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Just heard an interesting football recruiting interview...

  • While driving from the office, I just heard an interview with UL defensive coordinator Vance Bedford. Bedford had some interesting takes. For those that don't know, he and Strong were at UF together for a while under Urban Meyer. He also served as their recruiting coordinator.

    The topic came up regarding where he and his staff at UL want to focus their efforts, specifically if they need to do a better job recruiting kids in the state of KY?

    His reply-(not word for word, but close).. We're gonna recruit the very top kids in the city of Louisville that have a certain speed we require. We're not gonna recruit many of the kids out in the state that other schools will recruit simply due to not having the speed we're targeting......We're gonna recruit several kids in Georgia, a handful in Alabama, and a few in Cinci Metro. But, by and large, a vast majority of the kids we target will come from Florida, specifically South Florida. Why? As a staff that came from UF and has seen the best of the best across the Southeastern part of the U.S., we all know that the fastest players in America, regardless of position, come from South Florida, they just do. Nobody can put their finger on it. But that's just the way it is. Urban Meyer felt passionate about it. So, we're trying to put together the fastest defense and fastest collection of offensive skill players that have ever played in the Big East. We know that if we commit ourselves to 2-3 more years of dedicated recruiting in South Florida, we'll easily accomplish our goal. We're gonna have SEC type speed at every single position if we stay true to the plan for 2-3 more years.

    Thoughts?

    All I know is that I'm glad Joker and Co have decided to make a much more significant effort in Florida. Also, if we do have a coaching vacancy, it would be a very smart move to hire someone with extensive recruiting ties down there. Urban Meyer isn't very likable, but he's a genius with regards to evaluating talent and personel. If he truly is as adament about South Florida being the sweet spot, we neeed to get in on that action.

    MinterWonderlnd

  • Sounds like a CYA for not being able to recruit in the state.

    DACats86

  • He'll do it if a.) he stays long enough and b.) he can keep everyone eligible.

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    Twitter - @JEdwar247

    Josh Edwards

  • Kids from Kentucky should be given a copy of that interview by the UK staff. That is quite a smack in the face for almost all of them.

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    "Kentucky Football needs to be and will be a championship contender in the SEC."~Mitch Barnhart 11/4/12

    rgunslinger

  • Personally,
    I don't buy it being a speed only thing. I think that is where their best relationships are. It cost less and is easier to focus in smaller areas. I don't think there is anything "genius" about this strategy. There are a lot of good athletes there. (Nothing new about it)

    Per capita Miss has more NFL players, not South Florida.

    gg4uk

  • gg4uk said...

    Personally, I don't buy it being a speed only thing. I think that is where their best relationships are. It cost less and is easier to focus in smaller areas. I don't think there is anything "genius" about this strategy. There are a lot of good athletes there. (Nothing new about it)

    Per capita Miss has more NFL players, not South Florida.

    This.

    Whitaker568

  • South Florida has good players? Wow.....who knew? Give Vance Bedford the Captain Obvious trophy...

    JDHoss

  • We've had some speedsters also, Derek Abney from Wisconsin, Craig Yeast from Kentucky, Derrick Locke from Oklahoma, Alphonso Smith from Louisville, etc.

    You can get speed from many different places including South Florida.

    wildcatharry

  • Talk is cheap.

    Rutgers has had small
    Success with that strategy. Not sure if they can count on that strategy.

    hoptownukfan

  • I didn't know that South Florida kids were the fastest in America. Must be all that running from immigration gets them into shape.

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    The meanest dog in Taiwan.

    mrhotdice

  • Luke Stampini, south Florida recruiting analyst, has linked this thread in a Tweet.

    DACats86

  • Tried to link a picture FAIL.

    This post was edited by TheMayor on 5/27/2011 at 9:59 AM

    attachment
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    @JABeek

    TheMayor ●

  • Was he implying that outside of Louisville, it gets too "white" and thus... slower speed? I think that was kind of a racist statement. Maybe I'm wrong... that's just how I read it.

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    JawJacker

  • You don't get SEC speed by only taking the players left over from Florida, Florida State and Miami (not to mention the other big time SEC and ACC programs that recruit down there). If they're concentrating only on South Florida they'll have trouble filling their squad with players. Sure there is speed down there, but it's not like kids in Miami and dying to spend four years in Louisville. These coaches forget they're getting paid to live in Louisville, these kids aren't. They have options.

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    Twitter: @LeeWeatherly <><><><><><><><><>Join the K Fund 110% Club - http://www.ukathletics.com/sports/kfund/spec-rel/110-club.html

    LeeW

  • Who the hell doesn't recruit South Florida? I am sure UL fans are calling this the greatest recruiting idea in the history of football. Guess the UL staff doesn't care about KY kids because they won't be there long.

    PAXCAT

  • PAXCAT said...

    Who the hell doesn't recruit South Florida? I am sure UL fans are calling this the greatest recruiting idea in the history of football. Guess the UL staff doesn't care about KY kids because they won't be there long.

    ^This

    blue mold

  • rgunslinger said...

    Kids from Kentucky should be given a copy of that interview by the UK staff. That is quite a smack in the face for almost all of them.

    That is a really good point. Someone should bring that up to the UK FB staff. It is right on.

    NashvilleCat197

  • DA, can you link his tweet? Or what was he tweeting?

    gg4uk

  • I'll try, I'm on mobile:

    Louisville DC Vance Bedford sounds like a smart man... #SPEED in #SoFla http://kentucky.247sports.com/Board/296/Just-heard-an-interesting-football-recruiting-interview-2423652

    DACats86

  • Speed is a great asset to have on the football field but it isn't the only asset. I hope UL goes after all that speed and ignores the state of KY. After the big dogs get their fill of South Florida kids UL can have the scraps that can't play ball but boy, they'll be fast... DWS!

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    Stoopified!

    cobbycobb

  • But, can UofL attract those elite, fast athletes in south FL? They will compete with the SEC, Miami for them. If you're a top prospect, where do you go?

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    "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." ~ Emerson

    alphacat93

  • It's a fact that those south Florida kids are faster than the winds---and it is a bit of a mystery as to why. I've been sorta disappointed the last few years that UK hasn't recruited that area nearly as well as they were doing some years ago. Seems we moved north to Georgia where we get some mighty fine players, but we still need more work in Florida

    t75

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