By LARRY VAUGHT
He’s still enjoying the recruiting process, but Franklin County receiver Ryan Timmons admits it is “getting tough with all the schools firing out right now” to decide where he will play his college football.
He got a scholarship offer from Florida last week and added one this week from Ohio State. Both are schools he’s had a long-time interest in and had been waiting to receive scholarship offers.
“It’s all starting to get really serious right now and I have to think about getting my list down to three or so schools,” said Timmons. “But right now I am still side open. There is not a favorite school or group of schools.”
He has offers from Arkansas, Purdue, Illinois, California, Cincinnati, Missouri, Western Kentucky, Wisconsin and several other schools along with Kentucky. He plans to make his college choice known Feb. 5 — one day before the national signing period starts — during a 1 p.m. ceremony at the high school.
“Ryan doesn’t want word to get out early, so he’s going to let everyone know his decision before signing day,” Franklin coach Chris Tracy said.
Timmons had 72 rushes for 1,260 yards and 25 scores for 12-1 Franklin last season and caught 29 passes for 970 yards and 17 more scores. He had 45 total touchdowns and scored 260 points. Tracy says Timmons, who ran the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds at a Kentucky camp, played last season at about 187 pounds and now weighs around 195 after opting not to play basketball this season to concentrate on recruiting.
“He needs to get stronger and turn that 195 pounds into all muscle, but he’s a legitimate 5-11, 195-pound guy with speed who runs good routes,” Tracy said. “His legs are huge. Ohio State was in here and said he was even bigger than they remembered.”
Timmons said he didn’t mind waiting so long for Ohio State and Florida offers. He understood that Ohio State coach Urban Meyer had to evaluate his current roster and also honor offers that had been made to players before he got the job last year.
“I just had to wait and let it all play out,” Timmons said. “Now coach Meyer decided to pull the trigger and make the offer.”
Former UK head coach Joker Phillips, now the receivers coach at Florida, has been recruiting Timmons for the Gators. The Franklin senior says “I’ve always been a Florida fan” and that former Gators Percy Harvin and Jeff Demps are two of his favorite players.
He admits it is a “little weird” having Phillips now recruiting him for Florida and not Kentucky.
“I have known Joker since I was a sophomore. I have a good relationship with him. He has a good relationship with my mom,” Timmons said. “He’s not a head coach any more, so he can say more now. It’s not awkward or anything with him.”
Timmons likes new UK offensive coordinator Neal Brown and Franklin ran basically the same offense that Brown uses.
“Coach Brown has been pretty good. He has been on me a lot since he got the job,” Timmons said. “The new staff at Kentucky has me a lot more interested in Kentucky now. It’s a new staff, new start with the same offense I have been under for five years. I know every play. The chance to be part of something new is what coach Brown is selling me on. He wants me to come into an offense I know and can play.
“I want to play as a freshman wherever I go and make an impact on the team. I can be a slot receiver, H-back, running back. I can help on special teams returning kickoffs and punts. I enjoy all of that. I just want to be on the field.”
He doesn’t feel any added pressure as one of the state’s marquee recruits and a main recruiting target for new UK coach Mark Stoops.
“It’s nice to have all the attention. It’s not really pressure,” Timmons, who will run track in the spring, said. “It is nice for me and the school to have this attention and I’ve been working to get to this point for a long time. Coach Tracy has been a big help, but he’s never had a player heavily recruited like this before, so it’s new for both of us. My family is going to be happy wherever I go. They just want me to make the best decision for me.”
Timmons plans to take an official visit to Florida and probably another unofficial visit to Ohio State before his Feb. 5 announcement.
“I probably get asked 10 times a day where I am going to school. I get asked at school or at the store or mostly (basketball) games,” Timmons said. “But I really don’t know yet. It will come down to how I get along with the coach, the type of offense the school runs and how comfortable I am with everything. Right now I can’t even tell you all the offers I have. I just have to find time to sit down and rethink everything and then make my decision.”
