Vince Marrow likes to hear Lynyrd Skynyrd talk during long recruit drives. When day turns to night, he is often in line for sermons by Dr. Tony Evans, TD Jakes and Joyce Mayer.
In the weeks leading up to college football’s early signing window (December 21-23), Kentucky’s recruiting coordinators deserve another song on their road trip playlist. It’s “I’ve Been Everywhere” by Johnny Cash.
On December 14, Murrow told The Courier-Journal: I was in Kentucky… I mean, everywhere. ”
After watching members of Britain’s incoming class play in the state championships to close out the 2022 season, Marrow has a good feeling about the recruits starting to put pen to paper this week. In the changing landscape of collegiate sports, there is another place that catches his attention. It’s the NCAA Transfer Portal.
Marrow said he approaches the portal the same way the NFL’s front office treats free agency. It gives (Will Levis and Wandale Robinson) and last Friday it takes away (Kyaunta Goodwin).
Kentucky Football Recruiting:These players are in the Wildcats’ 2023 recruiting class
“I still believe in building teams by recruiting high school students, much like the[NFL’s]draft.” Well, they want to come back.
“When you put this class together, we’re going to draft (December 21st) and then go for the draft and get four or five unrestricted free agents.”
Kentucky has already made progress on that front, acquiring two experienced offensive linemen (Tanner Bowles and Marquez Cox) and two defensive backs: Ohio’s jansen dang Jonkiss “JQ” Hardaway of Cincinnati. Another potential acquisition, former Vanderbilt tailback Re’Mahn “Ray” Davis, Visited Lexington for the weekend When the sign points To him joining the Wildcats.
Kyanta Goodwin:Kentucky’s offensive lineman, former star prospect enters transfer portal
Then there’s the issue of replacing Levis, a likely NFL first-round draft pick, with a quarterback.the report was tied Wisconsin’s Graham Martz When Devin Leary of North Carolina vacant, but neither player has made a formal announcement. On December 14, Marrow said there was still work to be done.
“We have young players with a promising future and we like them, but we will find older players who can play right now,” he said.
Who Kentucky targets at quarterback may depend on who is hired to replace Rich Scangarello as offensive coordinator both this offseason and in the next few years. Murrow couldn’t confirm a Dec. 9 report from ESPN’s senior NFL insider Chris Mortensen that Los Angeles Rams guard Liam Cohen would move to Lexington again, but it was “a great thing for the program’s recruiting profile.” ” will be
“Stay tuned for that,” Mallow said. “With him, it would be easy to hire offensive (players). Liam is a really good coach.”
Since joining Mark Stoops’ staff as lead recruiter in 2012, Marrow has prided himself on the federal government’s ability to “lock fences.” In his words, “In the last three years, we haven’t lost a child[in-state]that we wanted.”
That may change with Louisville native Jeff Blohm succeeding Scott Satterfield at his alma mater as head coach. , have already acquired two highly touted prospects in the state, St. Xavier’s Micah Carter and Henderson County’s Saadik Clements.
“It’ll spice up the game,” said Blohm, a friend of mine who recently Had to shoot down rumors on Twitter He will join the Cardinals staff.
For now, Marrow seems content to remain a nuisance on the side of his rivals. Here’s what you need to know about where you’re headed for the signing period.
Members of Kentucky Football’s 2023 Recruit Class
- Nasir Addison (3-Star Athlete from Irvington, NJ)
- Kamari Anderson (3 star tight end from Detroit)
- Jaremiah Anglin Jr. (4-star defensive back from Lake Wales, Florida)
- Ardell Banks (3-star wide receiver from Massillon, Ohio)
- Anthony Brown (3-star wide receiver from Springfield, Ohio)
- Ty Bryant (three-star player at Frederick Douglass High School in Lexington)
- Jacob Dixon, 3-star wide receiver at Pleasure Ridge Park High School in Louisville
- Grant Godfrey (4-star linebacker from Suwanee, Georgia)
- Coby Keenum (3-star offensive lineman from Florence, Alabama)
- Tanner Lemaster (Washington Courthouse, Ohio 3 Star Tight End)
- Shamar Porter (4-star wide receiver from Nashville, Tennessee)
- Austin Ramsey (three-star offensive lineman from Philadelphia)
- Avery Stuart (4-star defensive back from Montgomery, Alabama)
- Malachi Wood (3-star offensive lineman from Madison Central High School in Richmond)
- Tommy Ziesmer (3-star defensive end from Boyle County High School in Danville)
Where does Kentucky Football’s 2023 recruiting class sit in the national rankings?
Last update at 19:00 on Sunday, December 12th. 18.
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Best in class: Shammer Porter
After watching Nashville native Baryon Brown emerge as an electrifying playmaker in Kentucky’s freshman season, Wildcats fans are thrilled to bring another four-star wide receiver from Music City into the mix. should do.
Ensworth’s Shamar Porter, with a 247Sports Composite rating of 0.9152, joins Brown as one of the top 20 prospects signed with the UK since the recruitment database began. Porter, who checks in at 6 feet 4 inches and 200 pounds, ranks him fourth overall in Tennessee and the 31st wideout in the nation.he Committed to Wildcats January 28th in Georgia, Ole Miss, Arkansas and more.
porter is Nominated to All Region Teams After his last season with the Tigers.he spent the weekend before the early signing period Played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in Frisco, Texas. Stoops and other Kentucky staff visited him at home December 12th.
Brown introduced himself to the Big Blue Nation by showing off his speed on a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in England’s season opener against Miami, Ohio. This was his program since 2009. In his 100m race in May, fans will likely get to see more highlights his reel return when he wears a blue and white uniform.
Key Releases from Kentucky Football’s 2023 Recruit Class
Caden Moorman: Running back for Franklin County, one of Kentucky’s first players to enter the 2023 class Recruitment resumed But Lexington said it “could still be a landing spot” when it’s all over.
Khalifa Keith: The only running back pledge left in the class after Moorman left dismissed in early November When Turned to SEC rival Tennessee Less than two weeks later.
Caden Moorman:Franklin County star RB out of English football’s 2023 recruiting class
Kentucky Football Potential Recruit Flip: Tavion Gadson
Gudson is one of the top 70 prospects for defensive lines in the country, Committed to Florida nine days later Receive a scholarship offer from Kentucky, but the Wildcats are behind his pledge.Slouching, defensive coordinator Brad White and the rest of the UK staff I visited a three-star Georgia native He entered Jenkins High School on Dec. 9 and traveled to Lexington the weekend before the early signing period began.
Stoops and company have until February’s National Signing Day to keep selling Gadson’s vision. In good news for the Wildcats, 6-4, 280-pound lineman Ryan Wright reported that he has extended his contract with the Seminoles so he can tour the UK campuses. However, he plans to visit Tennessee before making a decision.
Recruit and Trending sports reporter Brooks Holton (bholton@gannett.com) and follow him on Twitter (@brooksHolton).