Coach Speak: Preston Bowman will do anything to help the team
Preston Bowman put his name on Kentucky's 2025 football recruiting commitment list last month, and he reiterated the strength of that pledge even after the Ohio State Buckeyes extended an offer.
The 6'0, 198-pound three-star Rivals.com prospect is now part of a three-man receiver class for the Wildcats.
Jarrod Pruiett is Bowman's offensive coordinator at Pickerington North so he has an important unique perspective that's worth sharing. That's why CI spoke with him this week.
Pruiett has been the offensive coordinator at Pickerington North for a long while now, so he's been familiar with Bowman going back to when he was still in junior high.
"He's always been a bigger kid physically," Pruiett said. "He's been a bigger and a stronger kid but growing up I honestly didn't know what position he would have played. "I didn't know if he would be more of a running back type, a wide receiver type, a defensive back type. But he would continually work on his craft year after year."
Pruiett said Bowman played some varsity as a freshman. That was a testament to his physical readiness coming into high school. That's always how he's been put together.
Bowman became a starter as a sophomore "and ever since he's been a leading receiver for us, one of the top guys for us."
"One big thing about Preston is he's a big kid," Pruiett said. "He might look like he's 22 or 23 physically but he's still playful. He takes things seriously and he can get serious but he likes to have fun. He likes to joke around, do his standing backflips and stuff like that. He's a very playful kid. He puts in a ton of work and he's a very hard worker but he's like a kid in some ways, in ways I appreciate. Even though he's in a very tough business in terms of high level power four recruiting he keeps the light-hearted aspect of it."
Pruiett said Bowman has done a little bit of everything for Pickerington North. He started as an outside receiver, moved inside, then went back outside.
"We're a pretty talented group with receivers in general. We had a tight end who went to OU (Ohio) last year so (Bowman's) been used pretty much wherever we need him. If we see a matchup or want to let him catch a screen here or there, we will, but he can play everywhere. He pretty much has a doctorate in our offense so he knows we can do more with motions and everything now. This year we will definitely try to utilize his abilities and see how the defenses are going to play him. We're pretty talented so if somebody tries to double team Preston we have other guys who can take advantage of it. We'll make sure he gets screens or jet motions, maybe put him in the backfield. The sky's the limit, pretty much, whether it's in the backfield, the slot or outside, he's used in a variety of ways. It's just figuring out which way benefits the team the most. It could be being a decoy this week and he has to know that's how it has to go for the team to win, but we'll make sure he gets enough touches."