Jedrick Wills coach speaks out on Alabama
- Thread starter kyrivals
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I like it because it's the only time students have any power from when they sign their LOI. Once they sign guys like Saban or any other coach has 100% control over them. And he knows he has the control and that's why he will block a transfer of a player to whatever school he chooses. Saban might know the kid isn't ever going to see the field, but he will block certain schools just to show he has power and can control their future. They can lie and leave for another job tomorrow without a second thought. Once a kid has done the correct things, worked hard in the classroom, and got their degree they deserve a chance to choose the best position for them.
Wait a minute, surely you jest. Didn't Saban state on the SEC network that the players come first
MUCH bigger impact at UK than Bama, just the influence on recruiting alone might make it a bigger impact. MUCH bigger hero here, and MUCH more opportunities in the state IF he gets injured and doesn't play or something else unexpected happens.
Didn't Bama have a really good performance from the most important player on the field when they won the NC, and aren't they also losing the Heisman trophy? Where are they ranked preseason? If he does go elsewhere or flames out they will just plug another five star in his position and he will be forgotten in short order.
We have also lost out on quite a few to our in state rival as well. Looking back over the years I'd say that we have lost on just as many as we have gotten. Some we don't even try to recruit because we know they are not coming. Like the Brohm's for example or Bush.
So, what made guys like Couch, Towles, Barker, Young, Jackson, Daniel, Johnson, etc pick UK over bigger programs unlike guys like Harris, Alexander, Wills, etc? Why would some 5 star Kentucky guys pass on a program that wins most of its games, academic reputation, playing with higher rated recruits, etc? Is the bottom line some just have too much pride of where they are from to leave and are more concerned of helping their state university? What are the differences between Young's mind set of where he should go versus Wills?
Exactly. Some want to be the hometown hero or have their school in their hearts or want the early PT
Harris lied and played attention *****. I actually hope he pays some price via karma for that.
Wills is just not interested, and that's ok. I won't hate him for it but I also won't wish him well or watch him progress at Alabama just because he is in state. Simply put, he doesn't care about his state one way or the other so his state should not care about him. Good luck. That is all
Harris lied and played attention *****. I actually hope he pays some price via karma for that.
Wills is just not interested, and that's ok. I won't hate him for it but I also won't wish him well or watch him progress at Alabama just because he is in state. Simply put, he doesn't care about his state one way or the other so his state should not care about him. Good luck. That is all
UK recruited both Brian Brohm and Michael Bush...some folks were even dreaming uk had a shot at
Love for the name across the chest...bleeding blue
And a lot of fans thought Brohm led UK on to waste their time.
When previous coaches were here, they were pulling classes ranked in the 50's and 60's...
Stoops has consistently been pulling classes around 30, so while it would be a huge boost and a huge bonus to get Wills, it's not a huge "loss".
We never had him to lose...
Stoops will still pull a top 30 class and that's good enough to win if we avoid attrition and the kids are coached properly.
Continuity within the coaching staff is the most important thing at this point when it comes to getting us to the next level IMO.
I think that if Wills does end up at Bama that it is a big loss if for no other reason than perception to other future recruits. I believe we can overcome his loss on the field, but it would still sting to lose him. Having said that February 3rd is a long way off. Maybe if we can have a terrific season of at least 7 regular season victories then we can flip him back, maybe not. Only time will tell. It really is hard for me to condem him ending up at Bama, but if he does go there then there is no way i could ever root for him. At Bama he could possibly get recruited over, here, that would not happen. I cannot root for any Kentucky kid going to Bama or any other school. I wish him no ill will, he will just be another opponent as far as i am concerned.
With all due respect and like I said... No program like Kentucky's ca not lose a five-star Prospect in their own back door and it not be a tremendous loss to the program to not get the kid to stay at home... and I completely understand that the kid is doing it the right way but it still is not good even from just a perception standpoint
I'm not a 5 star recruit, but living in Indiana, there is no way I would have ended up at any of these state schools. I've lived in northern Indiana my whole life. I would leave this state to play football in a heartbeat. Not everyone wants to play for Homestate U and there is no logical reason some times. That's why I don't get people who say about Ohio kids "if OSU offers, we lose him." That's not always true.
Another issue is he's from this city. Some times people want to get away from home to grow up. Maybe if he were from Bowling Green, it would be different.
UK would LOVE LOVE LOVE to have him!!
My point is that the trajectory of the program remains the same.
When someone usually thinks of a "loss" it's means "drop off" and that's not the case.
We're kind of splitting hairs here but my enthusiasm is high and Wills lack of commitment to UK won't change that.
I don't want to feel a letdown about losing something we never had.
BTW...I absolutely understand your point, I just choose to look at it differently.
Completely understandable for a high school kid to not have the perspective of thinking about life after football, after college, after (hopefully) a pro career.
But they should - and so should their families, & their HS coaches
Yeah a guy like Wills can go anywhere in the country, & likely be successful. However, he can't come back home afterwards, just can't. Of course you know what I am saying, they can move back here.....but it will be in anonymity and noone is gonna bend over backwards to help them out with post-football career opportunities.
Guys who stay home & strap on the blue & white hold a special place in this states heart no matter how their careers turn out. Maybe the folks out in southern cal will take care of Lamar Dawson after his injury plagued career, maybe not....but I know for sure the good people of the Big Blue Nation would have done so if he came here instead.
There is a reason Tim Couch is still so beloved & embraced by the fans & community. and Lorenzen. And Tamme. Burton. Cory Peters. on & on & on.
But they should - and so should their families, & their HS coaches
Yeah a guy like Wills can go anywhere in the country, & likely be successful. However, he can't come back home afterwards, just can't. Of course you know what I am saying, they can move back here.....but it will be in anonymity and noone is gonna bend over backwards to help them out with post-football career opportunities.
