Kentucky OT Kiyaunta Goodwin in portal

Submitted by Ezekiels Creatures on December 16th, 2022 at 7:59 PM

 

Heavily recruited high school 5 Star, Kiyaunta Goodwin, 6'8" 351 lbs, is leaving Kentucky.

 

https://twitter.com/On3sports/status/1603812313634672640

 

https://twitter.com/MitchBTV_/status/1603851489474187285

 

He was Mark Stoops highest ranked recruit ever at Kentucky. Apparently there are discipline matters. He (apparently) went up over 400 lbs during the season. And, he had issue with snap counts:

 

Yenser noted Goodwin needed particular work in mastering the snap count in Kentucky’s offense. “When he knows what to do, he has a chance,” Yenser said. If that development is to come for Goodwin, it will be somewhere else.

 

Though Kentucky had held hopes in his development

 

“We just felt like there would be a time when he would be ready to play. So, we want to continue to get him (ready),” Stoops said.

https://www.kentucky.com/sports/college/kentucky-sports/uk-football/article270115332.html

 

Goodwin played in 11 games at Kentucky on the FG unit.

 

Michigan did recruit him, with Sherrone Moore and Steve Clinkscale listed as recruiters.

 

https://247sports.com/Recruitment/Kiyaunta-Goodwin-119799/RecruitInterests/

 

Even with the his performance at Kentucky lots of teams will still give him a look. Would he be worth a try at Michigan?

 

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DMack

December 16th, 2022 at 9:27 PM ^

Not sure what to think of him being at UM. Doesn't sound like he will be very productive anywhere until he gets the snap count right. Maybe the coaches should get him in and see if they want to work with him and he wants to work.

On another note, has anyone heard any news on the RB from Wisconsin that was talking about entering the portal and had interest in us? I thought he had a lot of potential when I watched him play as a freshman. Seemed like the type of player Coach Hart could turn into a star. 

Joined: 06/22/2015

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NotADuck

December 17th, 2022 at 9:06 AM ^

Excuse you princess, as a formerly 400 pound guy I can confirm that while we are physically soft, that doesn't necessarily reflect our mental toughness.  Some of us put in the time and effort to lose the weight.  I myself have lost about 120 pounds over the past year.  Takes a lot of mental toughness and discipline to do that.

Not saying Goodwin is worth the look.  Just annoyed with the initial comment.

 

Joined: 12/20/2013

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Vote_Crisler_1937

December 17th, 2022 at 11:35 AM ^

My roommate my 5th year was a left tackle. Said he gained about 30+ lbs throughout the year because once the season starts he couldn’t keep conditioning at a consistent enough level to keep the weight off. He loved football so much he played 12 more years in the NFL. 
 

This is not to say M should go after Goodwin. He sounds like not a good fit but whatever the coaches decide it’s hard not to trust them. But the media narrative of “351 lb guy gained 50lbs during season” isn’t as crazy as it sounds to us smaller people. 

My position coach in college was 6’9” and when he lost 50 lbs I seriously could not even tell. Unless he was lying to us all. Which, in retrospect, is also possible. 
 

 

Joined: 11/07/2011

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Robbie Moore

December 16th, 2022 at 8:12 PM ^

Tough first year for the kid. Weight issues and what sounds like a nonchalance toward working hard learning the college game. Maybe he needs a strong dose of Coach Prime.

Joined: 12/01/2008

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matt1114

December 16th, 2022 at 8:16 PM ^

The potential is there, so I wouldn't mind taking a shot. Discipline issues are a big no IMO, but Okie had his issues in the past at other schools and has done great here. He was 5* for a reason. I'd take him over a project piece for the 23 recruiting class and hope to get a monster 24 class. 

Joined: 01/08/2021

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clarkiefromcanada

December 16th, 2022 at 10:37 PM ^

You never quite know if the right mentorship or leadership is in place (or in this case what the influences were around Kentucky). Guy coming in as a 5 star basically has people kissing his ass for years as a teen. Suddenly, playing against equals the game gets hard. 

Perhaps Michigan could offer the right kind of mentorship, strength training and support. The talent level is intriguing but the character has to be proven (or perhaps supported differently than at Kentucky). 

Joined: 11/20/2008

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AZBlue

December 16th, 2022 at 8:21 PM ^

I could see him at MSU.  IIRC he was 49-51 between the two schools to the point that he was rumored to have gone back and forth between UK and MSU during the final days (or hours) before signing day last year.  M did pursue but I don’t think they were really in it at all by fall of 2021.

Now Melllllll and MSU don’t have the same shine as they did 1 year ago but based on that article neither does Goodwin.

Joined: 09/14/2008

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Bo Harbaugh

December 16th, 2022 at 9:05 PM ^

Would generally agree, but seems UM can take 1 or 2 of these talented "red flag" players a year given the strong culture that exists in the locker room. If he becomes a distraction or doesn't buy in, give him the boot from practice and he can sit around until next year's tranfer portal.

Not everyone will work out like Okie, but the right environment of 120+ players and coaches pulling in the same direction generally should outweigh the impulses or baggage of 1 or 2 players.  If not, it will become obvious quite quickly (weight room/locker room) - and you remove the player from the team.

Joined: 08/03/2019

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WayOfTheRoad

December 16th, 2022 at 8:24 PM ^

I don't know him so I'm not saying this is the case with Goodwin. So let's not use him but any player in the portal when it comes to Michigan interest, circling back to Goodwin after:

The one thing you want to avoid in the transfer portal is a player with discipline issues. The only time you make an exception is if there is an easily identifiable cause to the problem such as the kid falling in with the wrong people, the kid being depressed due to being so far from home or an untreated mental disorder that, now treated, has them in a better place.

Short of that you avoid regardless of talent. With Goodwin or any other player, you have to identify what they were as a prospect and weight that against the report coming out of their old school. Was he a known risk coming out of HS? Ok, you now know it won't change. Avoid. Was his character unquestioned coming out of HS? Ok, now you really start to dig and talk to find the cause of the problem at the old school. And so on.

I don't know where Goodwin stands in all of that so I won't say to go or pass. Sometimes a kid just chooses the wrong school/program and it really sets them back. Remember that as a recruit they are wining and dining you, the best of everything and none of the bad. Then you arrive and you're just another guy and suddenly you have to drive around the bad parts of town or go to those classes you don't like. The day after signing day the coach that recruited you left and now you don't know anybody there. Etc.

Again, not sure where he specifically stands in all of it but it's not always a clear cut case of a guy being a bad apple or good apple. Plus, I hear Louisville is the likely landing spot as is.

Joined: 06/26/2017

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Blue Vet

December 16th, 2022 at 8:27 PM ^

I trust the coaches.

If they pass, then I believe he wouldn't fit.

And if they recruit him, I believe they see development in a productive path forward.

Joined: 05/08/2012

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Leaders And Best

December 16th, 2022 at 8:30 PM ^

Louisville.

I would guess a lot of highly ranked prospects have a pretty good idea who is offering or what teams they are considering before they even hit the portal. Just like with Goodwin, there were reports Cade McNamara was going to Iowa the moment he hit the portal.

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Bambi

December 16th, 2022 at 8:49 PM ^

It's pretty much confirmed he's going to Louisville. MSU insiders have said they're out on him (they finished 2nd for him out of HS) and he wants to follow his trainer, who is very close with Jeff Brohm.

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