ADVERTISEMENT

OT: Why is Kentucky football recruiting so well?

S

Sean Miller Fan

Lair Hall of Famer
Oct 30, 2001
68,251
22,038
113
This is one of the biggest mysteries to me and I dont think enough people are talking about it. This is historically the worst 1 or 2 SEC football programs and to compound that, they play in a state where there is very little major D1 HS football talent. Not only that, but as we know, they have a very strong P5 competitor right down the road to fight the local recruits for. So, UK has to go outside Kentucky for most of their recruiting. Still, Rivals had them as the #17 class 2 years ago, #35 last year, and #13 this year.

I'm not big on excuses and I know people forgave Chryst and blamed Wanny and Graham for his poor recruiting and I'm sure many will forgive Narduzzi for what may be a down recruiting year this year. But, Stoops at UK is showing what can be done in living rooms for what is a complete joke of a football program that has never done anything EVER. If this can be done at Kentucky, why not at Pitt?
 
Sean Miller Fan said:
This is one of the biggest mysteries to me and I dont think enough people are talking about it. This is historically the worst 1 or 2 SEC football programs and to compound that, they play in a state where there is very little major D1 HS football talent. Not only that, but as we know, they have a very strong P5 competitor right down the road to fight the local recruits for. So, UK has to go outside Kentucky for most of their recruiting. Still, Rivals had them as the #17 class 2 years ago, #35 last year, and #13 this year.

I'm not big on excuses and I know people forgave Chryst and blamed Wanny and Graham for his poor recruiting and I'm sure many will forgive Narduzzi for what may be a down recruiting year this year. But, Stoops at UK is showing what can be done in living rooms for what is a complete joke of a football program that has never done anything EVER. If this can be done at Kentucky, why not at Pitt?
Click to expand...

I think the reason is LOCATION. I always wondered why KY didn't have a better FB team. With a decent coaching staff, KY can entice kids from the north, especially Ohio, to come farther south and kids from the south to go north without having to go too far north or to the "colder" north...

Go Pitt.
 
They do quite well in OH I believe.

Just went back and looked at their recruits. When you are a 3* or a low 4* and the OSU offer never comes, Kentucky is a solid choice over Cincy and Miami. I don't think people realize just how much HS talent there is in OH. It's also a one horse town and OSU has the horse.
 
Sean Miller Fan said:
This is one of the biggest mysteries to me and I dont think enough people are talking about it. This is historically the worst 1 or 2 SEC football programs and to compound that, they play in a state where there is very little major D1 HS football talent. Not only that, but as we know, they have a very strong P5 competitor right down the road to fight the local recruits for. So, UK has to go outside Kentucky for most of their recruiting. Still, Rivals had them as the #17 class 2 years ago, #35 last year, and #13 this year.

I'm not big on excuses and I know people forgave Chryst and blamed Wanny and Graham for his poor recruiting and I'm sure many will forgive Narduzzi for what may be a down recruiting year this year. But, Stoops at UK is showing what can be done in living rooms for what is a complete joke of a football program that has never done anything EVER. If this can be done at Kentucky, why not at Pitt?
Click to expand...
Beats me.
Cash-Loan.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: vietvet1 and indoorgolf
Sean Miller Fan said:
This is one of the biggest mysteries to me and I dont think enough people are talking about it. This is historically the worst 1 or 2 SEC football programs and to compound that, they play in a state where there is very little major D1 HS football talent. Not only that, but as we know, they have a very strong P5 competitor right down the road to fight the local recruits for. So, UK has to go outside Kentucky for most of their recruiting. Still, Rivals had them as the #17 class 2 years ago, #35 last year, and #13 this year.

I'm not big on excuses and I know people forgave Chryst and blamed Wanny and Graham for his poor recruiting and I'm sure many will forgive Narduzzi for what may be a down recruiting year this year. But, Stoops at UK is showing what can be done in living rooms for what is a complete joke of a football program that has never done anything EVER. If this can be done at Kentucky, why not at Pitt?
Click to expand...

Until it happens on the field, nobody has any idea how well Kentucky is actually recruiting.
 
let me put it this way, when you play in the same conference as bama, lsu, uga, florida, auburn and others, don't look for many big seasons from ky.


Dr. von Yinzer said:
Until it happens on the field, nobody has any idea how well Kentucky is actually recruiting.
Click to expand...
 
They are loading up on Ohio kids. With OSU only taking the cream of the crop from the state, there is plenty of talent for UK to take. Especially in the southwest corner, where Cincy no longer being a P5 school hurts them, UK can swoop in. There's competition from Big Ten schools, but UK's staff has proven to be good recruiters.

