We Are Family(EEE)

By: LONNY DEMAREE

The University of Kentucky football team's theme seems to want to recreate the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates baseball World Series Championship season. The Pirates theme was a 'Sister Sledge' musical hit "We are Family" and that was the prevailing sentiment the newcomers are exuding.

There seemed to be a plethora of reasons the new recruits espoused as to why they shunned schools with more tradition to come to UK to play their football. Most of the reasons centered around the family atmosphere and trust they had in the coaches to take care of them.

Coach Tommy Mainord elaborated on the family atmosphere of the University of Kentucky football team and coaches. "It's a very close knit team and really like being around each other," the coach expressed. "We have great relationships with each other and fun to be around. I said yesterday that this is the most fun I've had coaching since I've been coaching. A bunch of great guys that try hard to do what you ask them to do. They stick together, we stick together. I think it goes back to the type of people (coaches) coach Stoops brought. We get along well together. We watch ball at each others house and think when somebody walks in that see that and they get the same feeling."

We ask freshman Will Jackson 6-foot-3, 200-pound defensive back how long the recruiting went when he committed to UK. "It was Late November 2014," he said. "It was a easy process because when I visited I felt a family atmosphere. Once I got here the players made feel like I was part of the team. I wanted to go someplace where the players had my back and were always looking out for me and this was the place.

In the Rupp Arena press room prior to a game we watched Derrick Baity 6-foot-3, 185-pounds announce his commitment on the Tampa, Florida evening news channel to come to the University of Kentucky. "I came up here on my visit my last visit on January 30th," Baity said. "I was so use to the Florida atmosphere. I got tired of being at Florida when I met coach Scott and coach Stoops I just got a good vibe off of them I fell in love with everything and that just made me pull the trigger. I like the family Atmosphere and I want to try something new and see some snow." Maybe he will build some snow men and have some snowball fights for past time and if that all the coaching staff will have to worry about that will be fine.

Marcus Walker 6-foot-1, 200-pounds said the coaching staff kept it real with him from day one. "The coaching staff is unbelievable," Walker said. "I could feel coach Stoops changing the culture around at Kentucky. We are going to be a better team and can't no one tell me no different. We are waking up everyday, working out and not getting into trouble off the field." Walker said they have him behind A. J. Stamp at free safety. Stamps was highly recruited but he said coach Stoops and coach Scott didn't make any promises but if he did the right things he would see the field a lot.

On the decision to transfer to Kentucky Marcelys Jones 6-foot-4, 325-pounds said it was tough but the feels like he is at home now. He said because of the closeness of the team this is where he wanted to be all along. He said the name Ohio State was a draw that made go there. He didn't want to throw his high school coach under the bus but was said the coach pushed him toward OH. St. "I'm very excited I get to come back and very excited working with those guys (the UK players)," Jones said. "This place always felt like home." About the Ohio pipeline Jones is telling all the kid that Kentucky isn't what you think. He said the leap of having to sit out a year is tough but he's been through a lot and he can handle it.

Alvonte Bell talked about his journey to land back at Kentucky after having to go to junior college. It was good. I grew up, got better on the field and in the classroom "It was a smooth journey up to this point getting back here," Bell stated. Bell said he is at outside linebacker right now. When told a former coach said he will play with his hand on the ground he said - "Really? I'm a athlete, I can play anywhere on the field except offensive line. We said he's got a lot of ground to make up. "Yeah but I'm going to cover it quick though."