The Kentucky football program opened the gates outside of the practice fields at the Joe Craft Football Training Facility on Friday and Saturday for likely the only time all season. We have received our first extensive look at the 2025 team that features 50 new players.
This is what we learned.
KSR is diving into some takeaways after watching two full practices over the last two days as Kentucky gets set to enter the first full week of fall camp. This is what we know about this year’s team with Week 1 just 28 days away.
Cutter Boley shines but Zach Calzada is still QB1
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the open practices is what we saw from redshirt freshman quarterback Cutter Boley. Despite playing almost entirely with the second unit, the former four-star recruit looked the part throwing dimes to Montavin Quisenberry, DJ Miller, and Hardley Gilmore IV. The second-year player was comfortable, in control, and made plays off-script when required. Calling him the most impressive player during this period would not be crazy.
But he is not the starter.
Incarnate Word transfer Zach Calzada appeared to get all of the snaps with the first unit through each practice and made some incremental improvements from Friday to Saturday. The seventh-year senior is still the heavy favorite to be Kentucky’s QB1 in 2025.
The Wildcats added Calzada for the experience that he will bring to the offense. This will be Kentucky’s new starting quarterback but the play traits that made Boley such a highly ranked prospect showed up on the practice field over the last two days. The young quarterback is developing and could enter the season as one of the best backups in the SEC.
Boley might eventually get a chance to play big snaps this season but it’s clear that the in-state product is behind Calzada — for now.
Kentucky is big at cornerback again — and that makes Mark Stoops excited
Mark Stoops has a type at cornerback. Having height and length has always been a guiding light for the Wildcats in the recruiting process, but sometimes it can be difficult to align those physical traits with two starters with experience. Kentucky seems to have that with JQ Hardaway and DJ Waller Jr. in 2025.
During both spring practices, the size of each and the experience level for each cornerback stood out. Both players seem to have made a jump in development.
Kentucky is typically better when they have size and experience at cornerback. They have that with Hardaway and Waller this season. The head coach feels like his secondary can be really good — he’s mentioned it multiple times this week. A big reason for that is what UK has at cornerback.
Offensive line depth is concerning
We know who Kentucky’s starting offensive line is. That is not a secret. The Wildcats spent big in the transfer portal to find starters and are banking on returnees Jager Burton and Jalen Farmer to take a leap this fall. There is confidence in this group but they have to go and prove it. We still aren’t quite sure how improved this unit is but it is improved.
But the depth of the position room is concerning.
At both practices, the drop-off from the ones to twos felt very significant. The Cats struggled to block in both the pass and the run when the second unit took the field. Cutter Boley was pressured often. If an injury does occur, there should be concerns about plugging the hole. Redshirt sophomore Malachi Wood currently looks like Kentucky’s sixth best in the offensive line room. UK will need redshirt freshman Aba Selm and WKU transfer Evan Wibberley to come along fast.
Much is riding on this offensive line becoming one of the most improved position groups in the SEC. The lack of depth for this group is alarming with kickoff just around the corner.
There are still snapping accuracy concerns with Jager Burton
Back in 2023, Kentucky decided to move former blue-chip recruit Jager Burton from guard to center. The pivot felt like a more natural position for the Lexington (Ky.) Frederick Douglass product due to his size and play style. Unfortunately, that experiment only lasted three games.
Burton struggled with snapping accuracy as a redshirt sophomore. Those problems have not gone away as a redshirt senior.
There were multiple bad snaps on both days of practice as the veteran is having issues with snapping consistency. Mark Stoops expressed belief in Burton after practice, and says that the interior offensive lineman is putting a ton of extra work in, but the snapping inaccuracy cannot continue for an offense that wants to live in the pistol and shotgun.
This will be a development to follow closely throughout the rest of fall camp and when the season begins on Labor Day weekend.
There is a heated competition at EDGE
J.J. Weaver was in the Kentucky football program for a very long time. The Louisville (Ky.) Moore product signed with UK in the 2019 high school cycle and spent six years at the Joe Craft Football Training Facility. However, Weaver left the program after the 2024 season.
Kentucky is looking for a new starter at Jack linebacker for the first time in a half-decade. The program went to the transfer portal to find a replacement.
USC transfer Sam Greene became Kentucky’s first transfer commit in December. Kent State transfer Kam Olds jumped in the boat nine days later. There is a platoon going on with this two mid-year additions right now at the position. Steven Soles Jr. is also a factor here and should have a real role in Kentucky’s third down package as a sophomore.
UK does not have a clear No. 1 at EDGE but there are multiple options who should all have a part in this defense.
The transfers are leading the way at tailback
Jamarion Wilcox flashed as a redshirt freshman and quickly became a fan favorite last season. The coaching staff has spoken very positively about Jason Patterson multiple times. Both young backs seem to have potential but neither is in the top two when it comes to the depth chart.
Offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan told the media on Friday that the rushing attack starts with the two transfers that Kentucky added at the position in the offseason. That’s what played out on the practice field.
New Mexico State transfer Seth McGowan looks like RB1 right now. Nebraska transfer Dante Dowdell is right up there with him. Wilcox and Patterson appear to be competing for the RB3 job.
Tailback is an attrition position where depth is required. Kentucky has that but some players are just going to get more touches than others. McGowan and Dowdell are currently primed to be heavy workload players in Hamdan’s second offense at Kentucky.
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