At some point, recruiting wins and on-the-field losses will catch up to Stoops. He needs to start winning some games.
 
  • Like
Reactions: pitt-girl
kjb32812 said:
They do quite well in OH I believe.

Just went back and looked at their recruits. When you are a 3* or a low 4* and the OSU offer never comes, Kentucky is a solid choice over Cincy and Miami. I don't think people realize just how much HS talent there is in OH. It's also a one horse town and OSU has the horse.
Click to expand...


I'm friends with a mother whose son committed for 2016. They are doing very well into Ohio. Proximity helps. There is also the allure of playing in the SEC. Plus they are throwing a ton of money at the upgrading facilities. Frankly, I'm impressed. But we'll see. Like somebody said above, wait and see whether it turns into wins.
 
GENAC said:
They are loading up on Ohio kids. With OSU only taking the cream of the crop from the state, there is plenty of talent for UK to take. Especially in the southwest corner, where Cincy no longer being a P5 school hurts them, UK can swoop in. There's competition from Big Ten schools, but UK's staff has proven to be good recruiters.

At some point, recruiting wins and on-the-field losses will catch up to Stoops. He needs to start winning some games.
Click to expand...
While OSU gets most of the best, Michigan, ND and MSU get their share as well. Most Ohio kids grow up wanting to play for OSU. Some grow up wanting to play for Michigan or ND. The vast majority of the rest want to play in the B10, but will take their best non B10 offer. Michigan State built its program on those players. UK suddenly becoming a player in Ohio for the tier 2-3 kids will really hurt Narduzzi and Pitt, because that is Duzzi's prime turf, and he and Dantonio built MSU into a powerhouse with the Ohio kids that OSU, Michigan and ND didn't want.

I think the "allure of playing in the SEC" for a perennial loser like UK is a fiction, ask any Ohio H.S. football player what league they'd like to play in and you'll hear the same thing every time--the B10.
 
Sean Miller Fan said:
This is one of the biggest mysteries to me and I dont think enough people are talking about it. This is historically the worst 1 or 2 SEC football programs and to compound that, they play in a state where there is very little major D1 HS football talent. Not only that, but as we know, they have a very strong P5 competitor right down the road to fight the local recruits for. So, UK has to go outside Kentucky for most of their recruiting. Still, Rivals had them as the #17 class 2 years ago, #35 last year, and #13 this year.

I'm not big on excuses and I know people forgave Chryst and blamed Wanny and Graham for his poor recruiting and I'm sure many will forgive Narduzzi for what may be a down recruiting year this year. But, Stoops at UK is showing what can be done in living rooms for what is a complete joke of a football program that has never done anything EVER. If this can be done at Kentucky, why not at Pitt?
Click to expand...

First off...we need a staff who sticks around more than a couple of years to build relationships. Second, the school needs to show commitment to the program and the coach. Lastly, the team needs to show steady improvement. Stoops has done that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ricflair4LIFE
Stoops has been at KY for 2 years so that is not even a couple of years. The SEC draws a lot of attention so all boats rise in a rising tide.

Eurotrash1 said:
First off...we need a staff who sticks around more than a couple of years to build relationships. Second, the school needs to show commitment to the program and the coach. Lastly, the team needs to show steady improvement. Stoops has done that.
Click to expand...
 
Will those recruits stay there if they miss another bowl game? They are aggressive recruiters (Esp Vince Marrow) and can sell the Stoops name, but they had a lot of late decommitments. They tried to poach one of MSU's players and failed. Dantonio paid them back last year and took the Dowells at the 11th hour when we had room.
 
Sean Miller Fan said:
This is one of the biggest mysteries to me and I dont think enough people are talking about it. This is historically the worst 1 or 2 SEC football programs and to compound that, they play in a state where there is very little major D1 HS football talent. Not only that, but as we know, they have a very strong P5 competitor right down the road to fight the local recruits for. So, UK has to go outside Kentucky for most of their recruiting. Still, Rivals had them as the #17 class 2 years ago, #35 last year, and #13 this year.

I'm not big on excuses and I know people forgave Chryst and blamed Wanny and Graham for his poor recruiting and I'm sure many will forgive Narduzzi for what may be a down recruiting year this year. But, Stoops at UK is showing what can be done in living rooms for what is a complete joke of a football program that has never done anything EVER. If this can be done at Kentucky, why not at Pitt?
Click to expand...
Once upon a time conference affiliation was a minor factor in impacting recruiting and was significantly less important than a team's tradition , facilities etc. but association with the SEC and to a lesser extent the Big 10 has boosted the recruiting of even the dregs of those conferences. Haven't seen the same halo effect with the ACC.
 
