![]() ![]() " Kind of like how I am up north, I think Eddie has a good knack. "I can see it, but Eddie ain't that old," he laughed. UK recruiting coordinator Vince Marrow doesn't think Gran is the grandpa of the family, more like the wise father. ![]() Going there (UK) and seeing how it was like a family and our how our faith lined up and how it’s just an extension of their family - it just put confirmation in my heart that we knew that we knew." Fitzgerald's testimony sold the Scalzos on UK. When the Scalzos visited campus last spring, they were surprised to see Nik's old youth basketball coach, Steve Fitzgerald, the father of UK defensive lineman Abule Abadi-Fitzgerald. Gran's recruiting success has created a South Florida family within the team. Joining the "family" has been a big part of UK's recruiting pitch across the country. While their sons are being recruited, they must be able to trust the coach is going to do whatever it takes to make sure their son is surrounded by those who want him to succeed. ![]() Scalzo's sentiment is shared by the parents of most players. I wanted to make sure when he did go up there that he’s with people who are going to be like family. "Heck, I walked into Nik’s room last night and they were on the phone together, just talking about what the week’s going to be like. That investment does not end once a player commits. "He’s not the guy that’s gonna come on campus just to schmooze the kids. “ You can just count on him and it’s not fake," Jerry Scalzo said. His steady presence and demeanor inspired a nickname, "Grandpa Eddie." A former Clemson wide receiver and current assistant at Cardinal Gibbons, Gran has always treated Jerry Scalzo the same. Nik's father Jerry has seen Gran operate from a father's perspective and a coach's perspective. Gran on a high school sideline, via 247. “The first time I met him I knew that’s someone I wanted to play for," Scalzo said. ![]() It's difficult to describe, but when Nik Scalzo first met UK's offensive coordinator, something clicked. He developed that reputation by being a genuine recruiter. Gran's name is well-known throughout the tight-knit, talented high school football community. Everybody’s got a niche and I think his niche is talent evaluation and getting the kids he targets.” He knows the kids, he knows the coaches, he follows up. "Across the board, I’ve been doing this 17 years and I haven’t seen anybody as good as Eddie. He’s been recruiting down here for 30 some-odd years," said Matt DuBuc, the head coach of Cardinal Gibbons High School in Ft. "In South Florida, 100 percent his name carries weight around here. In that time Gran has developed a reputation that is second to none among high school coaches. Miami-Dade's northern border is the 17th-most populous county in America and arguably the most-talented area for high school football in country.īroward County has been a second home for Gran since he began his coaching career in the early 90s. Gran's incredible run at Kentucky did not happen overnight.Īlmost two million people live in Broward County, Florida. This year UK has already received four commitments from the area, including the Cats' future quarterback, Nik Scalzo. Over the last two years Kentucky's offensive coordinator has signed 14 players from South Florida. The Cats quickly achieved similar success in South Florida when Eddie Gran joined the coaching staff in 2016. Mark Stoops' unprecedented Kentucky football recruiting success started in Ohio with the help of Vince Marrow. ![]()
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