UK Football 2013

[jmac]

Originally Posted by WMR

Is he the Dlineman that was committed to LSU but opened things back up when they asked him to greyshirt? He's not going to sign tomorrow but is visiting UK.

No, I know the kid you are talking about but cant remember his name.
This kid was thought to be bound for one of the above listed and has just started talking KY in the last day or so. Could be just posturing but one report said he got a UK hat today to go with the other 3 so it is possible. (course after Timmons and hopefully Hatcher......we dont want to sound greedy )

[WMR]

I cannot wait to hear the Air Raid sirens blaring again in Commonwealth.

[jmac]

With National Signing Day tomorrow, Bryant just tweeted this :
"im gonna shock the world tommorrow"
.....hhmmmmm would it shock the world if he signed with USC/FSU/Miami ?

Timmons , Hatcher is possible and now Bryant maybe ? Stay tuned UK fans...
Attached is a pic of Mr Bryant

[WMR]

Originally Posted by joshnky

You forgot to list UofL who is the leader to land him and also is hosting him for his last visit before signing day. And he hasn't decommitted from USC and is actually visiting them next week.

If stoops gets him out of Louisville it will be a major steal.

I guess he got stolen then!!


Welcome to the BBN, Jason Hatcher!!

According to ESPN he has committed to UK!

[5TimeWSChamps]

Great stuff from Wetzel here...

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ncaaf--...GlvbnM-;_ylv=3

[jimbo]

First Down, Kentucky!!

[joshnky]

UK got hatcher.

[WMR]

BOOM!

[New York Red]

Cannot believe we got Hatcher. He had no interest at all in UK when Stoops got the job just over two months ago.

[jmac]

Awesome job by Coach Stoops !! Great class (#28) who I think will be an immediate help !
I really didnt think Hatcher would sign till yesterday. Not only is this kid one of the best defensive kids to come to UK in a long time, but he has helped get UK's foot in the door with Trinity.

[jmac]

Here is a nice story on Hatcher :

Trinity defensive end Jason Hatcher decides Kentucky is the place for him

Trinity defensive end Jason Hatcher decides Kentucky is the place for him

The day before Jason Hatcher’s official visit to the University of Southern California last month, his sister, Kelli, gave birth to a baby boy.

Hatcher and his mother, Donna Curry, actually had to leave Kelli at the hospital to board a plane to Los Angeles. It was then that Curry knew Hatcher — a star defensive end at Trinity High School — might be wavering on his commitment to the Trojans.

“He was like, ‘I don’t want to leave,’” Curry said. “I knew then that his heart wasn’t there. When he came back from that trip, you could just tell.”

The three weeks since Hatcher’s visit to USC brought about plenty of speculation that finally came to an end Wednesday when the 6-foot-2 240-pounder signed with the University of Kentucky.

Hatcher originally committed to USC last July, choosing the Trojans over the University of Louisville and Tennessee. But with its hiring of head coach Mark Stoops and defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot, UK began to enter the picture.
And there was his new nephew, Kaiden, to think about.

“We left the hospital to go get on a plane, and that’s rough,” Hatcher said. “That played a major part. That’s my man. I have to keep him close.”

In Hatcher the Wildcats will get the No. 8-ranked weakside defensive end in the nation, according to Rivals.com. The recruiting service ranks him as a four-star recruit on a five-star scale.

In 11 games last season at Trinity, Hatcher posted 33 solo tackles and eight assists. Those numbers included 17 ½ tackles for loss and 13 ½ sacks.

Hatcher played in last month’s U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio and further impressed Trinity coach Bob Beatty, who coached the East team to victory.

“I’d heard from some of the big boys that he might be a little light in the rear end to play defensive end,” Beatty said. “Well, after being with the best of the best down there for a week, not only did I see this young man hold his own, but he excelled with the very best in the nation.”

Hatcher said much of the speculation of the past three weeks, which included him both decommitting and recommitting to USC, wasn’t true.
He said he spent a lot of time studying the record of Stoops and Eliot during their time at Florida State and came away impressed.

“I believe in what those guys were selling,” Hatcher said. “I believe in the way they coach defensive ends. … I believe we can get this program back to where it needs to be.”

Although she’s a U of L fan, Curry said she was pleased her son is headed just an hour away to Lexington instead of across the country to Los Angeles.

Hatcher said his family is on board with the decision but joked that his mother might have a tough time wearing UK blue.

“I think my mom will wear some purple or something,” he said with a laugh.
Hatcher was among four Trinity players to sign with Football Bowl Subdivision schools on Wednesday, joining running back Dalyn Dawkins (Purdue), wide receiver James Quick (Louisville) and defensive back Ryan White (Vanderbilt).

[George Foster]

Coach Stubbs has had an amazing couple of months!!

[jmac]

This is a nice picture that we dont normally see of football players but rather basketball players.
Nebraska turned UK signee Marcus McWilson with KY's own Ashley Judd:

[jmac]

While fans of teams like Bama/OSU/Fla/ Texas etc, usually have banner recruiting years, this puts what this season means to UK football fans in perspective.
These are UK's recruiting ranks since 2002:

UK’s class rankings since 2002

2002: 94
2003: 63
2004: 52
2005: 67
2006: 36
2007: 54
2008: 57
2009: 41
2010: 50
2011: 61
2012: 62
2013: 28

One year we had # 36 and one year # 41 and everything else 50 or higher.
Now mind you, UK went to 4 straight Bowls during those years. The difference is we just couldnt hold our own against SEC teams.
If we could go 4-0 against Non conference which we did several times and win against a Vandy/Miss State type in SEC, that got us to 6 wins.
I think classes like this will help us start closing the gap on the rest of these SEC teams.
Coach Stoops did this coming off a 2 win season. Let's win 6 in 2013 and see what he can do...

BTW...yes I know 6 can would be quite an accomplishment but dont doubt the Stoop's Troops !

[WMR]

Stoops is still chasing a couple 4 stars who didn't sign today.

The job he has done in 2 months is nothing short of incredible.