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1:17 AM Thursday, January 19, 2012

By Rick Cassano

Staff Writer

MIDDLETOWN — Cody Quinn has made the University of Kentucky his final answer.

The Middletown High School senior cornerback verbally committed to the UK football program after making an official visit to Lexington, Ky., last weekend.

“I loved it,” Quinn said. “The community, the people there. It was all about UK and the players and the coaches, and the opportunities I have playing on that team are tremendous.

“I had to make sure my mom was comfortable with it and make sure I was comfortable around the people,” he added. “Once I got there, I was pretty sure I was going to commit.”

Quinn committed to Illinois last summer, but decided to explore other options after head coach Ron Zook was fired in November.

Middletown coach Troy Everhart believes in honoring commitments, yet he understands that these things happen when coaches get fired.

“We can be Pollyannas and say he committed to a school, but in reality, kids commit to a person,” Everhart said. “Cody did everything right. The kid’s handled himself with class.”

Quinn was in contact with the new Illinois staff headed by Tim Beckman, but decided a different direction was the best move for him.

“Coach Beckman is a great coach,” Quinn said. “I believe he will turn that program around. I just have to do what’s right for me.”

Kentucky, which was 5-7 overall and 2-6 in the Southeastern Conference this season, had made an early offer to Quinn and quickly got back in the picture once Zook was fired.

The 5-foot-9, 161-pound Quinn made an official visit to West Virginia and was planning visits to Illinois and Pittsburgh that have now been cancelled.

He’ll sign with UK and head coach Joker Phillips on Feb. 1.

“Talent-wise, I think it’s a no-brainer (for UK),” Everhart said. “Joker was in my office (Wednesday). I can understand why Cody committed. That guy was first class, by far the classiest guy I’ve had in my office.

“They think Cody’s an instant find for them,” he continued. “I know the kind of kids they recruit. They ain’t coming north for a whole lot of kids.”

Quinn likes new Kentucky defensive backs coach Mike Cassity, who recruited him at Marshall and joined the Wildcats this month.

UK is planning to use him as a DB and kick returner, and Quinn is planning to be in the mix right away. “I wouldn’t be there if I was planning on redshirting,” he said.

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