@BRaines007 (Landin Raines) from @rowancountyfb amply demonstrated he was among Kentucky’s best football prospects in a variety of ways… @minguabeefjerky @PrepSpin @MaxPreps @KyHighFootball @1776Bank

There are really only two divisions of college football. Those divisions are Division I, FBS, and everyone else.

When it gets down to recruiting there is only one question which families should ask. Who’s paying for all of this?

Hopefully, it will be they. How they put it together doesn’t matter.

Landin Raines from Rowan County (’22) is an All-State caliber player. We have thought it all year long. Do you know who agrees with us? One of the most successful programs in the NCAA’s, that’s who!

Raines has just been offered by St. Johns University in Minnesota. They are better know as “the Johnnies” and whether any of these FCS teams would want to admit it, “the Johnnies” would beat many of them or, at least, raise a few heart rates on any given Saturday.

Now, we realize St. Johns is a NCAA, Division III team. We know Division III doesn’t give athletic scholarships. That doesn’t mean athletes at St. Johns are all dolling over the tuition, room, and board. Don’t be so naïve.

Look at St. Johns’ roster. You assume they are all paying 50-grand per year? You know the old saying about assume.

Division III schools like St. Johns give all kinds of financial aid. Some, or a sizable portion of it, winds up financing the matriculation of coveted athletes playing sports, like football. That’s how a team like St. Johns becomes among the winningest football programs in Division III history, boasting in the neighborhood of 670-career wins and a career winning percentage of 73%.

St. Johns University “the Johnnies”

Now, if there is one thing the Johnnies know it is football talent. Their scouts and coaches tell us Landin Raines is among the best high school football players in the commonwealth and we aren’t going to argue with them.

Frankly, we knew he was something special even without any help from them. After all, Maryville College, Morehead, the University of the Cumberlands, Murray, and the University of Dubuque are also in “hot pursuit.”

Raines led Class 4A, District 6, Rowan County to a successful season. Rowan was 7-4 in 2021.

Raines led his team in receptions, yards gained receiving, and touchdowns caught. Raines was the team’s third leading scorer.

Defensively Raines had 61-tackles with a TFL, a FF, and a FR. Raines also led the defense in interceptions.

Raines is 6-2, weighs 180-pounds and clips off 40-yards in 4.5 seconds. He has a 3.0 GPA and a registered 21 on the ACT which gives him and the schools recruiting him “options.” That is why the student portion of student-athlete is (at a minimum) equally important to the athlete part.

Raines is the kind of football player whose name pops up all over a team’s stat sheet. He’s also the kind of student whose name find inclusion on the “Honor Roll.” This will net him opportunities to continue his playing career at a variety of possibilities not open to everyone. It will open a lot of doors for him and those like him.

Raines should be celebrated. He will be here.

You may bet your bottom dollar we will hear much more from this guy going forward. Seems like a safe bet.

This is Coach HB Lyon, reporting for KPGFootball, and we’re JUST CALLING IT LIKE WE SEE IT!

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About Henry Lyon 1210 Articles
Have coached at the high school and middle school level. Have worked in athletic administration. Conceal my identity to enable my candor on articles published by this magazine. Only members of the editorial board are aware of my true identity.

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