They have been taking major chances on some kids that are marginal academically with the hope they make it. They are definitely selling the SEC and it is a relatively short drive to Lexington which is in beautiful country.
 
Sean Miller Fan said:
This is one of the biggest mysteries to me and I dont think enough people are talking about it. This is historically the worst 1 or 2 SEC football programs and to compound that, they play in a state where there is very little major D1 HS football talent. Not only that, but as we know, they have a very strong P5 competitor right down the road to fight the local recruits for. So, UK has to go outside Kentucky for most of their recruiting. Still, Rivals had them as the #17 class 2 years ago, #35 last year, and #13 this year.

I'm not big on excuses and I know people forgave Chryst and blamed Wanny and Graham for his poor recruiting and I'm sure many will forgive Narduzzi for what may be a down recruiting year this year. But, Stoops at UK is showing what can be done in living rooms for what is a complete joke of a football program that has never done anything EVER. If this can be done at Kentucky, why not at Pitt?
Click to expand...
DUKE has stepped it up too!
 
  • Like
Reactions: RiskyBusinessPSU
GENAC said:
They are loading up on Ohio kids. With OSU only taking the cream of the crop from the state, there is plenty of talent for UK to take. Especially in the southwest corner, where Cincy no longer being a P5 school hurts them, UK can swoop in. There's competition from Big Ten schools, but UK's staff has proven to be good recruiters.

At some point, recruiting wins and on-the-field losses will catch up to Stoops. He needs to start winning some games.
Click to expand...

Good post --- the high school football talent in Southwest Ohio (Cincinnati + Dayton) is insanely high. Just by getting 2nd-tier SW Ohio kids (OSU will invariably get the 1st-tier), both UK and Cincinnati can do well.
 
9nationalchampionships said:
Stoops has been at KY for 2 years so that is not even a couple of years. The SEC draws a lot of attention so all boats rise in a rising tide.
Click to expand...
This will be his 3rd season. Meaning he has a 2.5yr head start. It's no comparison to 4mos. on the job. Now was he out recruiting Chryst....of course he was and we all know why!
 
ThePanthers said:
It can, just need the right people in place. Wanny had high recruiting classes. Doesn't translate to wins.
Click to expand...
Agree, one needs the Horses to win and that comes with great recruiting, and that requires a Great Head Coach & Staff. After that, it is on coaching to develop those Recruits into great players. Wannstedt did all that in my opinion.

Yet, come on Game Day Execution, Wannstedt was often out coached or made crucial errors and lacked a Top QB to develop Teams into 10+ Winning Seasons. he did have a 10 Win Season and could have have has few more, but he often made a few mistakes that cost him a game or two every year.
 
Pghfan said:
They do great in Ohio, at least they did a few years ago. Would love narduzzi to take some of their Ohio market share.
Click to expand...
I think Coach Pat is doing that in Ohio with the little time he has been at Pitt. They have 3 or 4 of Top 55 Players in Ohio and 1 in the Top 10 in Flowers!
 
thebadby2 said:
While OSU gets most of the best, Michigan, ND and MSU get their share as well. Most Ohio kids grow up wanting to play for OSU. Some grow up wanting to play for Michigan or ND. The vast majority of the rest want to play in the B10, but will take their best non B10 offer. Michigan State built its program on those players. UK suddenly becoming a player in Ohio for the tier 2-3 kids will really hurt Narduzzi and Pitt, because that is Duzzi's prime turf, and he and Dantonio built MSU into a powerhouse with the Ohio kids that OSU, Michigan and ND didn't want.

I think the "allure of playing in the SEC" for a perennial loser like UK is a fiction, ask any Ohio H.S. football player what league they'd like to play in and you'll hear the same thing every time--the B10.
Click to expand...

Below is of seven 2016 Ohio kids who choose Kentucky and what Big Ten offers they had. So of UK's ten 2016 Ohio recruits, seven had Big Ten offers.

Jaylin Bannerman - Illinois and Michigan State
Luke Fortner - Maryland
Tobias Gilliam - Indiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, Purdue
Dakota Holtzclaw - Indiana, Purdue
Asim Rose - Indiana
Benny Snell - Iowa
Roland Walder - Nebraska

For the most part, they aren't going against any of the big dogs and winning recruiting battles, but that's okay. There's a lot of Ohio talent, and if they can get the best of the kids that don't go to OSU, Michigan, or ND, they'll do well. I would disagree about the SEC. If you're not playing at a big time Big Ten school, I think UK and it's allure to the SEC is more appealing. With how national college football is today, kids don't grow up amazed by the Big Ten. They have grown up in the era where the SEC is far and away the dominant conference. That media hype takes a toll, and in my opinion, is a huge reason UK has been successful recruiting.
 
