Boley is the future, Calzada is the now
Mark Stoops knows who the future is at quarterback. He just doesn’t know when the future begins.
“The fact that we had a local, young quarterback on campus that we certainly feel is the future, and when that time is, I'm not sure,” Stoops said Thursday at SEC Media Days.
That future? Cutter Boley — the Lexington Christian Academy product and former top-25 QB recruit who chose Kentucky over Tennessee, Florida State, and Penn State. At 6-foot-5, Boley looks the part. He got a taste of action in four games last season, preserving his redshirt status while logging 338 yards, two touchdowns and four picks. His best moment came on the road in Austin, when he carved up Texas for 160 yards on just 15 attempts.
But this fall, the present belongs to Zach Calzada — the seasoned SEC veteran who took down Alabama back in 2021. Yes, that Zach Calzada. Stoops brought in the “Cuban Missile” from Incarnate Word, where he helped lead one of the most explosive offenses in the FCS. It’s the same school that turned Cameron Ward into a star — and now Calzada gets his shot at redemption in the SEC.
“With Zach, it played a factor that he won and won big games in the SEC. He has a ton of experience,” Stoops said.
That experience might be the most valuable trait on a roster that’s been flipped top to bottom. Kentucky brought in more than 25 transfers, and continuity under center matters now more than ever.
Still, there’s an undercurrent of anticipation around Boley. With four years of eligibility and a high ceiling, he’ll be hard to keep off the field forever. Waiting in the wings, too, is 2026 commit Matt Ponatoski — a top-100 talent and rising star from Texas who could make things very interesting down the line.
For now, it’s Calzada’s show. But the clock is already ticking. In Lexington, quarterback battles don’t just shape depth charts. Stoops has never been able to really develop a QB, and for the first time in a while he has that chance. Kentucky's next great QB era could begin at any moment — if the Missile doesn’t hit first.