will share his week four college football picks and Adam Luckett and I preview the upcoming matchup with Mississippi State on a new edition of 11 Personnel.
Stoops Speaks
Kentucky’s head football coach gets one more crack at the podium before the team departs for Starkville Friday. Until then, enjoy action from yesterday’s practice, starting with Kash Daniel.
Thursday Night Football is BACK
Drew Franklin’s Tennessee Titans are taking on Josh Allen’s Jacksonville Jaguars tonight at 8:20 on the NFL Network. It will be a house divided at KSBar and Grille where one lucky guest will receive a $250 prize at halftime. If that doesn’t get you in the door, the drink specials and half-priced wings will.
It’s an illustrious AFC South matchup between two historic teams, but if you prefer college, tonight AACtion returns to ESPN. The Tulane Green Wave host Dana Holgorsen’s Houston Cougars at 8:00 p.m.
UK Volleyball Falls Short
At one point in the fourth set, it looked like Kentucky was going to knock off No. 21 Purdue. Lead Edmond was dominant, setting a new career-high for kills, but it was not enough to stop the Boilermakers’ comeback. Trailing by one point and on the verge elimination, Purdue went on a 4-1 run to force a decisive fifth set where they came out blazing hot, scoring the first eight points. It’s awfully hard to overcome an 8-0 deficit.
The loss moves Kentucky to 6-4 on the season. They’ll get their next crack at a victory in Friday’s Battle of the Bluegrass. The matchup against Louisville at Memorial Coliseum begins at 8 p.m. and will air on the SEC Network.
Bourbon and Beyond Begins Tomorrow
The incredible music festival begins tomorrow afternoon, and frankly, I can’t wait. It’s an absolute murderer’s row at the Kentucky Fair and Expo Center Friday through Sunday. Here’s who’s playing back-to-back shows to end each night.
Friday: The Flaming Lips, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, John Fogerty, Foo Fighters
Saturday: Trey Anastasio Band, Hall and Oates, Robert Plant
Sunday: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, Leon Bridges, ZZ Top, Zac Brown Band
Incredible
I don’t want this to be a video overload in the morning post, but this has given me so much joy over the last 24 hours that I feel I must share it with the KSR audience.
Bro, come check this out
? pic.twitter.com/uOpA4uI8zL— Funny videos / cute videos (@BestVideosviral) September 17, 2019
Matt Jones is in Trigg County
And he has a few fish stories to tell to wrap up his week in Western Kentucky.
The moment of glory pic.twitter.com/9iX9sKo1eZ
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) September 19, 2019
@RickeyHyatt
One of the most talented defensive backs in the midwest will be a Kentucky Wildcat.
Rickey Hyatt Jr. revealed he will attend the University of Kentucky, choosing the Wildcats over Ohio State, Michigan State, Cincinnati and North Carolina on Wednesday evening.
Certified? pic.twitter.com/cNWv6BZNlT
— Rickey Hyatt Jr. (@RickeyHyatt) September 19, 2019
A three-star prospect, Rivals ranks Hyatt as the No. 38 safety in America. Hyatt is the seventeenth member of Kentucky’s 2020 class and the third defensive back.
Near the top of Kentucky’s board, Vince Marrow convinced Hyatt to leave the friendly confines of the Horseshoe to play for UK. He grew up just outside of Columbus and attends Benny Snell’s alma mater, Westerville Central High School.
Many believed the track star would commit during an unofficial visit in late July. After officially visiting for the season-opening game against Toledo, Hyatt weighed his options for a couple of weeks before ultimately choosing Kentucky. See some of his best work from last season when he recorded just shy of a hundred tackles, three interceptions and five touchdowns.
Kentucky went all in on its recruiting efforts for last Saturday’s primetime showdown against Florida.
“It was a busy weekend,” said Vince Marrow. “Had a lot of top guys in the country here. It was good. They got to see a great atmosphere. They got to see us play well. We didn’t finish, but their parents loved what they saw.”
Along with dozens of unofficial visits from 2020 commits and underclassmen, Kentucky hosted five official visitors, all of which were four-star recruits. It made Marrow and Mark Stoops’ weekend busier than normal.