I was not discrediting Stoops but rather letting the OP know that he really has not been there that long. I think he is doing a good job,

vegasgreed said:
and if i'm not mistaken, they have raised his pay 3 times. sounds to me like they are happy with his performance to date.
Click to expand...
 
UK and Stoops recruiting classes are actually a really good benchmark for measuring Narduzzi's success or failure as a recruiter. This will be something to look back on at signing day. How does Narduzzi's first class compare to Stoops'? This proves it can be done by a first time head coach at a school with marginal football success and fan support if you are a good enough recruiter.
 
Are we sure that they are recruiting that well? In 2014, they took 28 players. More players means more recruiting points for the rankings. Last year they finished ranked #35 in recruiting, which is pretty average, and behind 12 other SEC teams. Their current #13 ranking doesn't mean much, with only two 4-star guys and fifteen 3-star players, and I'd expect them to drop out of the top 20 as other teams pick up more commitments.

I think recruiting is relative to your competition. Boise State thrived, in large part, because they recruited better than most of the teams they played against. If the Broncos had to play better competition, they would never see those 12-0 and 11-1 type of records. I think Kentucky being in the SEC is still going to struggle regardless of their improved recruiting success. What they really need is a good coach, and they have not had that since Bear Bryant.
 
  • Like
Reactions: eyebugs and dicemen99
UK got 10 4 star recruits in that class of 28. If Narduzzi lands 10 4 star recruits in one class - particularly his first class as Stoops did - then we'll all be very excited. Also, Rivals only counts the first 20 players for any school so recruits 21 to how ever many you have don't count in their formula. If you take less than 20, each spot you don't fill also hurts it. We when we took 14 last year the formula was brutal.

I do however absolutely agree with your comment about the relative nature of recruiting. The problem is we haven't been even close to the top of the ACC easier.

HailtoPitt said:
Are we sure that they are recruiting that well? In 2014, they took 28 players. More players means more recruiting points for the rankings. Last year they finished ranked #35 in recruiting, which is pretty average, and behind 12 other SEC teams. Their current #13 ranking doesn't mean much, with only two 4-star guys and fifteen 3-star players, and I'd expect them to drop out of the top 20 as other teams pick up more commitments.

I think recruiting is relative to your competition. Boise State thrived, in large part, because they recruited better than most of the teams they played against. If the Broncos had to play better competition, they would never see those 12-0 and 11-1 type of records. I think Kentucky being in the SEC is still going to struggle regardless of their improved recruiting success. What they really need is a good coach, and they have not had that since Bear Bryant.
Click to expand...
 
Pitt79 said:
Pitt needs to join into the REAL GAME and COMPETE.
Click to expand...
Cant believe there are still nieve people that $$$$$$ is not a major player in recruiting success. Google Bagmen of the SEC. NCAA just chooses to reward cheating , and the non cheaters get left behind.
 
bwh05 said:
Same way Ole Miss recruiting improved. They hired aggressive recruiters and started doing what's nece$$ary to land higher profile kids.
Click to expand...
Exactly. They are committed to improving their football now that their arch rival, U of L, is good in football.
 
kjb32812 said:
They do quite well in OH I believe.

Just went back and looked at their recruits. When you are a 3* or a low 4* and the OSU offer never comes, Kentucky is a solid choice over Cincy and Miami. I don't think people realize just how much HS talent there is in OH. It's also a one horse town and OSU has the horse.
Click to expand...
Plus, they can only sign so many guys every year. Surplus talent has to go elsewhere.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

RaleighPittFan

Will elimination of National Letter of Intent have an impact on college football recruiting?

Replies
7
Views
785
Football Board
cashisking884
C
S

Army, Navy, and random college football thoughts

Replies
35
Views
2K
Football Board
TD_6082
TD_6082
Chairman Moe

1991 Pitt Football

Replies
24
Views
2K
Football Board
rpastir
R
Z

Football Recruiting

Replies
25
Views
2K
Between Fifth And Forbes
FreeportPanther
F
S

Week 5 ACC TV Schedule

Replies
9
Views
866
Football Board
cashisking884
C
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest posts

ADVERTISEMENT
Top Bottom
Back