Keeping players like Ty Bryant, right, has to be a priority for Mark Stoops and Kentucky. (Vicky Graff Photo)
The early signing period for high school football players runs Dec. 3-5 (mid-year junior college transfers can also sign beginning Dec. 3) and Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said at his press conference Monday there “will be irons in the fire” for UK. However, he warned that recruiting is far different in the transfer portal/NIL era.
“It is very different now, as you know. It is different. You are having conversations with your own team right now. You have to build this team from the inside out. You have to start with your guys on your team,” Stoops said. “Some of the biggest recruiting battles that we will have are with our own team.
“That is no different than anyone in the country, everyone wants to retain their good players and build out from there. Yes, there are some others.”
Stoops also talked about developing players, how to spend recruiting money, retaining assistant coaches and junior college recruiting.
On developing guys and what to make of this class…
Stoops: “We want to recruit well all the time. I was about to give you a soundbite that I don’t really want out there (laughter). You know what I mean? Let me just bite my tongue. It’s very different now. I think we all know that you have to … we are a better football team this year than last year. I know you can write and make what you want of that – headlines, whatever you want. But I know we are a better football team and I feel confident that we will continue to grow this thing. You have to look at a roster in one-year increments right now. There are some schools that have – again, I am not afraid to talk about it anymore, let’s not dance around it – there are some schools that have a boatload of money to buy high school kids. I need to make sure those kids can help us win next year. That make sense? I only have so much money, you have to get your team, you have to get fillers for next year and then you have to be able to recruit high school kids. There is a lot to it.”
On retaining assistant coaches…
Stoops: “I am already talking with Marc Hill about that right now. Obviously, Marc and Mitch (Barnhart) will work closely together with me. We’re working through that. There is a lot to still work through. There is a little more time with the way the portal sets up this year, but still you are constantly building for the future, both with your team and your staff.”
On junior college recruiting…
Stoops: “Sometimes out of junior college they replace some of the high school (players), right? Because you get a guy with multiple years. Sometimes with the free agents so to speak, you don’t want all of them to be one-year guys. You would like to have some multiple, some guys (with multiple years remaining). They are a little more mature, they have some more football under their belt, we have seen more on tape and you maybe feel a little more confident that they can come in and help you next year and have multiple years. The free agent market is awfully expensive.”
