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Receiver Ryan Kendall of Waxhaw, N.C., didn’t take the normal path to Kentucky for a preferred walk-on football player even though offensive coordinator Neal Brown pleaded all spring that UK needed more help from walk-on players to bolster numbers at receiver.
Instead, Kendall is coming to Kentucky thanks to his brother, highly-touted sophomore quarterback Austin Kendall. But it’s not because his brother did anything intentional to make that happen.
“My brother is already a highly recruited quarterback and we were on our way to Ohio when he stopped to check out Kentucky,” said Ryan Kendall. “But they (UK coaches) didn’t even know I played. They were breaking down his film and liked me and reached out to me after that.”
Ryan Kendall was going to play Division I lacrosse at Mercer University before he got the call from Kentucky asking him if he would be intersted in playing football.
“I built a relationship with coach Brown. I went for a visit and really liked it,” Kendall said. “I had been committed to playing lacrosse for eight months, but I realized I really might want to play college football.”
He never mentioned he played football when he was at Kentucky with his brother.
“It was his visit, not mine. They just knew I was committed to play lacrosse,” Kendall said. “But once they saw me on film and reached out, it came together pretty quick in the last three or four weeks.”
What makes the story more unique is that the brothers didn’t play together in 2013. Instead, Austin Kendall transferred to another school while Ryan stayed put with his friends and teammates. That meant UK coaches had to notice the older Kendall when watching 2012 film of Austin during his freshman season.
“When I was a junior, he led the county in passing yards and I was a top-ranked receiver,” the 5-10, 183-pound Ryan Kendall, who runs the 40-yard dash in 4.6 seconds, said. “It was a little weird having him on a different team last year and not having him to throw to me, but it worked out better for both of us. He fit in better as a transfer and I wanted to stay with my friends.”
Ryan Kendall said his brother, who attended UK’s spring game and is also being heavily recruited by Tennessee, did not impact his decision to walk on at Kentucky.
“But he is very happy for me. I made my decision at the last minute to take on college football,” Ryan Kendall said. “He is very interested in Kentucky. That’s one of his top schools and he will be at (Kentucky) games this year.
“I am definitely going to tell him stuff about Kentucky. I will be there to give him the inside scoop on how they do things. It would make it easier on our family to see both of our games and stuff if we ended up at the same school. But I am not one to make his decision. I just know he really likes Kentucky. It’s so early in his recruiting and he’s trying to keep all his options open.”
By the time Austin Kendall, a 6-2, 205-pound pro-style quarterback, plays college football, Ryan Kendall hopes to be on scholarship at Kentucky.
“Coming to Kentucky really has worked out well. Coach Brown made it clear he is looking for receivers and there is not a better fit for a receiver than the Air Raid offense,” Ryan Kendall said. “It fits perfectly for me and I love the Kentucky offense. I was about ready to choose between N.C. State and Charlotte to play football and here came Kentucky.
“Coach Brown made it clear that Kentucky was short on depth at receiver and that as long as I do the right things and catch the balls that need to be caught and work hard, then I will have a chance to earn a scholarship if it all falls in place and I might even get to play early. They made it clear the opportunity is there as long as I do what I can and should.”
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