“I didn’t get out of the stadium until 12:30. Then I had to go down, we have a hospitality room for the parents. I looked up and it was 2 o’clock in the morning before I went home. But you got to do it. When you’ve got that much talent on campus for official visits, you have to do that. It was very productive,” Marrow said.
In the past, official visits were taken later in the year. Teams rolled out the red carpet just before National Signing Day to make one final impression before recruits made their final decision. The early signing period has moved official visits into the regular season. Even though it makes the coaches’ lives more hectic, Marrow believes it works to debunk negative recruiting efforts from other schools.
“I want them to see that atmosphere, because sometimes schools use all that type of stuff against you, saying we don’t have a fanbase like other schools. That atmosphere Saturday — I’ve been to a lot of places, I played in a lot of Super Bowls and that was an electric atmosphere.”
Yes, Marrow did in fact play in a pair of Super Bowls for the Buffalo Bills.
#BBN brought it.#BringIt ?? pic.twitter.com/uSWB81Zpy8
— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) September 17, 2019
Even though Kentucky lost, the Wildcats played quite a few underclassmen. The recruits and their parents surely took notice.
“What I was very happy for and very encouraged by, we had a lot of young guys that was going to play on that stage and until we played on an SEC stage like that, I wasn’t really sure what we had. Now, I seen what we really have. You saw a lot of young guys step up. You saw what I’ve been telling you guys a long time about Ahamad Wagner. I’m very encouraged by what I saw on that stage.”
The loss may have dampened the spirits of the Big Blue Nation, but it will not steal the Cats’ recruiting momentum.
“This ain’t the old Kentucky,” Marrow said. “We’re built for this. We’re going to keep being built for this.”
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Jeremy Pruitt and the Tennessee Volunteers are having what some might call a rough start to the season. Kentucky’s coaching staff isn’t making things any easier for the Vols.
On Saturday Kentucky hosted four-star defensive end and Knoxville native, Tyler Baron, on an official visit. This morning Chad Simmons from Rivals spoke to three-star wide receiver Jimmy Calloway. The Tennessee commit regrets he was unable to attend Kroger Field over the weekend.
“Kentucky is a school I still talk to almost every day,” said Callaway. “They offered me last year and they have never slowed down recruiting me.
“I was going to visit them this past weekend for the Florida game, but I wasn’t able to get up there. I know I will take an official visit up there.”
In the conversation about Kentucky, Calloway said he’s still “around 80 percent” committed to Tennessee. It’s not a great sign for the Vols, but winning 80 percent of the time is something Pruitt’s program can aspire to do one day in the distant future.
[Rivals]
Photo: @vitotisdale7
Kentucky is still in the mix for one of the top players in the state. Four-star safety Vito Tisdale released his top four this afternoon and the Cats made the cut, along with Alabama, Georgia, and Texas A&M:
Blessed to announce my top four schools NO ORDER…
University of Alabama ?
University of Georgia ?
University of Kentucky ?
Texas A&M University ??— V7?? (@vitotisdale7) September 17, 2019
Kentucky still leads Tisdale’s 247 Crystal Ball with 75% of the predictions. The Bowling Green native was at Kroger Field for Kentucky vs. Florida alongside fellow in-state star Octavious Oxendine (North Hardin), four-star all-purpose back Michael Drennen II, and four-star defensive end Tyler Baron:
#bbn pic.twitter.com/zYIRPtmExF
— doubleooooooo? (@octaviousoxend1) September 15, 2019
Tisdale will announce his decision at the All-American Bowl on January 4.
Andrew Ivins | 247
One of the nation’s top offensive linemen is reconsidering his college decision after spending the weekend at the University of Kentucky.
R.J. Adams withdrew his verbal pledge to Penn State shortly after he returned from an official visit in Lexington. A four-star prospect, Rivals ranks Adams as the No. 12 offensive guard in America. His prep career will conclude at the 2020 Under Armour All-American Game.
The Virginia native originally committed to Penn State in April. Kentucky defensive coordinator Brad White did his part to end that affair on the Wildcats’ behalf.
