Hayes Johnson's official visit to Kentucky was a "learning experience" more than anything

Hayes Johnson wasn’t quite sure what to expect when he began his official visit to Kentucky over the weekend. After all, it would all be brand new to him.

The 6-foot-3, 295-pound offensive tackle was the first class of 2024 prospect to commit to the Wildcats back in January. Johnson, a three-star recruit, never even thought to consider another school once Kentucky got seriously involved. He’d visited the Lexington campus several times in the past, but never for an official visit, where everything is paid for on the dime of the program. His OV to Kentucky is the only one he scheduled and the only one he’ll take.

Johnson’s recruitment has been a joy-ride so far, from his famous call into KSR about geese hunting to kicking off Kentucky’s 2024 recruiting class, it’s been all smiles for the Taylor County product and BBN fan since birth. His official visit, however, was serious business. Sure, he was treated to more meals than even he could eat through, but it was on his visit that he learned just how tough making it at the SEC level will actually be.

“It was good. It was fun, building that relationship a little bit more. But I think one of the things I took from it is how — this is gonna be hard,” Johnson told KSR on Monday. “These next five years, it’s gonna be a grind just to get in there and get after it and be the football player that I want to be. I got to talk to a lot of guys that were in there not long ago. Courtney Love, Drake (Jackson), and I kinda got to hear their story and it kinda put into perspective what these years are gonna be like.

“I’m going from playing county ball high school football in the state of Kentucky to playing SEC football, a step below the NFL. I knew it was gonna be hard. But it’s gonna be a grind. And I think that’s one of the things I’m willing to accept. I love the grind. I love just playing, competing. Just mean, nasty football. I love that. And I know I get to do about five more years of it, so that makes me happy as can be.”

Gang💙 #BBN pic.twitter.com/thISSZNSqt

— Hayes Johnson (@hjohnson_71) June 11, 2023

Johnson enjoyed every moment of his official visit to UK. He was able to hang out with his future teammates in Cutter Boley and Aba Selm, tour the entire campus, meet with current Wildcats such as Grant Bingham (his host on the visit) Josh Kattus, Deuce Hogan, and Ty Bryant, played the role of recruiter in the mold of “The Big Dog”, and even had his first-ever meal at Jeff Ruby’s. But it wasn’t the camaraderie that stuck out to him the most — it was how everything he soaked in better prepared him for life as a student-athlete once he arrives on campus for good.

“It was just an awesome weekend,” Johnson said. “Your official visits, they’re supposed to be fun and showing a good time but I think mine was more of a learning experience for me. That really helps. I want to go to Kentucky just because of what it means to be me being a Kentucky player, being the best player I can be. And now I’ve been given some of the answers to that test of how to do it. It’s been an awesome weekend.”

This past weekend wasn’t a learning experience for just Johnson, though. As someone who’s been immersed in the program since a young age, he still partially knows what head coach Mark Stoops is all about. But the other official visitors? They would need some catching up. There aren’t many better options to play the role of recruiter for Kentucky football than Hayes Johnson.

“I know it’s been a Stoops motto for years — why not? But why not? I mean you’re coming to play in the SEC, this place is freaking awesome,” Johnson said, describing his recruiting pitch. “I grew up a Kentucky fan so I know. Kentucky fans are die-hard. If you’re winning, it’s the best thing in the world and if you’re losing it sucks. But you try not to lose (laughs). It’s a coaching staff that is just amazing. I knew our coaching staff was good before I started getting recruited, but afterward, I could really see how Mark Stoops is able to turn this program around when he got here.

“And honestly, besides being a fan, that’s the reason I came here is I love this coaching staff. From Coach Stoops down to some of the GAs (graduate assistants) and guys just in there helping, I mean they’re all awesome. Talk to all of them and you build a personal relationship with all of them, and that was what helped me this weekend. I got to talk to these guys about how it’s gonna be. They’re trying to help me get to be the best player I can be. That’s how you think every coaching staff would be, but sadly it’s not sometimes.”

Safe to say, Johnson is wholly locked into his spot with the Wildcats. His official visit weekend wasn’t what he envisioned, but he left Lexington and went back home to Campbellsville with an entirely different perspective of what life will be like at the next level — and he can’t wait to get it started.

“I didn’t think it was going to be like that at all,” Johnson said. “I thought we were gonna go in there and have fun and they were gonna wine and dine us — which they did, but a lot of the conversations were more serious conversations than I’ve ever had. I’m happy it happened. I’m glad it happened. I needed it. I’m ready to get in there in January. I’m ready to get in there.”