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  • Conversation with UK commit Nick Richardson

    By: LARRY VAUGHT



    He always intended to make his college choice before his senior season started so he could concentrate on his final year at Westerville (Ohio) Central.

    “Plus, that way in something happened with an injury, I would still have that scholarship,” said four-star offensive lineman Nick Richardson.

    He eventually narrowed his choices to Kentucky and Vanderbilt before giving the Wildcats a needed verbal commitment last week one day after Brady Taylor, another offensive lineman, picked Virginia Tech over UK.

    “Once I narrowed it down, I went back and forth on schools before in the end Kentucky just won out,” Richardson said. “I was actually hoping Brady would pick Kentucky, too. If he had done that, it would have sold me on Kentucky even more. It would have been a huge thing. I want more linemen to commit. It will just make it that much better.”

    The 6-4, 285-pound Richardson had offers from numerous other schools he considered. Those included Indiana, Michigan State, Vanderbilt and Mississippi. He is ranked as No. 202 prospect by Rivals.com and the No. 19 offensive tackle.

    Like UK’s other Ohio commits since Mark Stoops took over as head coach, Richardson credited assistant coach Vince Marrow for selling him on the Wildcats.

    “He is a big Ohio guy. He sold me on the family atmosphere that these coaches have brought in. He is just a real good guy and is really excited about UK,” Richardson said.

    It didn’t hurt that another UK commit, tight end Darryl Long, is also from Westerville and even though they are at rival schools, Long helped sell him on UK. His high school athletics director also had ties to UK and another student from his school is going to UK on a track scholarship.

    “Darryl is from here and that makes it easier to go down there knowing I will know somebody,” he said. “We are competitors, but we are also friends. And he’s a really good player. But all the commits are so excited about playing for UK. Not just Darryl. That made the process more fun and they pushed me to buy into with them.”

    He admits he grew up in a “Big Ten house” even though his parents never pushed him to favor any school.

    “My parents both played D-3 (Division III) sports. Growing up in Columbus, you are over run with Ohio State this and that. I wanted to get away. The thought of going south to play was exciting to me,” Richardson said. “My parents never pushed Ohio State, Michigan or any Big Ten school on me.”

    He didn’t even play football until middle school. Before that, he was a defender in hockey and first baseman-catcher — “I could really hit” — in baseball.

    “A bunch of my friends finally talked me into trying out for football in middle school,” he said. “I kind of like that my parents never pressure me into anything. I found out I was not too bad at football and now here I am.”

    He says it was his sophomore season when he sensed a college football scholarship was possible.

    “I was kind of thrust into the left tackle spot and just loved it,” he said. “I have started every game since my sophomore year. It’s been a real blast. About midway of that sophomore season, I started getting a lot of interest from schools.”

    He had never heard from UK until Stoops took over, but likes Neal Brown’s offense because it is like what his high school team uses.

    “We run a high tempo, no huddle offense,” the 6-5, 285-pound Richardson said. “I like to attack the defense. We do a lot of conditioning that pays off for us in games.”

    His hockey background has also helped him in football.

    “It has helped me with my footwork. I can stay low and it helps me use my hips downfield. I like to get out and pull. I like to get on little corners (cornerbacks) and help out the receivers with blocks,” Richardson said.

    His mother coaches basketball and teaches at Otterbein College, a Division III school. He says academics have always mattered in his house.

    “I am pretty good at most things. I do struggle in math, but most of my classes are good,” he said. “My parents push that a lot. They have always hammered academics at me.”

    Richardson believes his commitment takes a “weight off my shoulders” going into his season. He’s not overly concerned with how many games UK wins this year, either.

    “I see what these coaches have to work with and in the SEC, they do not have as much as other schools this year,” he said. “I am real excited to see what me and the other guys can do once we all get to Kentucky. I think Kentucky could really take off in the future.

    “This year won’t bother me no matter what they do. Most schools do not do well the first year under a new head coach. I think all of us (2014 commits) realize that. But I also think we all believe we can help UK be a lot better in the future.”
    Comments 3 Comments
    1. truecatsfan's Avatar
      truecatsfan -
      Seems like most of the players coming in does not expect many wins this year and still say it does not matter to them. They are a very tight unit. Good read Larry.
    1. dan_bgblue's Avatar
      dan_bgblue -
      If this group of coaches ever decides they want to give up football, they could have great careers in Evangelism. They are bringing in converts on nothing but faith alone.
    1. Terry Blue's Avatar
      Terry Blue -
      Not really, they have proven backgrounds that they can point to, albeit not at UK but at FlaSt and Texas Tech. Neal Brown says the best predictor of the future is past performance