Quarterback Zach Calzada, second from left, has not tried to force his leadership on his new Kentucky teammates. (Vicky Graff Photo)
Quarterback Zach Calzada started his college football career at Texas A&M in 2019 for three years, spent the next season at Auburn and the last two years played at Incarnate Word before transferring to UK this season. He’s impressed teammates and coaches with his play this spring but he’s also shown he’s very media savvy.
Question: Has he settled into a leadership role on the offense?
Calzada: “It is organic. You don’t come in and be vocal right away. You have to establish yourself as somebody who can be imitated and that’s what I try to do. I try to get here early and come out and be prepared for how I want to practice every day.”
Question: Does it help that he might be the fourth straight transfer to start at quarterback for UK?
Calzada: “You come in new and it is still all about learning and developing. I have to be the most prepared on our team and then it is all about chemistry.”
Question: How has the offensive line been after the struggles it had at times in 2024?
Calzada: “It has been amazing. From day one it has been exceptional. You can see that they have put a lot of effort into playing together and making sure they are communicating correctly. I feel good about them.”
Question: How good has true freshman receiver DJ Miller been?
Calzada: “DJ has made a lot of good plays and so have all the receivers. As a quarterback, it is really exciting to see any receiver make a contested catch. In the SEC there is not a whole lot that is wide open. When you have a whole group of guys that can make those plays that makes it easy on the quarterback.”
Question: What has he thought of receiver Kendrick Law, an Alabama transfer?
Calzada: “He is a strong guy. He can create separation. Really that whole group (of receivers) is good. All of them have done a really good job going back to throwing in January and February to now to keep getting better.”
Question: What has competing with redshirt freshman quarterback Cutter Boley been like?
Calzada: “Cutter is great. We do hot yoga together. He is a good guy and we build off of each other and that’s what is important in the quarterback room. Quarterbacks have to be able to learn and build off each other’s mistakes and the good plays we make as well.”
UK FB Spring Practice
Photos by Vicky Graff
2 Responses
Calzada will end up being a diamond in the rough. Incarnate Word knows how to make guys better. Its been proven time and time again. He’s better and more experienced than Brock V and is a better leader than Leary. I don’t think he is as good as Will Levis yet but that’s really a good thing if you remember correctly when Levis started getting all the first round hype that’s when he started struggling and worried more about getting hurt. We also had a terrible pass blocking offensive line in Levis last year here. Pur Oline will give Calzada ample time to throw to a open receiver and at the end of the day that’s the name of the game. Our offense should be way better in year 2 of Bush Hamdan. He is basically the key to Stoops getting more time or Stoops being fired. So they better flow well together.
Terry: I’m hoping you’re are right but games in the SEC are won and lost at the line of scrimmage. With a dominate front line, you can make a freshman QB look like a Heisman guy; or with an average or below average line, you can make an all-American QB look like a freshman.