The Future Starts Now: Signing Day Running Diary

We will continue to update this post today as Kentucky receives signed letters of intent from the players that will make up the 2011 class - the first of the Joker Phillips head coaching era.  There are a handful of announcement ceremonies scheduled, with Boyle County's Lamar Dawson's being the most notable, and we'll keep you abreast of what happens and where you can watch them when available.  8:00 Let's do this!  Cats got another commitment last night in the form of Alcoa (Tenn.) defensive lineman Darrell Warren.  He is unranked by Rivals and switched his verbal from UT-Chattanooga.  That's right, I said Alcoa.  The Cats have also received a verbal from three-star offensive lineman James Elliott, a teammate of commit Demarius Rancifer. 8:15  Things seem a little grim on the Lamar Dawson front right now.  A lot of people are saying it looks like he's headed to Tennessee, including Larry "Cats are 4-1 favorites" Vaught.  Even Mary Jo Perino says she's being told he'll pick USC.  I could really go for a "I saw him in a UK hoodie last night" rumor right now.... 8:25  The Cats have received LOIs from Farrington Huguenin, Ashely Lowery, Nile Daniel and Darrian Miller 8:37  Vaught joins the "Dawson to USC" camp. 8:40  Eric Dixon's letter is in.  He was voted All-State First Team in Alabama as a senior.  Sadly, he did not have a guess on Dawson. 8:46  The table at Lamar Dawson's press conference has only UT and UK hats.  He's either pulling a USC hat out of nowhere or he just threw the local media a curveball that would impress Barry Zito of three years ago. 8:49  The camera just zoomed out to reveal Oregon and USC too.  I bet someone has a Lids Passport card. 9:02 UK receives letters from Demarco Robinson, Josh Clemons and DJ Warren. Robinson, who broke Georgia's high school receiving yards record last season, and Clemons, voted as Georgia's 4A Offensive Player of the Year,  should add speed to the offense. DJ Warren will likely just have copyright issues with this guy. 9:10 Dawson picks USC. I would like to start a motion to change February 2nd back from Lamar Dawson Day to Groundhog Day.  If you're emotionally fragile, cover your eyes:

9:30  Just poured a glass of orange juice.  Time to get re-charged for the second rush.  You should do the same.  Just a reminder:  Jon Davis announces at 1:30pm.

9:50  If you missed it, here is Dawson's announcement.  Here is the collective reaction of the UK fanbase (for Fake Gimel).

10:08  Another player is on the board:  Zach West of Lexington Christian, one of the highest profile names in the class, is now signed.  He becomes the first co-worker of Drew Franklin to accept a Division I scholarship and the first Cat to sign while on a mission trip in Costa Rica.  Tim Masthay would be very proud.  A very nice piece to have up front (that's what she said).

