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It's officially the Cutter Boley era for Kentucky football

The future is now for Kentucky football, and it rests on the strong right arm of Cutter Boley.
ByDrew Holbrook|
Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Cutter Boley (8), left, celebrates his touchdown pass to Kentucky Wildcats tight end Willie Rodriguez (81) in the second quarter as the Wildcats are rolling in the football game against Eastern Michigan at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025.
Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Cutter Boley (8), left, celebrates his touchdown pass to Kentucky Wildcats tight end Willie Rodriguez (81) in the second quarter as the Wildcats are rolling in the football game against Eastern Michigan at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025. | Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The decision has been made. After a week of speculation, Mark Stoops has officially turned the keys to the Kentucky offense over to redshirt freshman Cutter Boley. With veteran Zach Calzada still not 100% healthy after two weeks, the Wildcats will roll into their SEC road opener with the in-state star under center, a move many in Big Blue Nation have been clamoring for.

The keys to the kingdom

Boley will make his second consecutive start after a performance against Eastern Michigan that showcased both his immense potential and his areas for growth. Stoops confirmed the move in his weekly press conference. "It is what it is," Stoops said. "It's a combination of a lot of things, but uh you know Zack has not been 100% to this point."

Now, the focus shifts from whether Boley will play to how he will perform in his first true SEC road start. He did play in relief of Brock Vandagriff last year at Texas, but he did not start that game. Stoops expressed confidence in the young quarterback's development. "He's getting more confident. He's getting more comfortable with every rep," he said. That confidence is shared by his teammates. "The kids believe in him. They were excited last week... to watch Cutter and to see what he can do."

A look at the tape

Boley's career stats show a quarterback with a legitimate deep-ball threat (averaging 11.6 yards per attempt this season) but one who is still refining his accuracy (54.2% completion). He showed flashes of brilliance in relief in the aforementioned game against Texas last year but struggled in the season finale against Louisville. This week's hostile environment will be the biggest challenge of his young career. As Stoops noted, Williams-Brice Stadium has an "incredible... great atmosphere," and how Boley handles that pressure will be paramount.

Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time he enjoyes downtime with his family and Premier League soccer. You can find him on X here.Micah 7:7. #UptheAlbion

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