Mark Stoops confirms Zach Calzada would be Kentucky's starting quarterback right now

As Kentucky builds toward its season opener against Toledo, coach Mark Stoops is already seeing some encouraging signs. He knows enough to know who his starting quarterback would be.

Stoops was asked at a press conference on Monday who would start the opener if it was today. He did not hesitate.

“If there was a game tomorrow Zach (Calzada) would be under center, but this whole depth chart is going to move before — well not the whole depth chart, but it’s all open to move by the first game,” Stoops said. “We have a lot of practices to go through.”

In other words, Calzada is the leader in the race to be the starting quarterback right now but nothing is cemented just yet. Calzada does offer the most experience.

After starting his career at Texas A&M and playing a good deal as a third-year player in 2021, Calzada transferred to Auburn. He injured his shoulder there and did not play.

So Calzada again picked up and hit the transfer portal, hoping to become a starting quarterback somewhere. He found that opportunity at Incarnate Word.

In the last two years, Calzada threw for 6,342 yards and 54 touchdowns, against 18 interceptions. He also ran for 389 yards and 10 touchdowns.

The way he’s playing right now, Calzada has Stoops and his staff feeling good about how the starting quarterback battle is playing out. They like what they’re seeing.

“We feel good about it,” Stoops said. “I mean we all know we need to play better at that position. But we all know we need to play better around him. We need to give him some time. We need to make tough catches. We need to have balance. And we need to help those QBs out.”

Stoops also pointed out another luxury his team will have in fall camp thanks to one veteran presence. The Wildcats have really been able to focus reps on Calzada and redshirt freshman Cutter Boley.

“Feel very good about those guys,” Stoops said. “With having Beau Allen back as such a mature, smart, almost like a player-coach, we could invest a ton of reps in the top two guys, and they needed a lot of reps. Just the continuity and just continuing to develop that rapport with the new receivers and the O-line, getting them reps. But Zach and Cutter are two guys that we feel very good about.”

Stoops pointed out that if fans want to see how things are going in the race for the starting quarterback, they’re welcome to come see for themselves. A limited number of practices will be open for viewing.

“You guys are invited to practice,” Stoops told a room of reporters. “You’ve been to practice. I think we opened it both days this week, Friday and Saturday, to you all and open to the public on Saturday. You’ll see them participate. You’ll see what they can do. But I have a lot of confidence in both guys and we’ll go from there.”