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Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 07-16-2014, 12:36 PM:

Good to see us get some publicity.

Tom Luginbill, who played quarterback one year at Eastern Kentucky University, is national football recruiting director for ESPN. He has been impressed with the talent Kentucky coach Mark Stoops has brought in since his arrival at UK and likes the direction the Kentucky program is headed.

He shared these insights during a break from his ESPN duties at Southeastern Conference Media Days here this week.

Question: What does getting into the Maryland-Washington, D.C., recruiting area mean for UK?
Luginbill: “It is huge. You have Washington, D.C., and Maryland and Virginia and that whole area is so plentiful in terms of prospects and there’s enough to go around to supplement teams in the ACC and the SEC. I think what they have done is say we are going into a certain area and we are making overtures and if there is a positive response, our time is worth spending there. If we are not getting a positive response, then let’s not waste our time and get back into areas where we are. As they branched out, they have been very clear about areas where they felt it was a good fit.”

Question: How big was it to keep Drew Barker at UK and not South Carolina and then Matt Elam at UK and not Alabama?
Luginbill: “I think that is big. You have to win the state. Louisville has been hot over the last several years, so you beat Louisville for guys even if you are in different conferences, it’s big. You don’t have a lot of guys in that state, so you have to keep the best at home.”

Question: What do you see at quarterback this year for Kentucky?
Luginbill: “I don’t know. I think they are going to be improved. I think they are going to be more athletic. But time will tell. They have to settle on a guy and settle full time.”

Question: What do you think of Neal Brown’s offense?
Luginbill: “He is fast paced. It is an exciting scheme. I think that is an attractive thing in recruiting as well. They can throw the ball all over the lot. They want to be an up tempo team. Right now that is what is resonating in recruiting. It is what is attractive to prospects, so I think that allows them to go in and recruit some skill that maybe they didn’t have access to before.”

Question: How much does finally renovating Commonwealth Stadium help?
Luginbill: “A lot. It shows a commitment on behalf of the university that football is important and that needs to be said and stated not just in words but in actions so recruits can see this is not just a basketball school because they are making serious commitment for football to be strong.”

Question: Could Kentucky be a SEC Eastern Division contender in three years?
Luginbill: “Let’s just say I don’t think they will be the Kentucky they are now.”

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