'14 KY DT Matt Elam (Kentucky Verbal)

[T Town Tommy]

It just hit me. This is the way we expected kids this age to act in a simpler time, before we started throwing them into combat half way around the world. We had less expectations of pseudo-adult action and responsibility, and were just fine with kids staying kids a few years (longer).

I just get the feeling that this kid has a wonderful homespun world view. I wonder if from this perspective if his decision, and the way he sees the world isn't to Kentucky or not Kentucky. That explains heartbreak. The shocker as he relates this to his followers then would be that he selects the "40 year decision" over playing for the NC and the SEC and the Tide, because of course this is also an ND versus SEC decision.

I love Kentucky (the state, spent a lot of time there since childhood). But I have found that when I went there with my voice, I feel as if it may have taken a while for those around me to warm up to me. I feel that was different than WVa, NCar, or Tenn. There every time, everybody was flat out friendly! So the fact that there may be a more visceral anti-north, and or anti-Catholic sentiment, may explain the parade of adjectives.

The only issue with this theory is the fact that Elam lives in an area that has a sizeable Catholic population. Don't know if he has any religious affiliation however.

Being born and raised in the great state of Kentucky, I can say that depending on where you live in the state may dictate the welcome an outsider may get. While I have been trying to give the northern part of the state to Ohio for years, the great residents of Covington, Erlanger, etc., have been trying to ship me and my kin off to Tenn and W Va for years. As a now resident of Alabama I can say without excuse that there are times I miss my Ole Kentucky Home.

 

[Cackalacky]

The only issue with this theory is the fact that Elam lives in an area that has a sizeable Catholic population. Don't know if he has any religious affiliation however.

Being born and raised in the great state of Kentucky, I can say that depending on where you live in the state may dictate the welcome an outsider may get. While I have been trying to give the northern part of the state to Ohio for years, the great residents of Covington, Erlanger, etc., have been trying to ship me and my kin off to Tenn and W Va for years. As a now resident of Alabama I can say without excuse that there are times I miss my Ole Kentucky Home.

As another former resident of the state Tommy is correct. I came from a town of 8,000 people in Eastern Kentucky where there were 6 Catholic Churches. I moved to SC into a town of 55,000 people with 1 catholic church.

Plus in some parts of KY you are just an outsider no matter where you are from (if you are not local). Particularly Eastern Kentucky. The people there are some of the most independent people I have ever encountered.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

The Catholic thing isn't big. Anyway. I just have noticed it in the past, in places in Kentucky. And, it seems like there is at least one recruit a cycle that has a problem with the Catholicism, although I think that is dissipating most recently. Thanks probably to Manti, and some others.

 

[JughedJones]

The Catholic thing isn't big. Anyway. I just have noticed it in the past, in places in Kentucky. And, it seems like there is at least one recruit a cycle that has a problem with the Catholicism, although I think that is dissipating most recently. Thanks probably to Manti, and some others.

There's a whole lot of folks out there that love ND and don't consider the Catholic part of it to be a big deal.

Whether they be non-practicing Catholics, Jews/Muslims/Mormons/Non-Believers who play/root for the team, or folks like me who just don't care.

ND means so much, religion is a beautiful and serious part of it, but it's not everything.

 

[Ironman8]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>My Final Two College Choices Alabama And UK !! Hats Will Be On The Table !! Which One Will I Choose ?? <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23BBN&src=hash">#BBN</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Bama&src=hash">#Bama</a></p>— Matt Elam™6⃣9⃣ (@FballIsLife69) <a href="https://twitter.com/FballIsLife69/statuses/413804713297973248">December 19, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Ironman8]

A lot of mail for naught lol.

I don't think this is as big of a miss as others will. Good luck to Matt.

 

[irishff1014]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>My Final Two College Choices Alabama And UK !! Hats Will Be On The Table !! Which One Will I Choose ?? <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23BBN&src=hash">#BBN</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Bama&src=hash">#Bama</a></p>— Matt Elam™6⃣9⃣ (@FballIsLife69) <a href="https://twitter.com/FballIsLife69/statuses/413804713297973248">December 19, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I think a lot of people knew this is how it has been for a while now.

