Jager Burton with his parents
Jäger Burton has his “heels in the dirt about wanting to go early” to college and the standout Frederick Douglass offensive lineman verbally committed to Kentucky months ago thinking his decision was finalized. However, that was before the passing of offensive line coach John Schlarman recently — a man Burton knew well and wanted to play for at UK.
“All this has been heavy on his heart,” said Teresa Burton, Jager’s mother. “He is hoping he will know who the new offensive line coach is going to be before signing day so he can have that information. If the info is not there for a solid decision, he can wait and continue to work out and do all the things he’s been doing but he has his heels in the dirt about wanting to go early.”
Burton’s mother says their family was devastated like everyone else with Schlarman’s passing after a two-plus year battle with cancer.
“We were realistic in knowing the likelihood was small that coach Schlarman would be there Jager’s whole time,” Teresa Burton said. “We had that discussion as a family with Jager because we knew that was a big piece of why he picked UK. But to not even have the opportunity to play for John was heartbreaking for him.
“We are just waiting and hoping to have the opportunity before signing day to know who they are brining on board as the permanent person (to coach the offensive line).”
Former college and NFL coach Jeff Jagodzinski was brought in after Schlarman’s death to help with the offensive line. Stoops has said he will “evaluate the entire situation and see what is going on with the entire staff” once the season ends.
Teresa Burton said Stoops did a “nice job” keeping their family updated on Schlarman’s condition.
“He was very honest with Jager and us,” she said. “I have so much respect for that because during recruiting some coaches will just look at you and lie. He could have done that but he was very, very honest and I respect that about Mark a lot. That gave Jager the opportunity to reassess some things.
“Who the (offensive line) coach is is very impactful. That is the person Jager will spend 90 percent of his time with so there is still a lot for him to think about.”
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Burton is one of the top rated offensive guards in the country and rated as the No. 1 recruit in Kentucky in the 2021 recruiting class. He also had Ohio State, Alabama, Clemson and Oregon in his final five before picking Kentucky before his season started.
