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Author
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Topic: Faulkner is a happy camper!
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catmandoo
Player
Member # 1284
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posted 08-08-2011 02:49 PM
He worked his butt off has been cleared to play and is ready for the challenge. He is going to be a star before he leaves Kentucky.
The University of Kentucky recruit spent most of his summer in academic limbo, waiting to see if he was going to be cleared by the NCAA to join the football team. He didn’t get the green light until the last week of July, when the defensive back from East St. Louis was told he was eligible.
Faulkner is relieved to finally be a Wildcat.
“I’m ready to play ball,” the 6-foot-2, 194-pounder said. “I was very excited. I ran, called my family to let them know. I packed up all my bags, posted it on Facebook. I had to let everybody know.”
The inclusion of Faulkner to this class is great news for UK as well. He was rated as the top prospect in Illinois last season by Rivals.com. He’s one of the most heralded recruits the program has brought in recently.
And yet, his arrival was in question because he had not been ruled academically eligible by the NCAA Clearinghouse.
Faulkner went to spring practice as an observer but couldn’t enroll this summer and participate with the other freshmen. He had to wait — and wait and wait — until UK assistant coach Tee Martin called him with good news.
“ ‘They ruled you eligible,’ ” said Faulkner who would have gone the junior college route as a backup plan. “My face went blank. I just dropped to my knees and thanked the Lord.”
Martin called the phone conversation one of his most rewarding as a coach. Although Martin, is UK’s passing coordinator and wide receivers coach, he recruited Faulkner. Martin said Faulkner “busted his tail” academically.
“His mom was choking up on the phone,” Martin said. “You could hear him celebrating with his family. What was good about it is that the kid had a lot of work to do. With a lot of kids you say, ‘We’re going to take a chance on you. If you do the work, you can make it.’ Some say, ‘Oh yeah’ and never do the work. This kid did everything we asked him to do.”
link
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http://www.ukfightsong.com/
Posts: 186363 | From: st. augustine florida 32092 | Registered: Mar 2001
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Cat Fan In The Mill
Player
Member # 2756
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posted 08-09-2011 02:40 PM
CMD, let's keep our fingers crossed he stays eligible. The Cats will need him this season!
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"On, On, U of K....We are right for the fight today......"
Posts: 1341 | From: Northern Kentucky | Registered: Feb 2007
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