Kentucky Football Recruiting Rivals in Ohio are Here to Stay

There was a sweet spot in the early years of the Mark Stoops era where Kentucky’s new head coach could traverse the state of Ohio with Vince Marrow, largely unfettered by competition. Urban Meyer was recruiting at a national level, leaving most of the state’s top prospects up for grabs to other Power Five teams. It’s no longer free reign for Kentucky football recruiting in the state of Ohio.

Over the last two years three recruiting rivals have emerged for the Wildcats in the Buckeye State — Michigan State, Notre Dame and Cincinnati — all while Ohio State‘s Ryan Day has re-emphasized signing top in-state talent.

Kerry Coombs Raises the Stakes for Cincinnati

On Wednesday Cincinnati picked up a commitment from Braedyn Moore, a local talent ranked by 247 Sports as a four-star prospect and a Top 10 player in the state of Ohio. The addition of Moore gives the Bearcats the nation’s No. 12 recruiting class. It was all made possible thanks to one former Ohio State assistant.

Kerry Coombs was the Buckeyes’ defensive coordinator over the last two seasons. Prior to that, he spent three decades coaching high school football in Cincinnati. Now an assistant for the Bearcats, Coombs is using his connections to recruit talent typically targeted by Marrow, muddying the waters in Southwest Ohio.

Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame is Unwelcome

Before Coombs made moves for Luke Fickell, Marcus Freeman was Cincinnati’s most active recruiter in the state of Ohio. Many believed Fickell would bolt for a Big Ten opening. Instead, he has stuck around, while Freeman took his talents to Notre Dame. Promoted to head coach following Brian Kelly’s surprising departure, his staff has already thrown a wrench into Kentucky’s recruiting plans. Marrow did everything right in Aamil Wagner‘s recruitment, then the All-American blindsided everyone when he chose Notre Dame over Kentucky. Even though Freeman was not the lead recruiter for that shake-up, he will certainly be a power-player in Ohio moving forward.

It’s War vs. Michigan State’s Mel Tucker

The Spartan’s 2015 CFB Playoff appearance is ancient history. However, Mel Tucker’s splashy second season put Michigan State back on the map, both in the transfer portal and on the recruiting front. Kentucky won the first significant battle, edging out Sparty for Kiyaunta Goodwin‘s services. Michigan State had the upper hand in the portal by securing a commitment from Florida edge Khris Bogle, then Tucker followed it up with a pot shot by omitting a 10-win Kentucky team from his final coaches poll. As Marrow indicated on Twitter, that message was heard loud and clear at the Joe Craft Football Training Facility.

Limited Options in Ohio in 2023

In the 2023 recruiting class, most of the Top 10 players in the state of Ohio are either committed to Ohio State, Cincinnati or Notre Dame. The Wildcats still have a few irons in the fire. Last week Ohio TE Tanner LeMaster committed to UK. Marrow has Kentucky well positioned to land CB Jermaine Mathews, UK hosted four-star LB Arvell Reese last week and DL Kamari Burns left Lexington on a positive note after the spring game. However, the emergence of more powers in the area has increased the demand on a limited talent pool supply.

Fortunately, talent within the Commonwealth’s high school ranks has drastically improved in recent years. Marrow is signing fewer recruits from Ohio, while adding more from the state of Kentucky. The Wildcats may have more rivals in the fertile recruiting grounds of Ohio, but thanks to Scott Satterfield they do not have any in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.