 

[Emcee77]

I wanna see Marcus Griffin get his offer now.

 

[irishff1014]

I wanna see Marcus Griffin get his offer now.

IMO he should have already had one.

 

[rtrn2glory]

glad i don't need to worrying about this anymore.

 

[IrishLax]

I think a lot of people knew this is how it has been for a while now.

Yeah... always thought it would be Bama and we'd be able to out recruit Kentucky. Was completely wrong. Became painfully obvious a couple weeks after his OV that we weren't going to get a return visit and that he was staying SEC.

 

[magogian]

Apparently, it wasn't so much that he cut us . . . More of we couldn't take him.

 

[Ironman8]

Per ISD, they noted that Matt may not have had much of a choice in this elimination. ND apparently backed off of Matt because of academics / fit. Read into that what you will, but time to move on.

 

[magogian]

Beat you.

 

[Ironman8]

Beat you.

Worth the time to cite the source of the information, rather than opting for vagueness.

 

[jimmymac]

Per ISD, they noted that Matt may not have had much of a choice in this elimination. Read into that what you will, but time to move on.

We pulled out of the race, but he also was never coming here.

Edit: pulled out and coming in the same sentence, I'm so fcking funny

 

[woolybug25]

Worth the time to cite the source of the information, rather than opting for vagueness.

 

[rtrn2glory]

glad we're not a hat on the table either.

doesn't leave morons like me hanging on thinking we actually have a chance.

 

[IrishLax]

Per ISD, they noted that Matt may not have had much of a choice in this elimination. ND apparently backed off of Matt because of academics / fit. Read into that what you will, but time to move on.

Not to toot TP's horn too much, but months ago (around when McKenzie "committed") he said straight up that Elam had worse academics than McKenzie and that there could be major hurdles. Seems like that was an astute assessment.

 

[loomis41973]

Good call by ND.

 

[Ironman8]

Wiltong confirmed Mike Frank's report. Says ND couldn't have taken Matt even if they wanted at this point.

 

[GoldenIsThyFame]

I never really thought he would end up here but I find it hard to believe we cooled on him. We sent four coaches on and in home visit and Sandlin has been tweeting about him (almost directly) in the last two days.

 

[KPENN]

Worth the time to cite the source of the information, rather than opting for vagueness.

 

[Luckylucci]

I never really thought he would end up here but I find it hard to believe we cooled on him. We sent four coaches on and in home visit and Sandlin has been tweeting about him (almost directly) in the last two days.

That does seem a little off but could he have gotten some progress reports from school and it wasn't even close to what we were thinking?

 

[Luckylucci]

Supposedly according to Matt we pushed him to commit because of scholarship numbers and he said no thank you so we parted ways. He told BGI that we'll have to move to a 4 man front now because of this, haha.

 

[Ironman8]

I never really thought he would end up here but I find it hard to believe we cooled on him. We sent four coaches on and in home visit and Sandlin has been tweeting about him (almost directly) in the last two days.

More or less believable than Ole Miss being so 'full' at LB they can't take Nyles Morgan if he wanted to commit there? Lol

 

[Emcee77]

Wiltong confirmed Mike Frank's report. Says ND couldn't have taken Matt even if they wanted at this point.

His posts were detailed, too. I tend to believe Wiltfong. I'm guessing the other stuff is pretext. We have a history of letting kids save face by telling a public story that's different from the reality.

 

[Luckylucci]

I wanna see Marcus Griffin get his offer now.

Gosh, I sure hope so. I think both and Delp could be good NT's. Griffin more so.

 

[PANDFAN]

Supposedly according to Matt we pushed him to commit because of scholarship numbers and he said no thank you so we parted ways. He told BGI that we'll have to move to a 4 man front now because of this, haha.

didn't think his head could get any bigger, it's one thing when you save face but another to be this big of a prick....

 

[koonja]

Sucks, but I'm over it. Longo can't even get 5th year senior LBs in shape, how would her have been able to get this guy to a productive playing size?