Baseball coach Nick Mingione knows Matt Ponatoski is a "special talent" in two sports. (Vicky Graff Photo)
Quarterback Matt Ponatoski was the marquee commitment that former Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops had before he was fired and the Moeller high school four-star player signed with UK when Will Stein took over as head coach.
Ponatoski is also a special baseball player who could go high in the Major League Draft in a few months and some even have speculated he could go so high that he might opt out of football. However, Ponatoski has made it clear he wants to play both sports in college and that certainly suits Kentucky baseball coach Nick Mingione.
Stein understood Ponatoski’s desire to play both sports and is fine with having his freshman quarterback on a part-time basis in the spring during baseball season.
“We’re just super excited about the ability,” Mingione said at UK’s Media Day on Tuesday. “I’ve had multiple conversations with Will already and his staff. … We’re fully ready for him to do both. We have a plan to make that happen.”
Why not? He’s that good and both coaches know that.
Mingione did say he had been impressed not only with Stein but also his staff.
Ponatoski did not enroll early at Kentucky so he could play his final year of high school baseball. He was the Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year in both baseball and football as a junior, a double-double that put him in elite company nationally.
“As a junior in the state of Ohio, a junior, he goes out and was named the Gatorade Player of the Year in football. The greatest honor you can win,” said Mingione. “Well then, what does he do? He follows that up with and goes out in the spring and dominates and he’s named the Gatorade Player of the Year as a baseball player. What do you think he’s going to do? I’m like play both.”
Mingione says there has been no reason for Ponatoski to give up one sport. He wanted to play both sports in the Southeastern Conference. Some schools were not willing to do that. Stoops and Mingione made it clear it could happen at UK and Stein quickly bought in when he replaced Stoops.
“What a special talent,” Mingione said.
3 Responses
What an athlete!
If he plays college ball, staying healthy will be the issue. He's small for a collegiate QB. That doesn't disqualify him by any means but keeping him healthy playing football will be tough. If he gets drafted in baseball, then he'll have think hard and long about the health part. Football could end both dreams.
Which sport holds his heart?