Adams was one of five four-star recruits that stayed in Lexington Sunday to spend time with the Wildcats. Even though Kentucky did not win, it appeared to make an impression on Adams. We’ll see if it had a similar effect on the other official visitors, Brian George, Tyler Baron, Michael Drennen II or Octavious Oxendine.
For the biggest game of the year at Kroger Field, Mark Stoops is hosting one of his biggest recruiting weekends of the year.
On game days, Stoops, Vince Marrow and the rest of the coaches have their hands full. While they worry about preparation, almost every committed player in the 2020 recruiting class will be on hand to talk to other recruits. To name a few — Earnest Sanders, Dru Phillips, Izayah Cummings, Jordan Watkins and Kalil Branham will be in the building.
Two in-state players will be prioritized by the 2020 class, Bowling Green safety Vito Tisdale and North Hardin defensive tackle Octavious Oxendine. Each have led low-profile recruitments thus far. Oxendine’s visit is an official visit, joining a handful of others in the 2020 class.
Michael Drennen II is a “must play right away” talent from Ohio’s Dublin Coffman High School. One of the top athletes in America, he is deadly running out of the backfield or catching passes from the slot. Even though Kentucky already has four wide receivers committed, when you can take away an elite athlete from Ohio State and Alabama, you do whatever it takes to make that happen.
R.J. Adams is currently a Penn State commitment, but the offensive guard from Virginia is joining Drennen and Co. for an official visit to Kentucky this weekend. I’m sure he’ll be reminded about what happened in the Citrus Bowl quite often.
There are a pair of elite defenders officially visiting, cornerback Brian George and defensive end Tyler Baron. George is ranked by 247 as the No. 5 overall JUCO recruit in America. Baron, a Knoxville native, is a top 100 player in the 2020 class. Many believed Baron would become a Vol, but Tennessee’s slow start and this weekend in Lexington could change his mind.
While most of the focus is on the upcoming recruiting class, this weekend is the perfect time to make an impression on underclassmen, especially those from Tennessee. DC Tabscott is a top 20 pocket passer in the 2021 class from Nashville. Zion Rucker could become UK’s next great interior defensive lineman from Tennessee. Noah Josey is one of the best players from the Volunteer State. The Brentwood offensive lineman holds offers from Alabama, Auburn, Georgia and a dozen others. Travion Ford, a four-star defensive end from St. Louis, represents Kentucky’s border state to the west.
UK is making sure the best from the Bluegrass are on hand for Saturday night’s electric atmosphere. Three of the most-talented juniors in the state will be on hand for unofficial visits — Frederick Douglass offensive guard Jager Burton, North Hardin running back Lavell Wright and Somerset quarterback Kaiya Sheron are near the top of UK’s big board.
The number of recruits on campus should double what I mentioned in this post. There’s no better time to capitalize on momentum than Saturday night.
In week three of the Future Wildcat Roundup, the Kentucky kids shine. Beau Allen had a stellar day against the powerhouse that is Covington Catholic, Jager Burton and Dane Key had big days in another Fredrick Douglass blowout, and Jordan Watkins had a big game against Western.
Beau Allen (4* QB) 2020
It was a prime-time matchup when Beau Allen took on the boys from Cov. Cath, and Allen shined under the bright lights. Ahead of taking on Lexington Catholic, Cov. Cath hadn’t allowed a point all season. Enter Beau Allen.
Allen went for 455 yards and six touchdowns with no interceptions. He completed 23 of his 33 passing attempts. However, the Knights would fall in a tight one, 39-38.
Beau Allen with the touchdown pass. Tying the game 7-7 with 3:47 left in the 1st. pic.twitter.com/2XUU1H6aZi
— KY HIGH FOOTBALL ? (@KYHighFootball) September 6, 2019
Beau Allen to Jake Gohmann for the touchdown. Lexington Catholic now leads Covington Catholic 14-7 with 27 seconds left in the 1st. pic.twitter.com/66E0HjV4L8
— KY HIGH FOOTBALL ? (@KYHighFootball) September 6, 2019
Beau Allen with the 80 yard touchdown pass to Blake Busson. Lexington Catholic up 21-10 over Covington Catholic with 7:01 left in the 2nd. pic.twitter.com/qQ8MTUDw7m
— KY HIGH FOOTBALL ? (@KYHighFootball) September 6, 2019
Beau Allen’s 4th touchdown pass of the night.
