Dennis Johnson put on a University of Kentucky hat on Feb. 4, 1998, at Harrodsburg High School after he announced during a signing day news conference that he would sign with the Wildcats to play football. Johnson, the state’s Mr. Football and the USA Today national player of the year, chose UK over Notre Dame, Florida, Miami and Colorado. “The fact I can play right away had a lot to do with it,” Johnson said at the news conference, which went on despite 11 inches of snow blanketing Central Kentucky. “I think I could have played early at Notre Dame, too. But Kentucky’s got some good recruits coming in, and they’ll definitely be a better defense next year than they were last year.” Said UK recruiting coordinator Claude Bassett, “In most everybody’s eyes, and certainly in our eyes, he’s simply the best defensive football player in the country.” Johnson played three years at UK and was a third-team All-American and a first-team All-Southeastern Conference player. He left UK early to enter the the NFL draft and played in the league for three years. At left is his mother, Rosetta Johnson. At right is his father and coach, Alvis Johnson.  Photo by Frank Anderson | Staff