John Schlarman's impact on the Kentucky football program will live on for years, even though the beloved assistant coach passed away in November after a gallant, two-year battle with cancer.
On Wednesday, the UK staff introduced its newest Wildcats during the first day of the December early signing period. Among them were three highly touted offensive linemen whose recruitment had Schlarman's fingerprints all over them.
Kentucky added four-star prospect Jager Burton from Lexington's Frederick Douglass High School, the No. 1 recruit n the Bluegrass State, and a coveted player who also held scholarship offers from the likes of Alabama, Clemson, and Ohio State.
Joining Burton on the signee list was a pair of three-star Ohio standouts, Paul Rodriguez of Mason and David Wohlabaugh of Stow, who were personally scouted and pursued by Schlarman to be the newest pieces in "The Big Blue Wall," a unit that has been tabbed as a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award honoring the nation's top offensive line in three of the last four years.
UK recruiting coordinator Vince Marrow fought back tears on Wednesday when asked about the impact Schlarman had on recruiting the new linemen.
"I think about my guy every day," Marrow said. "He's a guy, when we start out looking at recruits... who knew how to identify linemen. We'd get in debates, and he would tell me, 'Big Dawg,' that's the guy.
"He has identified all the guys we have brought in as linemen, and I never would offer a guy without his approval."
That's never an issue with a prospect who has the kind of recruiting profile of Burton. But when it comes to players like Rodriguez and Wohlabaugh, that's where Schlarman truly shined.
While Kentucky has enjoyed the services of U.S. Army All-Americans like Drake Jackson and Landon Young, a big key to the program's success in recent years has been being able to identify and develop guys who flew a bit under the radar -- Bunchy Stallings, George Asafo-Adjei, Logan Stenberg, Mason Wolfe, Austin Dotson, and Luke Fortner to name a few.
"He loved these two guys we got out of Ohio," Marrow said. "We got on them very early, and he said Paul reminded him of Stenberg, and he thought David would be a real big-time guy when he leaves here."
Wohlabaugh's father, Dave, played at Syracuse and had a nine-year career in the NFL that included time with former UK All-American quarterback Tim Couch on the Cleveland Browns.
"They are (a reflection of Schlarman) without question," UK head coach Mark Stoops said. "Paul and David, two Ohio offensive linemen, tough, physical guys that John identified and loved. They fit the bill.
"And then with Jager, he's a different guy, a difference-maker. He's an impact player. He runs and moves as well as any offensive lineman I've been around and had the opportunity to see at this point. And I know he's only going to get here and get better. But he's got such a strong work ethic. Such a great young man. Great family."