Lexington Catholic – 28
Covington Catholic – 17
10:44 left in the 3rd pic.twitter.com/lBIOKHkalx
— KY HIGH FOOTBALL ? (@KYHighFootball) September 7, 2019
John Young (4* OL) 2020
It was a big day for John Young and his offensive linemen, as Christian Academy ran for 310 yards in a 35-20 victory over Eastern. CAL has won 18 straight games.
Izayah Cummings (3* WR) 2020
Izayah Cummings took a back a seat to his other teammates in Male’s blowout victory over St. X, but he made sure to get his catches in too with Vince Marrow in the house. Cummings came down with six catches for 45 yards and a touchdown. According to KSR’s Adam Luckett, who was at the game, Cummings was often used at tight end and out of the backfield, with a couple of drops in between.
Dane Key (WR, Undecided) 2022
The newest Wildcat target racked up for Fredrick Douglass on Friday night. In the first quarter alone, Key had three touchdowns – one receiving and two punt returns – in the blowout win over Lafayette.
Jager Burton (4* OG, Undecided) 2021
It was another big victory for Jager Burton and Fredrick Douglass as they improved to 3-0. If this picture is any indication, Burton dominated on that O-line.
??? @jager_burton pic.twitter.com/dv9nBmyn5K
— ExtremeCarter (@DJ_DCeezy) September 7, 2019
While many schools are still awaiting the announcement from Burton, he took a trip to Clemson this weekend.
Jordan Watkins (3* ATH) 2020
It was a blowout victory for Butler over Western on Friday night, and it was a stellar game for Jordan Watkins. Watkins racked up three touchdowns in the victory over Western.
Jordan Watkins with the punt return touchdown.
28-0 Butler and we’re so close to a running clock. pic.twitter.com/RIc9bD5yPs
— Dave Lackford, Esq. (@RivalsDave) September 6, 2019
Jordan Watkins just scored on a 44-yard TD run.
Western 0
Butler 141st Q 2:29
— Dave Lackford, Esq. (@RivalsDave) September 6, 2019
Jordan Watkins touchdown.
Butler 36 – Western 0
Running clock. pic.twitter.com/NAjLieSS0Q
— Dave Lackford, Esq. (@RivalsDave) September 6, 2019
Earnest Sanders (3* WR) 2020
It was a less than stellar outing for Flint Beecher, as they lost 30-6 with EIGHT turnovers. Despite not seeing the end zone, Earnest Sanders still found a way to make some plays. He finished with 98 total yards — four on two carries, 41 on two receptions, 29 on kickoff returns and 24 on an interception return.
The opposing coach had some high praise for Sanders after the game:
“That kid is an unbelievable, Division I talent, and he’s going to Kentucky for a reason. And he’s an absolute monster.”
We might see some production from Sanders go down a little bit in his senior season, due to the double and triple-teams the wideout has received.
“There were opportunities. There were some misreads tonight. He got doubled and tripled some. I think youth took over with my quarterback some, and he threw up a couple,” Beecher head coach Courtney Hawkins said. “It’ll be a learning experience for my quarterback. He will grow — I think he grew up a couple of years tonight, understanding that you’ve gotta go through your reads. If you go through your reads, you make people respect it, and they can’t double- and triple-team this kid.”
Kalil Branham (3* WR) 2020
While I still can’t seem to pull any stats or footage to how Branham has been performing on Friday nights, he is providing us with all of his workout videos, and I’m here for it. This kid is one of the hardest working recruits I’ve ever seen.
