Shop till you drop: Mark Stoops fills some Kentucky football needs
Things change. That’s what things do. Used to be the first Wednesday in February was “the day” for college football recruiting, the first day a high school prospect could sign a national letter of intent with the school of his choice. Of late, December’s early signing period has stolen almost all of February’s thunder.
That is unless it is this year and unless you are Kentucky. Then the first Wednesday in February is perfect for some timely fireworks.
Boom: Trevin Wallace, a highly regarded prep linebacker out of Georgia turned down Auburn and others to pledge his allegiance to Mark Stoops and the Wildcats on Wednesday.
Boom: Luke Fulton, a highly regarded prep linebacker when he signed with Michigan State, confirmed he’s exiting East Lansing to join forces with his fellow Youngstown connections down south at UK.
Stoops on Wallace: “Trevin is as talented an inside linebacker as we have recruited here. He jumps off the tape as you watch film. He’s the type of athlete with the potential to make an immediate impact.”
Stoops on Fulton: “I’ve known Luke for a long time and watched him play for a long time. We’re grateful to add him to our program and the contributions he will bring at inside linebacker.”
This follows the even bigger boom from three weeks ago when former Western Hills star receiver Wan’Dale Robinson announced that he was returning to his Old Kentucky Home, i.e. leaving Nebraska after two years to finish his college career with Kentucky and Stoops.
And with Liam Coen, we might add. Surely UK’s new offensive coordinator, straight out of Los Angeles and the NFL’s Rams, was a factor in Robinson’s decision. After all, the 5-foot-10, 185-pound speedster is just the playmaker that every college program covets and Kentucky desperately needs.
The “needs” part requires an underline. If you watched Kentucky’s offense at all in 2020, you know that the Wildcats are in dire need of playmakers on that side of the ball. And if you studied the depth chart on the defensive side of the ball, you know the Cats have some spots to fill at inside linebacker, especially given the news budding star Jamin Davis decided to pull out early and take his chances in the 2021 NFL Draft.
The December signing period brought some good news on that front with the news that Justice Dingle, former Bowling Green star, had decided to transfer from Georgia Tech to UK to play with his brother Jordan, a tight end and fellow signee in the 2021 class.
Now add Wallace and Fulton. The former now holds the distinction as the being the highest-rated player in Stoops’ 2021 class. The gurus at 247Sports had Wallace rated at No. 35 among national prospects and No. 2 among inside linebacker prospects. Meanwhile, Fulton is a Cardinal Mooney High School product, as was Stoops and recruiting coordinator Vince Marrow. He was ranked No. 280 nationally by 247Sports when he originally signed with the Spartans.
Time for the disclaimer: Dingle’s and Fulton’s immediate availability is likely, but not definite. The NCAA still appears headed toward passing legislation that would allow athletes to transfer once without sitting out a season before becoming eligible to play. But the vote has been pushed back. And it is the NCAA. You never know.
Same applies for Robinson, who caught 51 passes for 461 yards and a touchdown in eight Nebraska games last season. He caught 40 passes for 453 yards and two scores his freshman season with the Cornhuskers. We scheme nerds can’t wait to see just how Coen’s NFL background and Robinson’s talents mix. The hope is that will happen sooner rather than later.
Aside from the Davis departure, you’d have to say it has been good offseason so far at the Craft Football Training Facility. All-America offensive tackle Darian Kinnard is returning. Offensive starters Luke Fortner, Justin Rigg and Josh Ali are all taking advantage of the NCAA allowing another year for those who participated during the pandemic. Stoops appears to have hired the people he wanted for open staff positions.
Yes, college football fireworks can happen in February.
