Posted on Sun, Jun. 29, 2008

UK Football Notebook

Phillips tapping pipeline from Louisville Central

Chip Cosby

Herald-Leader Staff Writer

Chip Cosby

The University of Kentucky pipeline that UK offensive coordinator and future head coach Joker Phillips has established to powerhouse program LaGrange (Ga.) has been well-chronicled.

Now Phillips may be on the verge of building another pipeline, this one a little closer to home at Louisville's Central High School.

UK got a commitment this week from Central defensive tackle Mister Cobble, and the Wildcats currently lead for Cobble's teammate, linebacker Ridge Wilson.

Central was a basketball powerhouse in the 1960s and 1970s, but the Yellowjackets struggled to maintain the same level of prominence once court-ordered busing began in 1975.

The school has enjoyed a renaissance of late, as the Yellowjackets won their first-ever state football title last fall and earned its first Sweet Sixteen trip in 30 years. Herald-Leader sportswriter Mike Fields wrote last week that Central had “the most memorable year in high school sports.”

“We're putting Central back on the map,” said Wilson, who's also a standout in basketball.

When most college coaches come to Louisville, the first stops are at St. X, Trinity or Male. Central has always had athletes, even in the lean years. But Central Coach Ty Scroggins, a former linebacker at the University of Louisville, said negative stigmas surrounding the school's student-athletes led to many of Central's prospects getting overlooked in the recruiting process.

Those stigmas are starting to change. UK's Corey Peters, a junior defensive tackle who played at Central, won a national scholar-athlete award in high school. Wilson is also a solid student who has Yale and Princeton on his list of colleges.

“The talent level has always been there,” Scroggins said. “But I think Central kids have always had to prove that they're not just athletes. Our kids will get the grades, our kids will be eligible, and our kids will go to the next level and do what they're supposed to do when they're given the chance.”

Phillips has made Central a priority. He got the ball rolling at Central in 2006 when he landed Peters, a heralded prospect who also seriously considered Ohio State and Michigan. Peters will be entering his third year as a starter on the defensive line. Another Yellowjacket, defensive lineman Joe Scott, walked on at UK last fall.

“He knows Central and Central knows him,” Scroggins said of Phillips. “He's so personable, and he just has a presence when he walks through the halls here. Every time he's in Louisville he always checks on us.”

The Wildcats will be in the hunt for Central junior Tim Patterson, a 6-foot-4, 205-pounder who's one of the state's top prospects for the Class of 2010. Scroggins said Kentucky has also shown interest in Jordan Tennyson, a 6-3, 185-pound senior-to-be who projects as an outside linebacker at the next level.

“All he's waiting for is an offer,” Cobble said of Tennyson. “As soon as they offer, he'd commit right on the spot.”

Wilson, ranked as a three-star recruit by both Rivals.com and Scout.com, said he plans on visiting Louisville, Indiana, Purdue, Cincinnati, Tennessee and Alabama this summer and would also like to check out Arkansas. And while Wilson doesn't plan on making an early commitment, he said that Kentucky is the team to beat.

“I'm going to take some visits, but I've talked with Coach Phillips and he knows where I stand,” Wilson said. “I feel like it's home at Kentucky. I'm welcome there. With Corey and Joe there, and now (Cobble) going there, it's a family atmosphere.”

Spurrier's loss Wildcats gain

The Wildcats received a fifth out-of-state commitment this week in Conyers (Ga.) tight end Justin Jones. The 6-7, 235-pound Jones is listed as a three-star recruit by Rivals.com.

Chad Frazier, Jones' high school coach at Heritage High School, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Jones went to visit the South Carolina campus on Wednesday only to find the entire coaching staff gone on vacation. Jones called Joker Phillips the next day and left a message giving UK a commitment.

“They had a (graduate assistant) showing him around campus,” Frazier told the paper. “That's what sealed it for him.”

Jones said he'd still visit South Carolina in July. East Carolina and UAB were among the other schools who had offered Jones a scholarship.

Winchell, Hibbard leave team

UK has lost a pair of reserve offensive linemen this off-season. Redshirt freshman Phillip Hibbard has left the team, while senior Josh Winchell has given up football because of recurring knee problems.

Winchell and Jess Beets were brought in as junior-college recruits last year to bolster the line, but Winchell struggled with injuries and never cracked the rotation.

Hibbard, a South Laurel graduate, was one of five freshmen linemen who joined the program in 2007. Tackle Brad Durham was the only one to see action as a true freshman. UK spokesman Tony Neely said Hibbard could return to the team at a later date but would not be on scholarship for the 2008 season.

While the loss of Hibbard and Winchell puts a mild cramp in the overall depth of the offensive line for the coming season, it does free up a couple of scholarships for the 2009 class. Kentucky already has 11 commitments, and Coach Rich Brooks said earlier this summer that the Cats would have to be judicious with their numbers since they figured to be several scholarships short of the overall allotment of 25 players that can be signed.

UK's new athlete

Cumming (Ga.) prospect Brian Adams, who committed to Kentucky this week, plays quarterback for South Forsyth High School but is listed as an athlete on most recruiting boards and is expected to start at receiver at UK. Adams stands 6-4, weighs 210 pounds and has 4.5 speed, which are good numbers for the linebacker position as well.

Cats busy in Hoosier state

The UK coaching staff has spent a lot of time across the bridge in Indiana this recruiting season. The Wildcats are in the mix for Morgan Newton, a 6-5, 220-pound five-star quarterback prospect from Carmel, Ind., who has made two visits to Kentucky and lists the Wildcats as one of his favorites.

But Newton isn't the only high-profile prospect from the Hoosier state considering Kentucky.

Zach Martin, a 6-5, 270-pound offensive tackle from Indianapolis' Bishop Chatard High, is listed as a four-star recruit and the 18th-best tackle in the nation by Rivals.com. Martin is the son of Keith Martin, who played at UK from 1981-83 and was a teammate of offensive coordinator Joker Phillips.

Martin lists UK as one of his favorites along with Michigan, Notre Dame, Virginia, Illinois and Purdue.

Also on UK's radar is Duwyce Wilson, a 6-3, 185-pound receiver from Columbus East High. Wilson, a three-star recruit by Scout.com, visited Kentucky in the spring and also has offers from Indiana, Iowa and Wisconsin.

Both Newton and his father said that if his son does indeed pick Kentucky that they'll do all they can to get top prospects like Martin and Wilson on board with them.

“We don't mind getting on the phone,” said Newton's father, John. “We don't even mind getting in the car and driving somewhere within a reasonable distance to try to see guys.”

“That's what it's all about,” Morgan Newton said. “Wherever I end up, I want to try and bring as much talent as possible with me. I want to win championships.”