Today Before School in my garage. NO Country Club, Wearing Hand me Down Gloves with Holes Swag Means NOTHING. constant effort comes before success We wasnt raised to Brag we are raised to Conquer LIFE! vengeance aint ours do us wrong and you will find out whose it is #branhamboys pic.twitter.com/TfEGIwqUc9
— Kalil Branham 2020 (@kbug_dash) September 6, 2019
Catches in. #branhamboys pic.twitter.com/Il2zrv7iFS
— Kalil Branham 2020 (@kbug_dash) September 2, 2019
Torrance Davis (3* RB) 2020
It was a MASSIVE day for Torrance Davis, as he broke off four touchdowns in a victory over Lakewood. Davis’ first two touchdowns came inside the ten.
Torrance Davis from 1yrd out puts the Bulldogs up 21-7 over Lakewood pic.twitter.com/4cDoNWmmhc
— Garf Hts Athletics (@GHbulldogsAD) September 6, 2019
His last two were massive runs. His third touchdown came from 54-yards out, and for the finale, Davis went 80-yards for six.
Kaiya Sheron (QB, Undecided) 2021
While Kaiya Sheron might be flying under the radar Nationally, he is blowing up locally. The Somerset QB looks like he is starting to be recruited by all the Kentucky pipeline school such as Louisville, Purdue, Cincinnati, and Wake Forest. However, Kentucky is still the only team to offer the quarterback despite having no stars. I’m hearing that this guy is hanging in there with all the top guys from the 2021 class, so he might not be our little secret for much longer.
On Friday night, in front of Darin Hinshaw, Sheron picked apart the powerhouse that is Beechwood in a 46-16 victory.
Oh, and he jumped over a guy.
??? pic.twitter.com/Oyqw5jpP53
— Kaiya Sheron (@kaiyablaze13) September 7, 2019
Vito Tisdale (4* S, Undecided) 2020
It was a blowout 56-0 victory for Bowling Green on Friday night. The shutout was due in part to Vito Tisdale’s two interceptions.
@JordanWatkins
Kentucky put a priority on wide receivers in the 2020 recruiting class. Mark Stoops and Vince Marrow did not have to look far to find an electric athlete.
Jordan Watkins is one of four receivers committed in the 2020 class. Ranked by Rivals as the No. 13 athlete in America, you probably already knew the 6-1 Louisville Butler wide receiver has 4.3 speed, but there are a few other things you did not know about the future Wildcat.
1. Under the Radar
When Watkins received a scholarship offer from Kentucky earlier this year, his first power five offer, many outsiders wondered why the Cats were taking a chance on the unproven athlete. He played running back as a sophomore at DeSales before transferring to Butler. The transfer forced him to miss half of his junior season. Watkins did not have much tape to show college coaches, but Stoops had seen enough.
“The thing with me and Kentucky was I went down to their camp, so they got to see me in person. That was my first actual power five camp that I went to, so they were the first to look at me. That’s what a lot of people kind of raised concerns about whenever I got my Kentucky offer,” he told KSR.
“They were like, ‘Well, nobody’s seen this kid play. Nobody’s got a look at him.’ Nobody had really known that I went down to their camp, Coach Stoops got a look at my speed. I still obviously had some things to work on. At that point it was just natural talent.”
2. A Proving Ground with Another UK Commit
Watkins was one of the stars in that first UK camp following his sophomore year. A year later he returned to Kroger Field. All eyes were on Watkins and cornerback Dru Phillips every time they stepped up to the line.
“Me and Dru were going at it the whole camp. I didn’t go a rep without Dru and Dru didn’t go a rep without me,” he told KSR. “I guess you could say it was a proving ground for I guess really both of us…to see if both of us can compete at that level. Me and him are both high-caliber athletes. He has a tremendous vertical. He can jump out of the blue. He’s long. It was really a proving ground for me.”
One of the many battles between Watkins and Phillips. pic.twitter.com/sPdiT0bnRD
— Nick Roush (@RoushKSR) June 8, 2019
Mark Stoops walked away impressed. Watkins recalled a conversation with Kentucky’s head coach after his performance.
“I’d love to have you in blue and white. You being an in-state kid is great and all, but I don’t want you just for that. You’re a great athlete, I love your speed. That’s what we need. We need dudes like that. You’re a complete receiver and that’s what we need. You’re the dude that I’m looking for to replace Lynn Bowden. That’s high expectations of you, but I think you can come in here and pick up where he left off.”
