Thursday's Dan Jansen Recruiting News

A shorter than normal batch of recruiting news tonight as I have found myself under the weather. I have spent most of the post 5 oclock hours in bed, but awoke to give recruiting news.....it waits for no man!!! (1) The big news this evening is of course the commitment of one Chris Barnes to the University of Georgia. Barnes made this decision on Monday, and has done his best to keep the suspense "Survivor-style" by publically eliminating one school at a time over the last few days. Barnes told me of his decision on Monday, but asked that we keep it private until tonight.....which I of course then slept thru, but oh well. This decision was really one that is mutually beneficial to both parties. Barnes was likely headed for UK, until UK began expressing less interest. UK expressed less interest beginning last week and had not contacted Chris since the Patterson visit. I like Barnes as a kid, but I think this is the best for both parties. I dont see Barnes as an upgrade over in-state Jeff Brooks and he isnt in the ballpark of Patterson. It is however a calculated risk by UK. They feel great about their position with Patterson, but it is slowly becoming the case that the backups to Patterson are fewer and fewer. We shall see how it all plays out..... (2) Marshall Moses will be visiting UK on November 4th. There is no doubt in my mind that Moses is UK's if they want him....and the kid has no other visits scheduled. There are however academic issues in play so it still remains to be seen whether he makes the 07 class. THe most likely scenario is a visit by Moses on the 4th, followed by a potential commitment that COULD be effective for 07 or 08 depending on the academic situation. I am a HUGE Moses guy. While he is probably most likely a three, he could be an effective forward next to Stewart and make an athletic frontline that is unlike anything UK has had in some time. I hope this gets locked up soon, and I believe it will. (3) James Anderson will also be visiting UK on November 4th. Once again, Anderson was convinced to make this visit by Jai Lucas and thus I see this visit as nothing but good news. Anderson is also scheduled to visit OSU this weekend (again with Lucas) and Kentucky does need to survive this weekend in order to stay in play for both guy. But it is hard for me to read this news as anything less than a positive sign in the quest for Lucas. I still think Anderson is a long shot.....but you just never know and getting the last of his fifth visits is certianly an exciting development for UK. (4) There actually may be a little lull in news and commitments over the next few weeks, with the postponement of the visits of Moses and the Morris twins. However things in 08 are certainly perking up. I heard from a great source today that UK has become the leader for Scotty Hopson, which is great news. Hopson may be the best Kentucky product in 10 years and if UK can lock him up, that would be a great sign for the school. Bud Mackey on the other hand communicated via his MYspace site that Indiana is his leader and he is "ready to be a Hoosier." Of course he has been to one school and this may explain a lot. Losing Mackey is not a huge deal IF you get Hopson and maybe Miller. But you dont want to strike out on the whole class.... (5) I am hearing that the UK staff feels better about this recruiting class than any in a number of years. They think they will get all their top targets. This says very little about whether they actually will get them (sometimes the staffs are the last to know) but it gives some insight into what the emphasis of the staff has been recently. Should have some more stuff tomorrow night and then we move towards the Blue-White game this weekend. Should have a lot more tomorrow and if you havent, scroll down and make your picks in the Choose or Lose challenge. Time is a wasting.....