Virginia Tech Emerging as a Frequent Kentucky Foe on the Recruiting Trail

College athletics are amplified by rivalries. The victories taste sweeter, while the losses are tougher to swallow. The rivalry games are what Kentucky fans live for. As a Louisville native, Will Stein gets it better than most.

“I love the rivalry. This is what sports is all about. It’s about fans talking trash to each other. That’s the offseason. What else is going on? Fans are going to talk trash as they should, as I would talk trash to all of my buddies and they talked trash to me. It’s just a part of life,” the Kentucky head coach said recently.

Rivalries are born out of incredible competitions and geographical proximity. One is currently forming on the recruiting trail.

The previous regime built the Wildcats’ success on the backs of players from Ohio. New Kentucky defensive coordinator Jay Bateman has spent his life recruiting in the DMV (DC, Maryland, and Virginia) area, down through Newport News, to Tobacco Road.

James Franklin built 10-win seasons at Penn State by becoming an excellent recruiter, particularly through the Rust Belt and in the DMV. Since making his move to Virginia Tech, the DMV and Newport News have become even more vital. He’s also attempting to stretch the Hokies tentacles into Ohio.

A recruiting rivalry is forming between Kentucky and Virginia Tech.

Early Recruiting Clashes Between Kentucky and Virginia Tech

Tristin Hughes received plenty of attention when the Cleveland-area defensive back decommitted from Syracuse. Kentucky and Louisville were among the first schools to pursue the four-star safety. RPM picks were in place for Kentucky when Hughes announced a commitment date. Then some picks flipped to Virginia Tech. On the date he was set to announce, he attended a Kentucky spring practice. The RPM has flipped back to Kentucky.

Sounds like a rivalry is brewing. Hughes is not the only player these two schools are battling for on the trail.

Iveon Lewis is a four-star wide receiver, ranked among the Top 10 players in the state of Virginia. He has official visits set to South Carolina, Maryland, and Georgia, but he recently told Rivals’ Chad Simmons that Kentucky and Virginia Tech are the two standouts among his five finalists. He visited both campuses twice this spring, and just left Lexington on Tuesday.

“Virginia Tech and Kentucky are definitely up there for me,” he said. “I was just back at Virginia Tech, and trying not to let me leave the state. I’ve been there twice with the new staff, and both visits were good. They welcomed me with open arms.”

Franklin is sharing that pitch to in-state prospects, but the two schools are in the mix for players from Florida (WR Austin Coles) to Georgia (CB Emerson Lewis) and Ohio (OL Reed Gerken). Each institution is bringing a ton of energy to the trail with new head coaches who are actively involved in the recruiting process. We’ve spoken at length about the summer battles brewing between the Cats and the Cards, but there is also another budding rivalry that may deliver fireworks over the next few months between Kentucky and Virginia Tech.