Schlarman Strong: Kentucky Football celebrated John Schlarman with third annual golf scramble
As spring practice nears its end, the Kentucky Football staff invited several of the program’s alums to Keene Trace Golf Club for an afternoon of golf and fun in memory of their former colleague, coach, and friend, John Schlarman. The third such celebration of Schlarman’s life, this year’s Schlarman Strong Golf Scramble was played beneath the clearest blue skies, with a turnout that even surprised Lee Anne Schlarman, John’s wife.
“Honestly, I was a little nervous. I didn’t know if people would really still want to come out,” Lee Anne admitted before she and their four kids–Joe, Matthew, Benjamin, and Evelyn–sent the golfers off to their starting tee assignments to begin the scramble.
“But this goes to show what John meant to everybody, and it’s really showing our kids what John meant to so many people, and the legacy he left here and what he’s done for so many.”
Among those most impacted by John Schlarman, several of the strongest bricks from Schlarman’s Biggest Blue Walls were back in town from the National Football League. Logan Stenberg of the Detroit Lions, Luke Fortner of the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Landon Young of the New Orleans Saints headlined the list of Schlarman’s former Kentucky offensive linemen at the golf tournament, and of course, current UK graduate assistant Drake Jackson.
Landon Young, who was more interested in fishing the property than playing it, said of their former coach, “He helped all of us: a lot of the former players that are coming back to be able to be around this, a lot of the people that are coming that are supporting it financially, a lot of people are putting it together; Schlarman’s had a huge impact on all of our lives, and it’s the least we can do is keep that rolling, be able to raise money for his kids, raise money for his cause, and be able to just be out here and celebrate the people that he had such an impact with.”
More from a fun afternoon in Nicholasville, where Nick Roush and I were lucky to be spectators:
Mark Stoops can hit a golf ball (but don’t tell his doctor)
DREW: Still on the country club I.R. following offseason shoulder surgery, Mark Stoops spoke to the media before patrolling the course in the marshal cart as a non-participant in the scramble.
Stoops said, “I really can’t thank our alumnus, the players that are back, you know that means the world to us, and the fact that they come back and support the Alumni Association, and in particular, Schlarman Strong and Lee Anne and John and the family. It just means so much to us. For the staff, it’s always a fun day.”
An example of that fun, KSR may have witnessed Stoops throw down a ball on the tenth tee box to out-drive some of the aforementioned offensive linemen right down the middle. And if we did witness such an event, the video exists.
Getting Lost in California with John Schlarman
NICK: Josh Pruitt is one of the few original Mark Stoops’ staffers that is still working for Kentucky. The Wildcats’ direction of football operations and organizer of the event goes even further back with Schlarman. The two were on Neal Brown’s first coaching staff at Troy. Shortly after being hired, the two traveled to California’s annual coaches’ convention.
John Schlarman loved his family, football and like most good Kentuckians, horse racing. A pony picking aficionado, the coaches’ convention in Anaheim provided the perfect opportunity for the young offensive line coach to check out Santa Anita Park. So they punched it into the GPS and were on their way.
It was a beautiful trip through greater Los Angeles in their rental minivan. The GPS took them down Hollywood Boulevard and past mansions in Beverly Hills. Then, slowly but surely, the houses started getting smaller. Before too long, Pruitt started seeing bars on windows.
“John, I don’t think we’re going the right way.”
Schlarman replied, “It’s just another mile up the road. We’ll be there in no time.”
A mile later they arrived at their destination. It was a playground on a patch of grass the size of a neighborhood block. “Welcome to Santa Anita Park.”
Benny Snell wants a house on the course
DREW: In the crowd of offensive linemen in line for the grill on Keene Trace’s back patio, the man who ran behind them, Benny Snell, made a surprise appearance at the celebration. Snell, who holds the school’s all-time rushing record, benefited as much as anyone from Schlarman’s time as Kentucky’s offensive line coach, so it was a nice gesture for Benny to attend.
Snell’s old position coach and offensive coordinator, Eddie Gran, was excited to see him at the turn.
Name a better duo…
This is a pretty good duo too…
Snell asked Marrow and anyone with a key to a golf cart to drive him around the neighborhood so he could pick out his first Lexington home for when it’s time to move back. He and Marrow kept the non-golfers entertained with stories of Snell’s time in Lexington. Benny was the man on Day 1, Marrow recalled.
Luke Fortner is the cheapest person to ever play in the NFL
NICK: The former Wildcat is making money to save money. I thought I was cheap. Fortner makes me look frivolous.
Prior to this afternoon’s scramble, I planned to put the former Kentucky offensive lineman under pressure by asking him questions while taking putts. As we walked to the putting green, I told him to grab his putter and a few balls.
“I don’t have clubs.”
I thought Fortner was just messing with me. Surely the guy who plays for the NFL team in Jacksonville, the home of the PGA Tour, owns a set of golf clubs. Nope. He showed up to a golf scramble without clubs.
Fair enough. Fortner is new to Jacksonville. He was a rookie fighting for a starting job last offseason. I’m sure he didn’t have enough time to hit the links. As a Dad with two young kids, I get it.
Now a year into his professional career, he’s a starter on a playoff team. I needed to ask, “So, what did you spend money on to celebrate?”
“I’m buying a truck when I get back (to Jacksonville).”
This man is still driving his old Toyota Camry. The NFL has not changed Luke Fortner.
Growing Old with Landon Young
NICK: 10 years ago Matt Jones asked KSR College’s football writer to interview the newest UK Football commit. Landon Young was just a sophomore and I was lucky to find a quiet, empty room in a dilapidated frat house to make a phone call for one of my first interviews. Now he’s entering his third NFL season and we’re sharing stories about our kids.
Speaking of stories, there aren’t too many better storytellers out there than Landon Young.
You’ll hear some of them later this week. We spent a good amount of time talking about Cajun food on camera. That bled off the camera where he eventually shared that in Louisiana he once drove 45 minutes to a Cracker Barrel because he missed country cookin’.
This year Landon played in one of the coldest football games in the history of the NFL. The day before Christmas windchills were below zero at Cleveland’s FirstEnergy Stadium. It was the first time Landon Young ever wore sleeves in a football game. Four layers were not enough to keep him warm next to torpedo heaters on the sideline. Some of his teammates couldn’t feel their fingertips weeks later. Playing in the muggy bayous ain’t so bad after all.
Joe Schlarman will be a senior in H.S. next year
DREW: John’s oldest son, Joe Schlarman, was a First Team All-City selection on the offensive line as a junior at Lexington Catholic last season. He recently visited Troy, an area he knows well since his dad coached there from 2007-12, and has had a scholarship offer from Kentucky for two-and-a-half years.
Mark Stoops gave Joe his first offer shortly before John passed in November 2020.
Now that Joe is wrapping up his junior year of high school and considering his college options, maybe UK should put that No. 65 jersey aside, you know, just in case.
Joe and his siblings were very popular at the course today around all of their Kentucky Family family.
John Schlarman’s Legacy is evidence of the Culture Mark Stoops Created at Kentucky
NICK: “Culture” is a word that gets thrown around a lot in college athletics — so much so that it’s formed a rivalry between Stoops and Shane Beamer. It’s difficult to precisely pinpoint and define culture, but I could certainly feel that today at Keene Trace Golf Club. It’s not just about being on the same page on the football field, but the camaraderie the players and coaches share away from the gridiron. This program is not immune to struggles, but over the last ten years Mark Stoops has created a program with lasting power because of the people that occupy it. It’s not just one or two people leaving Lexington’s legacies. Everyone is pulling the rope in the same direction to make this the best possible football program.
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