One QB to stay, the rest to go? Kentucky's Mark Stoops faces a defining decision

It's rarely a good sign of a successful offensive season when you've seen three quarterbacks playing meaningful minutes. That's exactly what Kentucky has seen this year in Brock Vandagriff, Gavin Wimsatt, and Cutter Boley. It's not starting to shape up where the most likely scenario is that whoever Mark Stoops chooses to start on Saturday against Louisville will be the only one to stick around for next year. This is purely speculation, but it makes the most sense in the transfer portal era; let's lay out the reasoning in this article.

Brock Vandagriff - Junior

Brock Vandagriff transferred in from Georgia. He has won two national championships as a backup for Georgia, and he was recruited out of high school as a 5-star quarterback in the 2021 class. He never was able to see the starter role for the Bulldogs and chose to transfer to Kentucky last year to fill that spot. He has at least one more year of eligibility after this year, and if he loses his starter status, you have to assume he will strongly assume moving on.

Gavin Wimsatt - Junior

Gavin Wimsatt also transferred in with the assumption he would be backing up Vandagriff but coming in to mix it up. He helps make things happen with his legs and, at the same time, always presents the threat of throwing. This was clearly the plan with Wimsatt, and yet that strategy became a liability, and he has been effectively benched for weeks now. Passed up on the depth chart by Cutter Boley. It's slightly surprising that Wimsatt hasn't already jumped into the portal, considering how he was used towards the end of this season.

Cutter Boley - Freshman

Finally, we arrive at 4-star recruit and true freshman Cutter Boley. He has been playing backup to Vandagriff and has been getting meaningful minutes lately. He has clearly outplayed Vandagriff for two weeks in a row. Fans are clamoring for him as he appears to be the best quarterback on the roster. He knows he is the future, and he talks as if he is. If then, he is benched in lieu of Vandagriff again for the Louisville game, he would also start to assume that Vandagriff is the quarterback of the future (for next year), making him realize that he wouldn't be able to compete for the starting spot. He already won it with his play so if he doesn't actually get it, it could cause him to want to transfer.

This is the dilemma facing head coach Mark Stoops, and he needs to choose the decision that gives Kentucky the best chance for the foreseeable future, even if he doesn't believe that's the best for getting the win for Louisville. However, it seems like the decision is the same. Boley is the best quarterback of late, and thus, he gives Kentucky the best chance to win against the Cardinals and on into the future.