Jeff Brohm Feels UK Found the QB of the Future in Cutter Boley

Cutter Boley (Vicky Graff Photo)

Louisville coach Jeff Brohm knows he has to prepare to face any of the three quarterbacks — Brock Vandagriff, Gavin Wimsatt and Cutter Boley — that Kentucky has used this year but he had a feeling Monday who was going to be leading the UK offense against his team Saturday.

“I think they possibly found their quarterback of the future this past week who’s a true freshman,” Brohm said about Boley.

He said that before he knew that Kentucky coach Mark Stoops had announced Boley, a true freshman from Lexington Christian, would make his first start against Louisville Saturday.

Boley was 10-for-18 for 180 yards against No. 3 Texas in the second half of last week’s loss to earn the start in UK’s final game this season.

Boley impressed Stoops with his pocket poise at Texas. Stoops said that is both a learned as well as something a quarterback either has or doesn’t.

“I think it is fair to say a little bit of both on that. Definitely, experience matters and that internal clock. As I mentioned the other day in a tough environment against a top-five team in the country on the road and all-out pressure, give a little ground and throw it to a space,” Stoops said.

“I’m not sure that TV does it justice, I don’t know. I look at it on film and you see the way he had the awareness, the presence, he was calm, backed up and threw it to an open space. It was a pretty impressive play and there are many more like that in there. I would like to see us give him a little more time so he can operate more efficiently.”

Brock Vandagriff started UK’s first 11 games at quarterback and Stoops defended his play even though he is planning to start Boley.

“I always have to defend and stand up for Brock because I think the absolute world of him. He has given us everything he has. We know we have some areas that need to be improved and that falls on me,” Stoops said.

“I know (offensive coordinator) Bush (Hamdan, offensive coordinator) gets a lot of heat and the offense and the quarterback and everybody, I understand that. It is not just coach-speak, I’ll take that and I’ll also work to get it fixed. We’re very excited to get it fixed and move forward.”

Boley played the last three seasons at LCA after transferring from Larue County. Stoops said there will not be anything special this week about getting Boley ready for the rivalry game.

“When Brock was down during the bye week, he (Boley) got all of the ‘number one’ reps. Brock was hurt heading into the next week as well with Murray, so he got a lot of the ‘number one’ reps and was prepared,” Stoops said Monday. “I think that carried over into the game. Last week, I said Brock was starting, and he was, and he got probably 80 percent—or more—of the ‘number one’ reps, but Cutter got all the twos and was getting prepared and it carried over.

“For him, it will be business as usual. He will be the starter. You have heard me comment on his demeanor for a long time and I expect that to carry into this week. He is very mature. He is very calm and I expect him to be the same way. Just go in there and play ball and trust the people around him.

“We have to make sure we have a good plan and try to protect him and get rid of the football and do the things necessary to play well around him. I said the same thing for Brock. It is not all on any one person. We have to do a good job around him.”

Stoops could have avoided confirming Boley would start at his press conference Monday but anticipated word would quickly leak out anyway.

“I don’t see any reason to withhold it.  I think I’ve always been forthright with you guys.  Sometimes, I truthfully (would) not know until we worked through it. It’s actually not listed that way (on the depth chart) because I did not tell Susan (Lax) or Tony (Neely) until we worked through it,” Stoops said Monday.

“It’s not for any other reason other than we were working through things. Last night and into today, they’re doing their job and we were doing ours.  I did not see them. I told Susan and Tony maybe 30 minutes ago and they did not have time to switch it (on the depth chart).”