SEC Underdog Getting Hot on Recruiting Trail

The start of October has always raised spirits at the University of Kentucky, as fans start getting excited for the start of another championship run on the hardwood.  It is rare that the Wildcats football team elicits the same reaction. 

However, after the Wildcats beat South Carolina 45-38 to improve to 4-1, fans in the Bluegrass State are harboring visions of winning the SEC’s Eastern Division.

The hot start on the field has also translated to the recruiting trail, as 2015 4-star Ohio twins Andrew and David Dowell and 2016 3-star Georgia corner Jordan Griffin pledged to Kentucky over the weekend.  

The 6’0”, 170-pound Griffin said the atmosphere inside Commonwealth Stadium for the win over the Gamecocks contributed to his decision to end the recruiting process. As Griffin told Bleacher Report:

"

It was a crazy experience. I always had a feel for Kentucky. They were my first offer so it meant a lot to me. Me and Coach Derrick Ansley, we have a great relationship. I never had a relationship like that with any of the coaches who have recruited me. I felt like that offer wasn’t just a regular offer. It really meant something. The environment was crazy. The fanbase was incredible. I felt like it was the place for me. Just seeing that smile on my mother’s face at the time, it was enough for me to go ahead and make that decision.

"

There may be more good news on the way. 

Quarterback Zerrick Cooper—a 4-star recruit in the class of 2016 and a high-school teammate of Griffin—is on the verge of announcing his commitment, with Kentucky and Clemson among his favorites, per Josh Edwards of CatsPause (subscription required).

“It would be a great experience to play with Zerrick in college,” Griffin said. “We’re like best friends. He hasn’t really committed yet. I know the tweets are going around, but his top two is still Clemson and Kentucky. He’s still narrowing it down to see where he wants to go.”

The Wildcats picked a good week for the upset as a number of other key targets were in the stands on Saturday. 

5-star in-state senior running back Damien Harris—arguably the top player on the board for the Wildcats—was also in attendance last weekend and came away duly impressed. 

The Bluegrass State’s top junior prospect—4-star offensive lineman Drake Jackson—was also present for UK’s huge win and the visit seemed to make a lasting impression on him as well.

While the floodgates are seemingly open for top recruits to head to Lexington, it’s important to note that the Wildcats’ fast start on the field was preceded by big wins on the recruiting trail early in Stoops’ tenure.

The Wildcats finished with the No. 34 class in 2013—which Stoops and his staff finished out after being hired just a couple of months before signing day.

In the three years prior to his arrival in Lexington, the ‘Cats average class ranking was 45th in the nation. Factoring in Kentucky’s last two classes and its current one, the Wildcats have improved that number to No. 26 nationally.

Class Year	Rank	Coaching Staff
2010	48	Joker Phillips
2011	37	Joker Phillips
2012	50	Joker Phillips
2013	34	Mark Stoops
2014	22	Mark Stoops
2015	23	Mark Stoops

The Wildcats have done a tremendous job of focusing on their home state and surrounding areas such as Ohio while also spreading out to fertile territories such as Florida and Georgia.

With the positive momentum resulting in a perfect storm of enthusiasm from the fanbase and wins on the field, the buzz surrounding Kentucky football is seemingly at an all-time high. As Griffin told Bleacher Report:

"

I’ve noticed that a lot of recruits are starting to become attracted to Kentucky. It has been a hot topic with Kentucky. I’m really excited about the class that is coming in this year and the class we’re building with 2016. Watching them play, it’s tremendous. Those guys play their hearts out. They came from going 2-10 last year and they are already 4-1 now and should be 5-0. It’s been a crazy experience for them.

"

If the wins keep piling up this season, expect that trend to push the Wildcats' efforts on the recruiting trail to new heights.

Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained firsthand, and all recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.

Follow @SanjayKirpalani