20 Responses to Franklin County standout Ryan Timmons has Florida and Ohio State offers but also likes Neal Brown and his offense
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IMO he will end up at FLA. HE would not have gone to UK but I think he likes Joker enough that Phillips can sway him down to gator country. I believe we will run into that a lot with Joker and especially with Randy Sanders. Has anyone else noticed that besides a couple of 4* kids we are getting the attention of the same 2*, 3*, NR players. Wow is it not strange how our old coaches are ending at top rated programs. Could it have been the players and not the coaches? BY the way IMO wildcat nation web page sux.
Who recruited those players? Exactly.
Joker ended up at Fla because he didn’t get it done as a HC at KY. Sanders the same. It’s business. Get it done or move on. Diss’ing fans just makes enemies.
Timmons will end up at the school that he feels will help him achieve his dreams. Sometimes it’s a good decision.
You are right RJ. Huge decision for Timmons. Offers from Florida and Ohio State in last week and new staff at UK to get to know. Not easy to sort out at 18 years of age
I know he’s young and it is an important decision, but any KY boy that wants to bleed blue should have already committed and help recruit others.
I agree…In princible. This year is different because the new staff, coach Joker and OSU just offered. Kentucky Football Players fo to football schools! Next year, UK is a
football school!
I want Timmons and Hatcher. Next years recruiting class will be a huge!
Thanks and GO UK!
With you 100 percent Joshua
Where did Sanders land ?
FSU I think Paul as running backs coach. At least it was almost a done deal last I heard.
That is correct. Odd, considering he’s supposed to be a QB guru. A job is a job I guess.
“I want to play as a freshman wherever I go and make an impact on the team. I can be a slot receiver, H-back, running back. I can help on special teams returning kickoffs and punts. I enjoy all of that. I just want to be on the field.”
His Chances appear a lot better to do this at a place like UK than a lot of the other big schools. Hopefully this is what he will really consider about his choice and always know that he turned down bigger schools for a better opportunity. When someone has been a stud for the past few years, they want to play, it is very hard to sit and watch and not participate.
That was exactly the comment that jumped off the page at me!
He will not play as a freshman at Fla. or OSU.
And our new offense is a much better fit. Likes special teams – Close to home -
Great fit for U.K.
I hope he winds up at UK. BBN would show him alot of love. Put yourself in his position though. I hope Coach Brown lands him. Come on Ryan do something for Kentucky, stay home and be a legend.
I don’t agree with any of JCC’s comments, none at all. I would love to have Timmons at UK, so we’ll find out his choice soon enough. The Stoops’ train is moving aggressively and I love it!
I just met Stoops, Brown and Elliot at my work today. Fantastic guys to be around. Very laid back and easy to talk to. Guess who else works there. Ryan Timmons’ mom. Lets just say it went very well. GO CATS!!!
UK 24 7..could it be. UK has good contacts everywhere. Great post.
I agree with just about everyone here except, kids today, especially talented ones, see more green than any school color. In his head Timmons is already playing in the NFL. He’s been pumped with so much sunshine it will be difficult for him to be rational. Problem is when enters college reality sets in and he’s stuck with the decision. I would love to see him end up at KY but the relationship with the KY staff is so green that in his mind it would be crap shoot to accept the KY offer. Still lightning could strike.
It is amazing that it is the month of January, and UK football is still the hot topic. I believe Stoops is going to pull a few surprises with this class, but more importantly, set the table for the best recruiting class in 50 years in 2014. We are making inroads in Ohio, Florida, Texas. I think that it has always been crucial to get the cream of the crop of Kentucky boys, and the last few years they have been getting away from us.
It is great to have this kind of excitement around the program.
Timmons could be another Randal Cobb. I see a lot of the same qualities in him.
I mean, scoring every third time he touched the ball is just incredible.
Timmons has a lot of versatility. Can’t pass like Cobb, but does all the other things