3. A QB Connection
When Watkins was turning heads at Kroger Field, he was catching passes from Beau Allen. The four-star passer was already committed to Kentucky. That Friday night he could see himself catching passes from Allen for the foreseeable future.
“I felt a really good connection with Beau. We were connecting on all cylinders, him hitting me in stride and things like that. I just felt that I could see myself playing with him for the next three, four years. We picked up that chemistry and we’re still trying to build that chemistry,” he said.
It wasn’t the first time the two had run into one another. As a sophomore running back at DeSales, Watkins rushed for 128 yards on 11 carries, scoring one from 48 yards out to propel the Colts past the Knights 38-26 in Lexington.
4. A Package Deal
While mulling over his impending college decision, Watkins consulted with another close friend, Izayah Cummings. The Male wide receiver trains with Watkins in the offseason. The two planned to officially visit Kentucky together in late June.
“We actually both committed two days before we went down to our official visit. A lot of people didn’t know that,” he said.
Watkins and Cummings had a similar offer sheet that included Purdue and Louisville. Ultimately, Kentucky was the perfect place for both players.
“This is the place we feel like that’s home away from home. You can’t really go wrong playing for your home state and being remembered as being that guy that changed the program.”
Like Allen and Watkins, the two wide receivers have already faced each other on a Friday night. Cummings’ Male Bulldogs earned the victory in 2018. They’ll meet again September 27 at Male High School. There’s a good chance Mark Stoops will be on the sidelines to watch the two go toe-to-toe.
5. Louisville is still Recruiting Watkins
Before Scott Satterfield took over for Bobby Petrino, Watkins was not what you would call a priority for the Cards. He was one of the many local talents Petrino’s staff simply didn’t take the time to recruit. Even so, he understood. After all, he only had a few games of film to share with college coaches.
“Coming in from a 2-10 season, they were kind of a train wreck. So they had to take a step back and look at things.”
Once Satterfield’s staff begins evaluating players, Louisville reached out to Watkins. Even though he’s committed to Kentucky, he still hears from the Cards’ coaching staff.
“Before I committed I was at the top of their recruiting board and still now that I am committed to Kentucky I still am at the top of their recruiting board. I get it. It’s a part of the recruiting process, but if anybody asks, I’m still 110% committed to Kentucky and I don’t plan on changing that commitment.”
@CoachLandis22
There’s a new name you need to know in Kentucky high school football. Dane Key is only a sophomore, but this weekend the Frederick Douglass wide receiver entered the in-state recruiting frenzy.
Saturday afternoon Key received his first power five offer when Mark Stoops hosted the 6-3 athlete for an unofficial visit at Kroger Field. Two days later Key made the trip down I-64 to watch the Louisville Cardinals host the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. On the visit Scott Satterfield gave Key his fourth total scholarship offer.
Before the season started, Key received offers from Marshall and Western Kentucky. His brother, Devon, is redshirt junior defensive back for the Toppers. You probably remember his father, Donte, who played linebacker at Kentucky in the mid-90s.
Even though I am KSR’s resident football recruiting guru, I can’t paint the clearest picture of what Key brings to the table. That job is best suited for his neighbor, Ryan Lemond.
“He obviously developed all of his skills by playing Nerf football in my backyard,” said Lemond. “He got no skills from his Dad. They all came from his Mom.”
All joking aside, Key is about to blow up on the recruiting trail. Purdue, Virginia and West Virginia will surely follow UK and UofL’s lead and extend a scholarship in the near future. A player with a ton of potential in the class of 2022, through two games he has 5 catches for 99 yards and a pair touchdowns. Here’s some of his best work so far.
Here's our Top 5 Plays from Week One!
5? @DaneKey12 TD from Josh McClurg @FDouglassFB
4? @GCHSWarhawks take the field
3? @LC_Patriots tip-drill INT
2? @kaiyablaze13 getting shifty @BJNFBALL
1? One-handed grab by Walt Smith @MadSouth_FB pic.twitter.com/17L5TpwHPA— Eli Gehn (@EliGehnLEX18) August 26, 2019