Steve Clinkscale (UK Athletics Photo)
One reason four-star defensive back Alex Afari wanted to play at Kentucky was the way secondary coach Steve Clinkscale has groomed players for the NFL. Cornerback Lonnie Johnson and safety Mike Edwards went in the second and third rounds of the 2019 draft. Cornerback Kelvin Joseph went in round two in the recent draft and Brandin Echols in round six.
UK has ranked in the top five in SEC pass defense each of the last three seasons — including No. 1 finishes in 2019 and 2020.
Kentucky associate coach/recruiting coordinator Vince Marrow praised Clinkscale and linebacker coach Jon Sumrall for their recruiting prowess at the Louisville Quarterback Club on Friday.
“You have got to be a people person in this business,” Marrow said. “If you are not, you will not survive in this business. Jon and Clink work hard but they are good people and know how to relate to people. Jon can go anywhere in the country and recruit people and Clink has that old school personality that everyone loves.”
But Clinkscale is taking his coaching and recruiting prowess to Michigan for a three-year contract and significant salary upgrade to become the defensive pass game coordinator/defensive backs coach for coach Jim Harbaugh. Michigan had flirted with hiring Clinkscale the previous two years but this time Harbaugh had a financial package that showed how impressed he was with Clinkscale’s work at UK.
Remember how Clinkscale helped UK shock everyone when it signed five-star Michigan lineman Justin Rogers two years ago. Clinkscale also got receiver Earnest Sanders out of Michigan.
Nose guard Marquan McCall, linebacker DeAndre Square (a Michigan prep standout) and defensive back Yusuf Corker were all Clinkscale recruits. All are expected to be starters this season.
Clinkscale helped Kentucky secure a commitment from Michigan defensive back Jeremiah Caldwell in the 2022 recruiting class as well as the talented twins — Destin and Keaten Wade of Tennessee.
Clinkscale was set to make $500,000 this season at Kentucky but now has a three-year deal worth more money so it’s hard to fault him for taking this opportunity.
He will definitely be missed at UK but one thing we have learned — Stoops can evaluate coaching talent as well as player talent. His hires overall have been very good and with UK’s recent success there is no reason to think Stoops will not bring another quality coach on board to replace Clinkscale.
