Alcoa's Cobb commits to Kentucky

Score another one for Big Blue.

Alcoa High School quarterback Randall Cobb gave a verbal commitment to a scholarship offer from the University of Kentucky over the weekend. When he signs next February, the rising senior will become the second Tornado the Wildcats
have inked to a scholarship in as many seasons.

Former Alcoa flyer Kyrus Lanxter, Cobb’s favorite target in the Alcoa offense a year ago, signed with Kentucky on national signing day this spring.

Cobb, who directed the Tornadoes to their third consecutive Class 2A state championship last fall, wowed the Kentucky coaching staff with his performances at a Wildcat summer camp last week. Before the athletic left-hander left for the trip home, the Kentucky staff put the offer on the table. Cobb said he phoned Wildcat recruiting coordinator and quarterbacks coach Randy Sanders the next day.

"I couldn’t pass that up," he said. "I’ve got Kyrus up there and everybody was so down to earth."

Cobb threw for close to 2,000 yards with 25 touchdowns and only four interceptions during the 2006 season. Alcoa finished the year with a 13-2 record, with the losses coming to eventual Class 3A champion Fulton and 4A winner Maryville. At season’s end the 5-foot-11, 180-pound Cobb was named to the Tennessee Sports Writers Association All-State team.

Committing early allows him to focus solely on his senior year at Alcoa, Cobb said.

"I’ve got that off my shoulders and I can just concentrate on the season," he said.

Cobb said the Kentucky staff will give him a shot at the quarterback, but the super-quick left-hander said he doesn’t care where he plays. He could spend some time at receiver, he said, as the Wildcats did with former Kentucky high school star and quarterback Curtis Pulley last season.

"It’s possible I might redshirt," Cobb said, "but he (Sanders) said I’ll be a big part of their offense in the future."

Randall Cobb Sr. said he backs his son’s decision to commit early.

"He said it just felt right for him," he said. "He liked Lexington; he liked the coaches; plus, Kyrus is up there."

Cobb also has an offer from Middle Tennessee State University on the table. Other schools are likely to turn up the heat now that the Wildcats have officially offered.

"I’m just focused on Kentucky right now," Cobb said.

Winning an unprecedented fourth consecutive title won’t be easy, he said, but the returning Tornadoes, which include Division I prospect Brian Sommer at one of the receivers, are up for challenge.

"We’ve got to come back that much stronger," he said. "We’ve got a lot of young people that are going to have to step up."

Cobb was very nearly the third Tornado to throw in with the Wildcats in the last year. Mr. Football running back Chris Shiverdecker came within days of signing with Kentucky in February before deciding to stay closer to home at Carson-
Newman.