Bush Hamdan Doesn't Want to Rotate Quarterbacks

A series here, a snap or two there. It was hard to know when Gavin Wimsatt was going to step off the Kentucky sideline and into the huddle in 2024. Bush Hamdan says Big Blue Nation will not have to play the guessing game in 2025.

Cutter Boley has drawn more and more praise from Kentucky players and coaches as the end of call camp approaches. Will he get the nod over Zach Calzada? Hamdan was unwilling to say on Tuesday, but he did directly answer one question.

In addition to the Gavin Wimsatt rotation at Kentucky last year, Hamdan implemented a two-pronged quarterback attack at Boise State. In 2023, Maddux Madsen and Taylen Green rotated regularly until the former suffered an injury in November. Could Kentucky implement a similar situation with Boley and Calzada?

“I don’t really think so. In those scenarios, there was a little bit more of the athletic factor that both Gavin presented and Taylen Green at Boise,” Hamdan said after Tuesday’s practice.

“I think we’re in a situation where you need to get one guy as comfortable as you can get with who he’s playing with. And I’m going to keep saying it: We feel very confident in both of those guys doing a nice job.”

Hamdan: Kentucky will need both quarterbacks to win in the SEC

Hamdan doesn’t want to rotate quarterbacks. He doesn’t want to name a starter. He also wants to praise them both effusively, especially the presumed backup.

“Every day matters. The last 15 minutes of this practice were about as realistic of a two-minute scenario that we’ve had all year, maybe since I’ve been here. We’re constantly evaluating these guys, their progression,” said the Kentucky offensive coordinator.

“Cutter’s doing a lot of really good things, and I think you guys know that. Where he’s come from this year to last year, his mental approach, how calm he is out there. He is pushing the needle on this in a big way. Obviously, Zach’s doing a really nice job as well. We’re very fortunate to have both of these guys here.

“That’s the reality of the situation. It’s an interesting situation because the more veteran guy just got here four or five months ago and the newcomer’s in his second year. That’s a huge thing too. We’re taking it one day at a time. We’re fortunate both of these guys are here. Both of them are going to have to win football games for us when you look at the history of this conference. We’re taking it one step at a time.”

That’s a lot of words. It feels like we’re experiencing some preseason gamesmanship from the podium, sprinkled in with a few kernels of truth. The biggest one: Kentucky will need both of its quarterbacks to win football games this fall.

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