I would love to see UC offer O'Hara. 

21 minutes ago, 9068 said:

Do you think the transfer portal hurts QB recruiting? I think many programs fish the portal pond and if they don't get a hit move on to HS players. I would think O'Hara is in an offense designed around his talents and he might not wind up in the same situation if he moved to another place.

 

The portal hurts all HS kids but especially QB. Most FBS teams are taking 10-15 HS kids then supplementing with the portal. With QB, 10 kids may be offered in a class and when 1 Commits and it is accepted, the recruiting closes for the others at that school.

I don't disagree with you at all about Cam's situation. He may not end up in a better situation. Frankly, the only benefit would be playing better competition and potentially getting more/different looks from colleges.

Many schools not in KY don't even have a recruiter assigned to recruit KY. They will swing by NKY while in Cincy if they have a kid they like and will hit up Louisville, Lexington and Western KY but it is usually centered around certain schools. 

Going group of 5 or FCS and having the opportunity to play sooner is a great option nowadays especially if they are full scholarships. Even those spots are becoming limited with the portal. 

8 minutes ago, MaddenCurse44 said:

I would love to see UC offer O'Hara. 

Marshall, Toledo, Bowling Green, App State, Troy all recruit in this area and I am shocked they haven't offered him. Maybe they have and we haven't seen it. 

I am sure UC and Louisville are keeping tabs. For example, UL has offered 23 QBs in the class of 2026. Most have already committed. If they all go elsewhere, it opens a potential slot. 

UK has offered 9 QBs in the 2026 class including Cam. Three have committed elsewhere. 

It all comes down to open spots and timing. 

1 hour ago, FirstTimeLongTime said:

I do not want to offend anyone. Just taking a 10,000 foot view of this situation.

As mentioned, Cam O'Hara will break the NKY Passing records and has a good chance to have his team back in the final 4/State title game for 3 straight years. Very Very impressive!

With KY HS football not being held in the highest regards by recruiters (Have personally heard this many times), I could see a move to Ohio to increase recruiting possibilities. QB is the toughest position to find a spot at the FBS level.

He has nice offers from WKU, UK and Miami in FBS. Those offers have been out there for a while and would be dependent on how many spots are left when Cam decides to commit. After watching his play during his Junior season, I really expected to see more FBS offers coming in. Maybe there are more that haven't been posted on the recruiting sites. 

Obviously, there is still time and I have no clue where he is personally in the 2026 recruiting cycle, but I wouldn't think the O'Hara's were crazy if they attempted to find a spot in the GCL, for example. 

With the Signing periods continuing to move up, most Power 4s and many Group of 5 schools will have their 2026 signing classes committed before the start of the upcoming HS season. 

I really enjoy watching Cam play and I hope he continues at Cooper. He has created quite a legacy there. 

 

I am a little surprised too that he doesn't have any other offers than that. You could say his size is probably a little small (though he looks 6'2 to me standing next to Brian Brohm) and he's a fine, but not a great athlete, but I thought his arm talent would be good enough to get some ACC/Big 10 schools interested. They still may be, but most of these spots are filling up. 

I think being skinny is actually a positive at this position. No team wants to play a freshman at QB and once he starts hitting the training table and a college weight room to fill out physically and get stronger, I think that he will surpass a lot of guys ranked above him. 

Looking at the 4 star recruits under 6-3 - you either have to be a really good athlete (ex. Tait Reynolds -Clemson) or do it vs high level competition (ex. Helman Casuga - A&M) to generate some larger offer lists. Transferring to X or Elder wouldn't help him out now since almost all of the QB recruiting for P4 will be wrapped up by the summer. 

It is a different era today in recruiting. If you don't think you will be a starter by your sophomore year, you are probably better served going to a lower level D1 schools where you have a better chance of starting sooner. NIL money is what it is all about now. Get your experience, put film together, get in the transfer portal and then start collecting NIL money. D1 FBS is professional football now. It isn't "college" football.

If I am O'Hara, I am shopping for a school that will get me playing time the fastest - with NIL money being the wild card. Is anyone offering him NIL money out of high school?

56 minutes ago, Voice of Reason said:

It is a different era today in recruiting. If you don't think you will be a starter by your sophomore year, you are probably better served going to a lower level D1 schools where you have a better chance of starting sooner. NIL money is what it is all about now. Get your experience, put film together, get in the transfer portal and then start collecting NIL money. D1 FBS is professional football now. It isn't "college" football.

If I am O'Hara, I am shopping for a school that will get me playing time the fastest - with NIL money being the wild card. Is anyone offering him NIL money out of high school?

I would add that along with starting as soon as possible which staff is most stable.  Like you said, this is pro football now with free agency every year and the QB position is the poster child for this wild west era.  It is a given wherever he goes that the school will bring in a hired gun at least once during his tenure.  Heck, even FCS schools are paying six figures for starting quarterbacks from other schools.  The key word being "starter" so wherever you can start that needs to be the priority.  That's why I think Clay Hayden made a great decision.  I know he is a little "shorter" on the measurable chart, but if he is coming out before Covid he's probably got a spot on an FCS roster somewhere as he develops.  Sadly, that's not the game anymore.  