10:14  UK just received a signed LOI from defensive end David Washington, another Georgia All-State first-teamer.  He is one of the players being said to potentially be "special".  His mother thinks he already is. 10:25  Rumors now stirring that Darryl Collins will switch his verbal to UK at a 2pm press conference.  It was reported earlier this week that Collins had re-committed to the Tide, but he could be joining his primary recruiter, Tee Martin, in picking the Cats over Nick Saban's program. 10:30  Great news for UK bloggers everywhere:  Theltus "Bookie" Cobbins is now officially signed.  He is the nation's 26th-ranked dual threat quarterback and played only four games as a senior due to injury.  Three-star rating, five-star name. 10:38  The crown jewel is in:  UK just received All-American safety Glenn Faulkner's LOI, who can play both safety positions and potentially becomes a kinder "F" word ahead of "Winston Guy".  10:44  Tee Martin just said UK's motto for the spring is "Faceless and Nameless...Just Do Work."   I like it, but I don't know how they're going to fit it all on the back of mesh shorts. 10:48  Feel the air getting sucked out of the room?  It's Demling.  He's saying he's heard Jon Davis is headed to Illinois. 10:49  Cats announce signing of Rashad Cunningham.  He's a 6'4 receiver who received some bigger late offers after (I'm not making this up) his play improved after getting contact lenses.  The countdown until Matt calls him "Ahmad Rashad Cunningham" starts now. 11:00  Energy is fading fast.  LOI from three-star running back Marcus Caffey is in.  Yet another Georgia kid.  Martin said he coached against him two years ago and knew he was a big time star.  Called him one of the top two backs in Georgia this year.  11:01  Nine spots remaining as DJ Warren is not listed on UK's official list but was announced by Tweet Martin. 11:12  Tweet Martin just announced that there will be a "huge announcement" coming soon regarding UK's Signing Day.  It's a Lamar Dawson Day miracle! 11:15  Defensive end and Tennessee "Dream Team" member Christian Coleman is officially on board.  He's 6'4 and weighs 255 pounds, but doesn't necessarily qualify as "huge", right Coach Martin?  The suspense is killing me! 11:20  UK assistant Randy Sanders says that he is "a little disappointed in the timing of Ryan's (Mossakowksi) decision" when asked about where Max Smith is at this point.  Says that the timing of Mossakowski's transfer makes Smith's grayshirt huge and they are pleased with him. 11:24  This diary is nice, but it's not Alabama's "Fax Cam", which includes special "helpers".  Those poor girls will do anything for their national championship rings.  Take a look:

11:27  Speaking of "things that make you walk funny", Shaq Love just sent his LOI to the Cats.  The defensive lineman is another three-star talent and five-star name.

11:43  UK confirms DJ Warren's signing.  Only fitting the guy named DJ gets a remix.

11:54  The great name train continues to roll with the faxing of Alvin "Bud" Dupree's LOI.  Dupree is a three-star athlete expected to play defensive end, but was projected as a tight end by some and is believed to be one of the factors in Jon Davis wavering on his UK commitment.  He was also the recipient of a late offer from Florida State.

12:00 Worth noting on the Jon Davis watch:  UK assistant David Turner was very vague when asked where Dupree would play, noting his multiple skills and saying, "We don't know which side of the ball he will play yet but that is a good problem to have."

12:45  UKAthletics Tweets out the banners being hung as each recruit commits.  There are a lot of wives with sore fingers today.  Take a look:

12:46  All updates will now be posted as new posts at the top of the page.  Thanks for the fun times.  I love you.

-------- Signed to the 2011 class **** Glenn Faulkner, S, picked UK over Illinois, Kansas and Minnesota ***  Max Smith, QB, already on campus as grayshirt ***  Jabari Johnson, LB, already on campus as a grayshirt ***  Tim Patterson, LB, already on campus as a grayshirt ***  Ashely Lowery, S, picked UK over Illinois, UAB, Navy and Air Force, can jump ***  Darrian Miller, OL, picked UK over Louisville, Purdue and Tennessee ***  Nile Daniel, WR, picked UK over Maryland, USF and Troy ***  Eric Dixon, CB, picked UK over Louisville, USF and Louisiana Tech ***  Josh Clemons, RB, picked UK over Maryland, Northwestern and Mississippi State ***  DeMarco Robinson, WR, picked UK over Louisville, Minnesota and Marshall  ***  Zach West, OL, picked UK over Penn State and Tennessee ***  David Washington, DE, picked UK over Mississippi State and Virginia ***  Theltus Cobbins, QB, picked UK over Michigan and Tulane ***  Rashad Cunningham, WR, picked UK over Arkansas ***  Marcus Caffey, RB, picked UK over Purdue and Arkansas ***  Christian Coleman, DE, picked UK over Duke, Memphis and MTSU ***  Shaq Love, DE, picked UK over Duke, Vandy, Kansas and Memphis ***  Alvin "Bud" Dupree, TE/DE,  picked UK over Auburn, Florida State and Georgia Tech **   Farrington Huguenin, DE, picked UK over NC Central, South Carolina State and NC A&T NR DJ Warren, DE, de-committed from UT-Chattanooga