Mason Ball recaps his long road to Kentucky

Anyone who closely followed Kentucky’s recruitment of Jacksonville, Ark., running back Mason Ball knew that there was a chance he could end up in Lexington. Ball did commit to the Wildcats over the weekend but a lot went into getting things to that point.

Ball became Kentucky’s second running back commitment in three days, joining Kelsey Gerald on the commitment list and pushing the Cats’ class closer to the finish line.

KSR+ caught up with Ball for an extensive interview that will shed light on the player and person Kentucky is getting.

“I was four years old when I started playing football,” Ball told KSR+. “So I played for the Arkansas AAU Lions and what’s crazy is my coach back then is the same coach at my high school now. Coach Reggie Swinton played for the Cowboys, Cardinals, and a whole bunch of NFL teams. He’s third all-time in Cowboys history in kick return yards. He’s been coaching me pretty much every year. He definitely means so much to me. He’s been like a father figure in my life. I’m not going to say he’s the only reason but he’s a really big reason I am the way I am. He doesn’t treat me different than any of his other players and he’s just taught me so many life lessons.”

Because Ball started playing football so young he has lined up at almost every position.

“When I first started playing my actual first position was center,” Ball said. “In-game I’ve played every position but guard and tackle so I’ve been all around the field when I was younger. So when I started playing I was not good. But I think it was 2018, it was our 12U team and a lot of us on that team started to bloom. And from that 12U team I think we had 11 of us who had offers.”

The first moment when Ball started to realize that he could have a football future beyond that of most other high school players was early in his 9th grade year. He had just gotten to high school but instead of playing on the 9th grade team Ball became a varsity starter.

“That’s when I realized I can do this. I can really make this happen. And then Coach Reggie became the head coach at Jacksonville,” Ball said.

Swinton isn’t the only person who has been important in helping Ball get to where he wanted to be – Kentucky, that is.

UK running backs coach Kolby Smith jump-started Ball’s recruitment with an offer when he was on staff with Sam Pittman at Arkansas.

“That’s my guy. That’s my dog,” Ball said of Smith. “He was the first coach to offer me when he was at Arkansas.”

Ball remembers how that first offer played out like it was yesterday. He was actually on a recruiting visit to Ole Miss when he got on the phone with Smith.

“Coach Reggie will tell you that it didn’t hit me right away but we got in the car and left whenever he called me,” Ball said. “It just meant so much to me, finally having that dream come true. I knew the job wasn’t finished but hearing those words, Coach Smith saying he was going to offer me, it meant so much to me and it really helped that relationship even more.”

After that offer a lot of coaches from other schools started to visit Jacksonville. He landed offers from Jacksonville State and Vanderbilt. With two SEC offers in hand at that point in his high school career Ball was no longer a sleeper.

Sam Pittman was fired after Arkansas’ loss to Notre Dame. Ball was actually at that game and spoke with Kolby Smith afterward.

Fast-forward a few months and Smith had a very different conversation with Ball. Smith let him know that the offer he gave him at Arkansas was still good – but in Lexington. Since that time the two have continued to build the kind of relationship that culminates in a commitment.

“Obviously Coach Smith was one of the real big reasons (for the commitment) but it was also the people in the building before I even got to Lexington,” Ball said. “I’ve only been to Lexington one time but even before I got there everybody was great. Everybody from the people in the building to the staff. Coach Keith (Towbridge), the assistant running backs coach, pretty much hit me up every single day. He’s a real great guy. Him and Coach Smith are a real one-two punch in that running back room.

“But also Coach Stein had just become the head coach. He was the OC from Oregon. We had some really good talks. He was the one head coach that I talked to the most,” Ball recalled. “We Facetimed a lot and when I got up there in Lexington it was just so much love. When I got there every single coach that was on that coaching staff was waiting inside to greet me when I got there. It was just awesome. All the coaches were sitting there waiting on me.

“As we were going through it all I had some really good talks with the GM (Pat Biondo) and I think Blake (Micek) was one of the student interns showing me and my family around. It was so much love in the building.”

Will Stein said something that really stood out to Ball on that visit.

“I remember when we had our little talk,” Ball said with a laugh. “He said, you know I’ve got a history of having 1,000 yard freshman backs, talking about Bucky Irving. He made a really good point there. I know Coach Stein is ready to get the ball rolling. I can tell he’s super excited.”

Kentucky’s coaches like a lot of things Ball brings to the table. Even those with untrained eyes see the homerun speed that makes Ball a threat to take it to the house every time he touches it.

But there’s a lot more to his game.

“They like that I’m a 100% complete back,” Ball said. “There’s not necessarily a hole in my game. I’m real good catching the ball out of the backfield and I have great pass blocking, great vision, and I’m big, fast, and strong. I can move but that’s something I’ve been working on for a while. I don’t want no holes in my game. I want to be able to do everything. I want to be able to go out to the X, the slot, I want to be able to catch jets, run inside zone, catch pitches, deep balls. I think that’s a real big selling point for me.”

Ball said he does not know what he wants to major in yet but wants to make sure it’s something practical for use after college. He isn’t sure who he will room with yet but Ball is texting with other members of the class and has gotten to know Gerald, the other back who will be an incoming freshman next year.

“Me and Kelsey are going to be some dogs up there as freshmen,” Ball promised. “I feel like we’re both going to have really good seasons and having that other guy in the room and that iron sharpens iron relationship, that’s definitely something I love. Obviously Jake (Nawrot) is the quarterback we have coming in and there’s a couple of linemen I’ve talked to. When I go up there on June 5 we’re all going to meet and get something going.”