Zach Calzada (UK Athletics Photo)
It was almost 30 minutes into Mark Stoops’ media day press conference Monday before the University of Kentucky coach was asked about who would be the team’s starting quarterback this year.
Transfer Zach Calzada, who has played at Texas A&M, Auburn and Incarnate Word, has the most experience as he started at Texas A&M in 2021 and the last two years at Incarnate Word.
Calzada is 731 of 1,163 passing for 8,707 yards with 73 touchdowns and 28 interceptions in his career. He has also rushed for 11 touchdowns. Last season Calzada completed 347 of 528 passes for 3,791 yards and 35 touchdowns.
Redshirt freshman Cutter Boley, a former Lexington Christian standout, played sparingly last season but had a good outing at Texas (10 of 18 passing for 160 yards) and started against Louisville. He was recruited to be UK’s answer at quarterback and completed 26 of 53 passes for 338 yards and two touchdowns with four interceptions in the four games he played in 2024.
Stoops praised both quarterbacks Monday.
“We feel good about it. We all know we need to play better at that position, but we all know we need to play better around him,” Stoops said about the starting quarterback. “We need to give him some time. We need to make tough catches. We need to have balance, and we need to help those QBs out.”
Kentucky did not do a lot to help the quarterback out last year in the run game or pass protection. UK’s offense was anemic most of the season as UK finished 4-8.
Stoops noted that veteran Beau Allen is an asset to have for both quarterbacks and security for the head coach.
“I feel very good about those guys. With Beau Allen back as such a mature, smart, almost like a player/coach third, we could invest a ton of reps in the top two guys, and they need a lot of reps,” Stoops said. “Just continuity and just continuing to develop that rapport within the receivers and the O-line and getting the reps.
“Zach and Cutter are two guys we feel very good about. You’ll see them participate, and you’ll see what they can do, but I have a lot of confidence in both guys. We’ll go from there.”
Stoops said while the competition is open that Calzada would be the starter if UK had a game this week.
“This whole depth chart is going to move before — well, not the whole depth chart, but it can,” Stoops said. “It’s all open to move by the first game. We have a lot of practices to go through.”
The Cats open the season at home against Toledo on Aug. 30.
5 Responses
That all depends on a greatly improved offensive line. It will be better, but not sure if has greatly improved.
I've heard through the grapevine, that our offensive line has been then strength of the offense so far and the secondary is the strength of the defense. That has been 2 of our biggest weaknesses over the last 2-3 years. Hopefully all the other positions have at least improved since last year.
Every year Stoops says he has backup QBs that can win in the SEC only to never let them see the field even when the starter is hurt. I think the only reason Cutter got a chance last year is that BVG had already told Stoops he was hanging it up.
Stoops does stick with his starting QB until he gets hurt and then the next man up is not ready to play. That is Stoops football and it comes back to bite him more often than not.
Pitching, catching, running the ball and stopping the opposing offense. The team that does it best wins. It's not rocket science. It's all about taking talent and applying fundamentals. The coach that manages these areas best wins games. I can't wait to see what kind of team we put on the field of battle.
Give me 22 hard nose, never quit and smart gamers on the field and we'll have a chance to win every game.