Mark Stoops was down after UK’s loss to Tennessee. Future players lifted his spirits.
University of Kentucky head football coach Mark Stoops was all smiles when recruiting came up during his Monday news conference.
With the early signing period about a month away, a 17-13 loss to Tennessee in which UK failed twice in the final minutes to score near the goal line could have proved divisive among class of 2020 recruits who’ve chosen to play for Kentucky.
It sounds like, instead, it’s become a moment around which to rally for those who’ve jumped on board.
“I was so encouraged by the recruiting aspect of it,” Stoops said. “There were guys texting me afterward ‘til late in the evening and picking me up. I was like, ‘I can’t tell you how much that means to me. I needed a little pick up right now.’ Guys were really encouraged.”
Christian Academy of Louisville lineman John Young, who committed to UK in April, said almost every 2020 commit was expected to be in attendance for the Wildcats’ game against UT, the final night game of the 2019 season. Among them was Justin Rogers, a Detroit lineman whom Rivals rates as a five-star prospect and the No. 14 overall recruit in the class.
Rogers over the weekend tweeted multiple images of himself at the game and with UK’s coaching staff. A seemingly-coordinated flurry of tweets arrived Monday from multiple commits — among them running back Jutahn McClain, cornerback Andru Phillips and defensive tackle Tre’vonn Rybka, who chose UK over his home-state Volunteers — reaffirming their commitment status and talking up the potential of the 2020 class.
Right now UK’s class, with only 16 total commitments, is ranked 24th by 247Sports and 25th by Rivals, nationally. Without any further commitments it would finish as Stoops’ second-best recruiting class, ranking-wise, behind the 2014 class, which was buoyed by having 28 total commitments, including 10 players regarded as four-star prospects (in addition to Rogers the 2020 class currently has four such prospects — Beau Allen, Samuel Anaele, John Young and Rybka).
“This is a special group. It’s a tight group,” Stoops said. “I think their unity within the commits is affecting guys that are on the fringe. I think we have a chance to put a really special class together. “
In-state standouts Octavious Oxendine (North Hardin) and Vito Tisdale (Bowling Green), two other four-star prospects who are considering Kentucky, have announced decision dates. Oxendine plans to commit on the first day of the early signing period — Dec. 18 — at his high school. Tisdale plans to commit Jan. 4 during the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
Joey Gatewood, a quarterback and former top-50 prospect who’s transferring from Auburn, took an official visit to Kentucky over the weekend as well. He was in attendance for both the UK-UT football game and the UK men’s basketball game against Eastern Kentucky on Friday night.
Notes
▪ Speculation was rampant last Monday that Stoops would be a leading candidate for the Florida State job. Following the loss to UT, a vocal minority of fans online called for Mitch Barnhart to fire him.
“See, I never get too far in front of my skis,” Stoops said with a grin. “Trust me. Let’s worry about Vandy. That’s where all my concentration is. Our team was ready (for Tennessee) and we’ll get ’em ready again. That’s all it is. You’re right, that’s the nature of this job. One minute they love ya and the next week they’re trying to run ya out of here. I am very thankful for the job I have.”
Co-offensive coordinator Eddie Gran was the subject of more criticism than Stoops on Twitter. UK’s head coach came to Gran’s defense several times on Monday.
“We are a much different football team right now than we were in game one and game two,” Stoops said. “… The easiest target in the world outside of me is an offensive coordinator. You’ve got a bullseye on your chest every day, every play. I can promise you they work their tale off putting guys in position to be successful, and we’ve had to morph into what we’re doing.”
Gran, who also coaches UK’s running backs, has been an offensive coordinator for four seasons. Quarterbacks Coach Darrin Hinshaw, also in his fourth year, is the other co-offensive coordinator.
“I know we’re not perfect. I’m not looking for a pat on the back, but I have to recognize those guys and the job that they’re doing to put guys in position, but we are different right now than we were with Terry (Wilson) and Sawyer (Smith).”
▪ Stoops said that he hopes Bryce Oliver and Ahmad Wagner will be available for the Cats’ trip to Vanderbilt this weekend.
Wagner, UK’s second-leading receiver this season behind Lynn Bowden, suffered a leg injury during Kentucky’s win over Missouri. Oliver, a redshirt freshman who has had one of Kentucky’s seven touchdown catches this year, suffered a toe injury in practice last week.
“I was told that both of ’em were close, both of ’em were better today,” Stoops said. “So hopefully they’ll be out there.”
Next game
Kentucky at Vanderbilt
3:30 p.m. Saturday (SEC Network)
