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November 27, 2012

Mark Stoops Hired at Kentucky

Interesting hire. He's been rumored to be the next guy at several places, including Florida State if Jimbo were to leave the Seminoles. So you have to think Fisher isn't going to Auburn. It remains to be seen, this seems like a very good and timely hire for the Wildcats, especially for their 2013 recruiting.

His connections in Ohio should yield dividends for Kentucky. It never made sense that the SEC program only 80 miles south of Cincinnati didn't do much football recruiting in Ohio. They'll never get the guys that tOSU is targeting but they would be able to get some of those WR-RB-QB types that Cincy and other programs in the B1.5G get. That would be a significant step up in offensive talent for the Wildcats.

Stoops is a defensive guy. He's done good things with FSU's defense. His coordinator hires will be interesting, and I expect him to get his brother Ron, Jr. to join him in some capacity at Kentucky. It wouldn't surprise me to see Brian Van Gorder in the mix up there either, considering his knowledge of the conference.

TD

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes but his Ohio Connections are long ago and from the wrong part of Ohio. The Stoops brothers are from Youngstown which is SE Ohio and long way from Lexington. Those guys grow up wanting to be Buckeyes if they can't be that then they go to be Mountaineers, or Nittany Lions, or Panthers, or Bobcats. If KY was serious about someone with OH connections, Butch Jones made way more sense because he could tap into the more talented and populous areas of Ohio (that are slightly growing) - Cincinnati and Columbus.

Tony Waller said...

Hadn't thought of it that way, but to be sure, they made a run at Jones. Jones said no. I'm a bit surprised they didn't go after Frank Solich or Darrell Hazell (although I'm guessing Hazell will have better offers soon enough). Either they made quiet inquiries and didn't want the disgrace of being told by Solich and Hazell to go away or that Stoops name trumped them.

 
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