Guys who stay home & strap on the blue & white hold a special place in this states heart no matter how their careers turn out. Maybe the folks out in southern cal will take care of Lamar Dawson after his injury plagued career, maybe not....but I know for sure the good people of the Big Blue Nation would have done so if he came here instead.
There is a reason Tim Couch is still so beloved & embraced by the fans & community. and Lorenzen. And Tamme. Burton. Cory Peters. on & on & on.
I want to take just a minute to correct the perception that it is the same as UK going and taking a recruit from Alabama in basketball. It is no where near the same.
First off, in basketball you have 13 roster spots to fill. In football there is 85. Therein lies a HUGE difference.
Second, the inherit difference between basketball and football in that it is much much easier to upset a team in basketball than it is in football. Alabama has the most talent almost every year and they are rarely upset by a much lesser team. UK has the most talent many years and they often lose several games to much lesser teams. That's just how the games work.
Third, Alabama has enough talent as a basketball state, and there is enough surrounding talent, that they can fill their team roster with some good 4 star guys. Even if they never get one of the 5 star guys they can still be a pretty solid contender in the SEC, and even win the SEC title from time to time. Florida won their two national championships and I don't believe they had a single 5 star player on their roster (IIRC). That likely hasn't happened in football... ever.
Fourth, Kentucky has a tiny tiny amount of football talent. This year we have 1 star recruit (Wills) and then 4 3* recruits. That is what this website considers the D1 "top" talent in Kentucky. On the other hand, Alabama has 20-40 top kids and more than 10 of those are 4 star kids. So, Alabama can get 5-6 of those 4 star guys and they've already made up a solid recruiting class. Last year they had 3 5* recruits from their state and about 10 more 4*s.
Fifth, basketball players that are 5* caliber often help for only a year while 5* guys in football help for at least 3 years.
While one player likely won't make or break us as a team or a program, these type of players are the ones we really need to get 90 percent of the time. Getting guys like Young, Jackson, and Daniel last year was awesome, and they are going to go a long way towards helping us. However, we need to be sure to grab the best players in our state, especially when those players are at big time positions of need. If Wills was a defensive back I wouldn't be as worried about not getting him, or losing him, or never having him, but UK has been traditionally poor on the defensive line, and even worse at tackle. He could have been a huge step towards fixing that problem. I mean, can you really imagine UK being able to take 5* Wills and redshirt him his freshman year behind a senior Leavitt? That would be a mindblowing thing for UK to be able to do. It likely won't be a reality, but it is the type of thing that we need to make happen, and it is easier when these types of recruits come from your own state.
First off, in basketball you have 13 roster spots to fill. In football there is 85. Therein lies a HUGE difference.
Second, the inherit difference between basketball and football in that it is much much easier to upset a team in basketball than it is in football. Alabama has the most talent almost every year and they are rarely upset by a much lesser team. UK has the most talent many years and they often lose several games to much lesser teams. That's just how the games work.
Third, Alabama has enough talent as a basketball state, and there is enough surrounding talent, that they can fill their team roster with some good 4 star guys. Even if they never get one of the 5 star guys they can still be a pretty solid contender in the SEC, and even win the SEC title from time to time. Florida won their two national championships and I don't believe they had a single 5 star player on their roster (IIRC). That likely hasn't happened in football... ever.
Fourth, Kentucky has a tiny tiny amount of football talent. This year we have 1 star recruit (Wills) and then 4 3* recruits. That is what this website considers the D1 "top" talent in Kentucky. On the other hand, Alabama has 20-40 top kids and more than 10 of those are 4 star kids. So, Alabama can get 5-6 of those 4 star guys and they've already made up a solid recruiting class. Last year they had 3 5* recruits from their state and about 10 more 4*s.
Fifth, basketball players that are 5* caliber often help for only a year while 5* guys in football help for at least 3 years.
While one player likely won't make or break us as a team or a program, these type of players are the ones we really need to get 90 percent of the time. Getting guys like Young, Jackson, and Daniel last year was awesome, and they are going to go a long way towards helping us. However, we need to be sure to grab the best players in our state, especially when those players are at big time positions of need. If Wills was a defensive back I wouldn't be as worried about not getting him, or losing him, or never having him, but UK has been traditionally poor on the defensive line, and even worse at tackle. He could have been a huge step towards fixing that problem. I mean, can you really imagine UK being able to take 5* Wills and redshirt him his freshman year behind a senior Leavitt? That would be a mindblowing thing for UK to be able to do. It likely won't be a reality, but it is the type of thing that we need to make happen, and it is easier when these types of recruits come from your own state.
Are you sure Ala produces that kind of talent in football...I am not so sure they do.********* did a little research of my own and you are basically correct... For a state that only has the same population as the state of Kentucky they produce an extra amount of top-tier talent... not like Florida, California, Texas and several other states but excellent based on their population
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If Wills ends up at bama as projected, hope he along with Harris become part of the decline of Sabans dominance of the SEC!
I see 2-3 losses this season and no shot at a playoff birth.
I see LSU vs Tennessee playing for the SEC crown.
Not personal toward the young men, it's they're choice but really don't like bama or Saban!
I see 2-3 losses this season and no shot at a playoff birth.
I see LSU vs Tennessee playing for the SEC crown.
Not personal toward the young men, it's they're choice but really don't like bama or Saban!
Yea, their talent level in the state seems to fluctuate, but they still have a good chunk of 4 star talent that they can at least make a very solid recruiting base off of. Then they can go out and fill the holes with the best in the country. UK, on the other hand, has to fill their roster with out of state talent, and it is much harder to get the big time out of state talent to head to a place with very little football tradition. That's why it is really important that we keep the best talent in the state.
