Gavin Grover Feels "Homey" Connection During Visit to Kentucky

There’s just something about the University of Kentucky that keeps Gavin Grover coming back to Lexington.

Grover, a three-star tight end that attends Olentangy High School outside of Columbus (OH), was at Kentucky spring practice on Tuesday. Following the completion of his third trip to UK since last summer, he spoke with KSR about his burgeoning connection with the Kentucky football program.

“It was awesome. I had a really great day seeing practice. I was hanging out next to Coach Marrow and Coach Conrad, just building a relationship more because I’ve been there twice before, so we’re already familiar with each other, just kind of continuing to talk, get to know them,” Grover told KSR.

“I also liked talking to some of the guys. I talked with Brenden Bates a little bit to see his view of the program. Obviously, he loves it. He’s coming back for a fifth year. He just told me a lot of things about the program, what he likes and a few things he doesn’t like. It was pretty good. I enjoyed it for sure.”

In addition to conversations with Vince Marrow and C.J. Conrad, Grover has maintained contact with another Kentucky tight end, Josh Kattus, throughout his recruitment. He left his first visit impressed, particularly by the staff at CATS, but this visit ahead of his senior season just felt different.

“I honestly felt confident there. It almost felt like home a little bit. I’m starting to get that homey feel about Kentucky,” Grover said.

“It’s really cool to experience all of that. I’m really starting to get a good feel for the place and all of the people there. I think that’s what keeps me coming back is the people there. Coach Stoops and how he treats the guys, I think that’s amazing. Seeing practice, I just feel so comfortable around everybody there.”

A Buzz Around the Kentucky Offense

A 6-foot-6, 226-pound athlete, Grover is a three-star prospect and the No. 30 tight end in America according to the On3 Industry Ranking. His position was a priority in Kentucky’s previous offense, allowing Kattus to become an immediate impact freshman. It’s evident that will not disappear from Kentucky’s offense under Liam Coen this fall.

“I think it’s a little bit simpler with Coach Coen’s offense. I can hear the excitement from even Brenden Bates in the building. They’re excited to have Coach Coen. They all have really good relationships with him. They understand what he’s saying and how he’s conveying the offense to them. I can just feel the buzz in how they’re excited for this new offense,” said Grover.

The Kentucky offense is re-energized, but Mark Stoops has made it clear that the Cats cannot abandon the foundation of the program: toughness. That’s exactly how Marrow has built the Wildcats’ tight end room.

“The Midwest toughness, it’s grown from Ohio. That’s a huge focal point for them. They know the area and the guys from Ohio are those tough blue collar dudes and it’s shown success for Kentucky.”

How Volleyball Helps Gavin Grover on the Gridiron

Gavin Grover is a three-sport star. In addition to football, he joined the Olentangy basketball team to “dunk on some dudes.” The sport he grew up with is a bit more unconventional. His family is a volleyball family. As a young child, he spent the weekends traveling to Michigan to watch his sister play for Hillsdale College. That passion turned into playing the sport at a high level.

For four years Grover played club volleyball, primarily for Vanguard Volleyball, taking him all across the country. At a national competition in Orlando, he squared up against Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava. An outside hitter, he’s skilled enough to play all the way around, where he gets the chance to attack out of the back-row, his favorite part of playing the sport. Throughout his time on the volleyball court, he’s learned things that help him on the football field, particularly with hand-eye coordination and body control.

“With body control, being able to jump up, I’m max jumping and getting to the ball with perfect timing, That correlates to high-pointing a football. And controlling your body, keeping yourself inbounds (near the sideline), it correlates to volleyball, not running into the net. There are little things here and there that help me on the football field.”

He’s setting his club volleyball aspirations aside, only playing for his high school this spring to focus on football. However, there will always be one exception. Each summer his family competes for “The Grove Cup.” The winners of the grass tournament get their name engraved on the trophy and bragging rights for a year.

What’s Next in the Recruitment of Gavin Grover

Gavin Grover will continue his college spring break tour with a trip to Rutgers, West Virginia and Pitt. A trip to Duke is also on the docket for next Saturday. Following his visits, he will narrow his list to three or five top schools.

“Kentucky will definitely be a part of that final list because I have a great time down there.”