Alabama standout Koby Keenum gives UK the athletic center that Zach Yenser wanted

Koby Keenum is the No. 3 center in the 2023 recruiting class and Saturday he committed to Kentucky. (Twitter Photo)

It was a week ago that some wondered about Kentucky football’s 2023 recruiting after South Warren star defensive back Conyer Christian picked Tennessee over Kentucky.

That’s the type of in-state recruiting loss that UK coach Mark Stoops and recruiting coordinator Vince Marrow have not had often, especially coming off a 10-win season for the second time in four years.

But those recruiting doubts certainly have quieted down thanks to a pair of Alabama players both picking UK. First it was four-star defensive back Avery Stuart and then Saturday it was three-star offensive lineman Koby Keenum, the nation’s third-ranked center in the 2023 recruiting class according to Rivals.com.

The 6-4, 300-pound Keenum had taken official visits to Penn State, North Carolina and Louisville along with Kentucky. His other offers included Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Cincinnati, Michigan, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Notre Dame.

He plays tackle for Mars Hill Bible School in Florence which has a run-oriented offense but coach Darrell Higgins says he should easily be able to play guard or center in college.

“He’s really athletic and gets to the second level pretty easily because he comes off blocks so well,” Higgins said. “He’s a great kid but he’s got a mean streak in him.”

Maybe that’s why the coach will also use him at nose guard on defense this season

“He will make our defense a lot better with him in the middle like that,” Higgins said.

Higgins said that UK offensive line coach Zach Yenser did a great job recruiting Keenum.

“I think everything just lined up for him with Kentucky,” Higgins said. “They run a pro-style offense. They were looking for an athletic center and Yenser thinks he is the perfect guy. Yenser came in late (he was hired at UK in mid-February) and I really thought it would be too late. But he was very adamant about how much he wanted Koby.”

“He wants him to learn under a great center (Eli Cox) who he thinks might get drafted in a year and then Koby could take over. He will have a couple of springs to train and grow watching him because he will start at Kentucky in January.”

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Higgins will join us on Sunday Morning Sports Talk at 10:05 EST to talk about Keenum. At 10:30 we will have coach Michael Summers to talk about Stuart.