I love O’Hara but it’s going to be a lot tougher this year with his top targets graduating.  I agree with all the talk about the portal and NIL.  It makes it much more difficult especially for high school QB’s.  Transferring could help but where does he go?  The only 2 places in Cincy that would be a major step up is Moeller and St. X and you already have Ohio Mr Football returning at Moeller and Herbsteit returning at St. X so neither of those programs need a QB.  Maybe FD in Lexington or St. X in Louisville but not sure about their QB situation next season.  I agree that it may be better for him to go to a MAC program where he has a chance to play right away and then transfer to a SEC, Big 10 or ACC program after a few solid years with some decent stats and good film.  I think he probably checks all the boxes except maybe size.  I wish the kid good luck.

Hard to replace the top 4 receivers. .ight be a tough season. 

Love all the speculation. 
 

1. The transfer portal hurts ALL high school kids REGARDLESS of position. Unless you are a 100% solid 4-5 star, it is a waiting game as colleges can now sit back and get IMMEDIATE help vs having to offer now and develop HS kids. 
 

2. I am a firm believer Cam will have a phenomenal June camp season and pick up even more high level schools this summer. He’s done everything he's needed to do and it will come, I believe that. 

3. While it will be hard to replace Austin Alexander and Isaiah Johnson, the Jags return more than enough to compete. The entire OL, RB, 1 Wr and QB all return on offense and 6 starters return on defense which includes one the best safeties in the state and a lockdown cornerback, so for those thinking the cupboard is empty they will be in for a surprise. 
 

Did they lose a lot especially at the Wr skill position, yes. Do they return enough to get right back to Lexington, yes they can. 
 

Lots of work to be done in the offseason but they will compete without doubt. 

1 hour ago, Mr. Sixer said:

Love all the speculation. 
 

1. The transfer portal hurts ALL high school kids REGARDLESS of position. Unless you are a 100% solid 4-5 star, it is a waiting game as colleges can now sit back and get IMMEDIATE help vs having to offer now and develop HS kids. 
 

2. I am a firm believer Cam will have a phenomenal June camp season and pick up even more high level schools this summer. He’s done everything he's needed to do and it will come, I believe that. 

3. While it will be hard to replace Austin Alexander and Isaiah Johnson, the Jags return more than enough to compete. The entire OL, RB, 1 Wr and QB all return on offense and 6 starters return on defense which includes one the best safeties in the state and a lockdown cornerback, so for those thinking the cupboard is empty they will be in for a surprise. 
 

Did they lose a lot especially at the Wr skill position, yes. Do they return enough to get right back to Lexington, yes they can. 
 

Lots of work to be done in the offseason but they will compete without doubt. 

This!! Plus the JV team only lost one game last season, so there is talent coming up that will be ready to their chance. While they do lose some good senior WRs, and may not be as explosive in the deep passing game. They still will have good WRs to throw to. As you mentioned they will have Ryker Campbell who was one of the best safety’s in the state, and is a very good WR too and only didn’t play much offense because they didn’t need him to. Then Roman Combs started corner as a sophomore this year and is a tall great athlete. Corey Freihofer will be a junior and also a great athlete, his sister currently is a D1 basketball player. Then as mentioned the whole Oline returns, Ohara and Maher are RB. Plus Cooper has a great coaching staff, they will be just fine next year. 

247sports has O'Hara ranked as the #6 recruit for KY Class of 2026, and the top ranked QB in KY. He is a 3 star recruit. 

Has Cooper released their 2025 schedule yet ? I know they open with Anderson (OH).

12 hours ago, NKY-guy said:

Has Cooper released their 2025 schedule yet ? I know they open with Anderson (OH).

I don't think it has been released but I know the non-district schedule is a load! I believe Manual, Ryle, Highlands, and Anderson are all in there. Not sure of the others, but I think it may be Campbell County and CovCath possibly. 

On 1/25/2025 at 8:46 AM, NKY-guy said:

Has Cooper released their 2025 schedule yet ? I know they open with Anderson (OH).

Cooper Jaguars 2025 Football Schedule

Aug 8 vs. Christian Academy of Louisville (Scrimmage)
Aug 22 at Anderson (OH)
Aug 29 vs. Highlands
Sep 5 at Ryle
Sep 12 vs. Campbell County
Sep 19 vs. Manual
Sep 26 vs. Conner (District)
Oct 3 at Dixie Heights (District)
Oct 10 - BYE
Oct 17 at Scott (District)
Oct 24 vs. Boone County (District)
Oct 31 at Simon Kenton

1 hour ago, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

Cooper Jaguars 2025 Football Schedule

Aug 8 vs. Christian Academy of Louisville (Scrimmage)
Aug 22 at Anderson (OH)
Aug 29 vs. Highlands
Sep 5 at Ryle
Sep 12 vs. Campbell County
Sep 19 vs. Manual
Sep 26 vs. Conner (District)
Oct 3 at Dixie Heights (District)
Oct 10 - BYE
Oct 17 at Scott (District)
Oct 24 vs. Boone County (District)
Oct 31 at Simon Kenton

They will be battle tested come playoff time. That's for sure.