Quarterback Zach Calzada will be a popular player at Friday's UK Media Day. (Larry Vaught Photo)
Transfer quarterback Zach Calzada was not available to the media during the summer months but he certainly said all the right things this week on “SEC Now” when talking about Kentucky’s upcoming season.
He said he sees a team he would describe as disciplined and urgent going into this season after UK went 4-8 last year and brought in 50 players from the transfer portal and high school signees.
Calzada threw for 3,744 yards and 35 touchdowns with only nine interceptions last season at Incarnate Word after previously playing at Texas A&M and Auburn. He’s looking for a new start just like his teammates.
“I wasn’t here last year. A lot of these guys weren’t here last year, but we can see and feel the pressure that’s with this upcoming season. I think just coming every day and putting our best foot forward from January to now, and as we roll into camp, is important for us,” Calzada said.
Offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan told the Lexington Kickoff Luncheon Monday that Calzada’s experience is a huge plus for UK’s offense.
“It’s a guy who has played in this league, been successful in this league. I think, as you know, overall, that experience is probably even more important than just the natural skill set,” Hamdan said. “We think he’s a big, physical player, but again, it’s the leadership part we’re going to rely on, certainly him being in his sixth year with that veteran leadership.
Calzada liked Hamdan’s “great mind” as he was looking for a new school.
“I think it’s going to be a great opportunity to showcase my talents and my arm strength. We’re going to run the ball really well, and we’re going to have a lot of opportunities to push the ball downfield,” the quarterback said on “SEC Now.”
Calzada has heard plenty about the low expectations for Kentucky this season and he’s ready to prove the skeptics wrong.
“There are a lot of opinions out there, there’s a lot of talk out there, but we do a great job of canceling that noise out and the only voices and opinions that matter to us are the ones in the building and what our teammates want and our coaches think,” Calzada said.
2 Responses
I really like Zach Calzada. I remember watching him play at Texas A&M and I thought he would be up there with Johnny manziel. He has a very strong arm. He's a gunslinger so that leads to some passes getting intercepted. He reminds me of Brett Farve. He can throw the ball anywhere on the field and he's a very crafty runner. Often waiting in the pocket for the defense to get down the field with receivers then he takes off running. He's not very fast but he's fast enough to make a play. Really this is the perfect situation for Cutter Boley. As long as Calzada does his job which I think he will do very well. Boley won't have to worry about playing a year to early. This is perfect for Boley. They waited until Arch Manning is a redshirt sophomore and is just now starting for Texas. Boley is a redshirt freshman who really should be a true Freshman. It's not time to cut him loose yet. Like Manning said the defense looks slower this year compared to his first 2 years on campus. That's because the game speed slows down in usually your 3rd year of college football especially SEC football. Boley will be ready when his number is called. Until then we are lucky to have Calzada. I like the cuban missile. I would rather have Calzada anyday over Brock V. Even with a better offensive line Brock V was used to having the best line the best receivers and the best everything at Georgia. Then he came from the power of the SEC to the cellar of the SEC and he couldn't see his way out of the cellar. I just dont think he was very good with average players around him. He needed all Americans around him. Calzada can win no matter who he has playing around him because he's a winner. He does whatever it takes to win. The success that Diego Pavia had last year I can see similar success for Calzada where he becomes a household name in the SEC this year. As he leads the wildcats back to a bowl game.
Some people say conversation is inexpensive; I say talk is cheap. Don't tell us how good you are going to be; show us.
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