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Cutter Boley is hanging around in Kentucky’s starting quarterback battle

Kentucky went to the transfer portal in the offseason to address the starting quarterback position again. Incarcate Word transfer Zach Calzada was added to the program to become UK’s fourth transfer starter in the last five seasons.

But a young returnee is staying alive in this position battle.

Cutter Boley started one game for Kentucky last season and is hanging around this QB1 battle. Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops told fans in attendance at the Greater Louisville UK Alumni 2025 Wildcat Kickoff Luncheon at Churchill Downs on Monday that the redshirt freshman remains alive in this battle less than two weeks before kickoff.

“Zach Calzada is a transfer, a sixth-year player. I really like his experience. He’s been around a long time. He’s played in this league, he’s won big games. He was the starting quarterback at Texas A&M years ago under Jimbo (Fisher). Won a bunch of critical games there,” Stoops said in Louisville when asked about Kentucky’s quarterback room. “Had an injury, bounced around a little bit, but big thing is his experience. He’s a big guy, he can make all the throws. He has a strong arm. And he’s in a battle with Cutter Boley.”

“Cutter is a guy that’s a redshirt freshman that we all anticipate is the future of this program. When that happens, I don’t know. But Zach has been very steady and very good through camp. As has Cutter.”

Cutter Boley was a massive recruiting win for the Kentucky football program in the 2024 cycle who the program has invested in. The plan is for the Lexington (Ky.) Christian Academy produce and LaRue County native take over as QB1 in Lexington at some point in the near future. Zach Calzada was brought in to give the young quarterback some more development time, but it sounds like Boley may just be ahead of schedule.

Is there a real QB controversy at the Joe Craft Football Training Facility? Probably not. Kentucky brought Calzada in to start this season while the program develops the talented Boley. The expectation is for the veteran to begin the year as the starter but we could see the young player on the field at some point this season.

Stoops told KSR after the luncheon that Cutter Boley’s “knowledge” on the field has improved and that has led to the quarterback being more comfortable when in the huddle and playing from the pocket. That progression has produced quality play during fall camp. Kentucky seems to feel like they have two quarterbacks they can win games. That hasn’t always been the case in the past.