By LARRY VAUGHT
Could anything keep four-star athlete Wandale Robinson of Western Hills from signing with Kentucky when the national football signing period opens Dec. 19?
Actually, there is. But it is not a reason many have considered.
The biggest worry from UK fans had been that Purdue coach Jeff Brohm would leave the Boilermakers to become the new head coach at Louisville, his alma mater. Brohm has recruited Robinson for Purdue. He signed talented Trinity receiver Rondale Moore last year – and he became one of the nation’s top freshmen players this season – and has a verbal commitment from receiver Milton Wright of Louisville Christian Academy this year.
Purdue co-offensive coordinator/receivers coach Jamaarcus Shephard was in Frankfort Tuesday making another recruiting pitch to Robinson even as rumors continued that Brohm remained Louisville’s top coaching target.
“As of right now, I know he (Brohm) is still going to be at Purdue. I am sure he won’t just come out and tell one recruit he’s going to another school obviously,” Robinson smiled and said Tuesday. “I will probably figure it out at the same moment that everyone else finds out if he was to switch schools.”
Well, everyone figured it out Wednesday night when Brohm released a statement saying he would stay at Purdue despite Louisville’s all-out push to lure him back home.
Nebraska, another of Robinson’s six finalists, is sending running backs coach Ryan Held to Kentucky to make one more pitch to him.
“Most of the schools have kind of backed off but there are a few still trying to recruit me,” Robinson, who turned down Ohio State and Alabama, said.
So what could make him change his commitment to Kentucky?
“Maybe if something happened to the UK football staff. That would be about it,” Robinson said. “Say coach Stoops or (receivers) coach (Michael) Smith got a different job. That would be really the only way I would reconsider. Then I would have to think about it.”
Considering Kentucky went 9-3 and will be going to its third straight bowl, maybe Robinson is wise beyond his years to understand that coaching changes do occur and Stoops might get some offseason overs. But Robinson still seems all-in on Kentucky, especially after Sunday’s home visit from Stoops, offensive coordinator Eddie Gran, receivers coach Michael Smith and recruiting coordinator Vince Marrow.
“It was a really good visit. They got to the house around 1:30 and stayed for quite a while. We had a really good lunch and time,” Robinson said. “That was the most coaches that have ever been to the school or my house, and it was really good.”
