‘He’s gonna be a real baller.’ Former Kentucky HS star already turning heads at UK.
Only two true freshman made the Kentucky football team’s initial depth chart for the 2020 season.
One was quarterback Beau Allen, a clear No. 2 to Terry Wilson with Joey Gatewood’s eligibility status still uncertain.
The other? From a herd of talented defensive backs, veteran and new to the program alike, safety Vito Tisdale has emerged. He’s listed as the backup to Davonte Robinson at nickelback heading into UK’s game at Auburn this weekend.
It wasn’t exactly a surprise to see Tisdale’s name on the depth chart, as he was lauded frequently throughout camp by coaches and peers, but it was confirmation that that praise wasn’t just lip-service. Kentucky believes Tisdale can play right away in the Southeastern Conference, and he’ll probably get a chance to prove himself as soon as Saturday.
Head coach Mark Stoops during one of his preseason radio shows likened him to a former Wildcats defensive back who wore the same jersey number: Mike Edwards, now a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“He’s wearing number 7 and I don’t want to put that on him yet but he reminds me of the other guy that wore 7 for us,” Stoops told Tom Leach. “That’s a pretty big compliment. Mike is one of my all-time favorite players. So instinctual and such a good player for us. ... It’s a lot like Mike. No nonsense and just goes and does his business.”
In that radio interview, Stoops said Tisdale was playing in multiple positions across the secondary, giving it a go wherever the coaches asked. On Monday, during his first “in-season” news conference, Stoops suggested that the staff might have put too much on Tisdale in camp and that he looked forward to having him hone in on a single position in practice this week.
From the sound of it, though, he was listening with the best of ‘em. Robinson, a veteran returning from a torn quad, was among the many players who had good things to say about Tisdale in camp.
“I’ve never actually seen a freshman come in and pick up things so quickly as he does,” Robinson said. “And his style of play, it’s really unmatched, the energy level he brings to practice.”
‘The Man’
Tisdale at one time was a four-star recruit but ended his senior year rated as a three-star prospect by both 247Sports and Rivals. He announced his commitment to the Wildcats during the All-America game on Jan. 5, but did not enroll until this summer. Alabama, Georgia and Texas A&M were the other schools in his final four.
He burst onto the scene during his freshman season at Bowling Green High School, at the end of which the Purples won the KHSAA Class 5A title in convincing fashion. UK became the first Power Five school to extend an offer, one day after that game, in which he recorded a 58-yard punt return touchdown.
Mark Spader was an assistant for that squad, and was Tisdale’s head coach each of the last two seasons. It doesn’t necessarily surprise him that his former standout is building a case for playing time, but he stressed throughout last season that Tisdale should prepare himself for a redshirt season.
“He’s always kind of been ‘The Man’ and on the field most of his life, so I was building up for, ‘Hey, this is gonna be best for you,’ just preparing him for what I thought was the worst,’” Spader said. “ ... I’m just so happy for him that he’s in the mix and seems confident in what he’s doing. And they tell me that his grades are good. I couldn’t ask for more for him.”
Spader described Tisdale — who, as a true freshman, isn’t allowed to speak to media until after he’s played significant minutes in a game — as a fun-loving individual who improved as a leader throughout his time at Bowling Green. “It took him awhile to grow up,” Spader said, but his maturation process was never one that rubbed Spader the wrong way. “He’s like a big kid.”
Like many gifted athletes at the prep level, Tisdale played offense and special teams in addition to defense. That helped him stay engaged as much as it helped the team.
“For lack of a better word, he probably got a little bored playing at the high school level,” Spader said. “ ... It can get a little boring, a little ho-hum for ‘em, but our better players understand what it’s about and they know how they need to carry themselves in order to get that end result on Fridays. ...
“He’s got God-given talents and when you combine it with the competitiveness he has, it’s fun to watch.”
There will be nothing boring about a season opener at Auburn, ranked No. 8 in the nation by The Associated Press. How much time Tisdale will actually see the field in that game, or any this season, is anyone’s guess at this point, but it sure sounds like it’ll be a matter of when, not if.
Just take it from the guy in front of him.
“He’s gonna be a real baller,” Robinson said.
Season opener
No. 23 Kentucky at No. 8 Auburn
Noon Saturday (SEC Network)
