Cutter Boley Pays Rent in Tight End Touchdown Passes

Willie Rodriguez scores his first Kentucky touchdown — Kentucky Wildcats tight end Willie Rodriguez (81) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against Eastern Michigan at Kroger Field on Saturday, September 13, 2025 in Lexington, Kentucky. Photo by Crawford Ifland, Kentucky Sports Radio

Cutter Boley‘s first career start did not go according to plan against Louisville. When he needed to make a big play in his second start, a couple of his closest friends were ready to lend a hand.

The Kentucky quarterback completed a dozen passes for 240 yards. Willie Rodriguez and Josh Kattus caught five of those balls for 89 yards. It was abundantly clear from the stands at Kroger Field that the young passer has chemistry with the Cats’ top two tight ends.

“We might live with him, might be roommates, and see him every day. There could be something with that,” Kattus said with a snicker after the Wildcats’ 48-23 win. “He’s our boy. He had a really good game and I’m really happy for him. I know he’s looking to take the next step into SEC play.”

Kentucky had not thrown a passing touchdown through the first two games of the season. Boley got on the board with a pair of passes in the end zone to Kattus and Rodriguez, and he almost got Kattus another score, too.

“I got to hit my roommates for a touchdown tonight, both of them,” Boley said. “That’s just kind of how it was. The ball came to them. The play was called and that’s where the read took me. I was just happy I was able to give them a chance to make a play.”

Can Boley pay rent in touchdown passes? “Probably.”

Kattus and Rodriguez will tease the quarterback about getting them the ball more, but it’s all in good fun. However, it’s clear that those relationships off the field are going to pay dividends on the field. Kentucky has struggled to consistently get the tight ends involved in the passing game in recent years, and right now, Kattus and Rodriguez appear to be the most reliable targets on the offense.

Rodriguez got the first score of the night, the first of his career. Did he need to get Kattus in the end zone, too?

“I hope that’s not the case, but I got it done tonight,” Boley laughed. “It’ll be a pretty peaceful night at the house.”

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One Play to the Kentucky Tight Ends is Telling

Life as a quarterback is not always easy. There are times when the defense gets into the backfield and forces the play off-schedule. It’s one area that Boley is working to improve, but in one instance, he showed that his head is in the right place.

In the second quarter, the play called for Boley to roll to his left. Pressure forced him to redirect and rush to the other side of the field.

“He turned around and I just threw my hand up,” Kattus recalled, “and Cutter goes down and throws a beautiful, beautiful ball. I felt like my feet were in and I looked at the replay. It was a great pass and overall a great play.”

Kattus toe-tapped down the sideline for a 34-yard gain. It was the most impressive play of the night, but if you look on the replay, there was an easy play underneath. Rodriguez was unguarded near the sticks.

“(Willie) said he was wide open. I think Cutter was just looking downfield,” said Kattus. “It’s the type of kid he is. He wants to go make a competitive throw downfield and he threw a great pass.”

Cutter Boley is an aggressive quarterback by nature. There are plenty of things he still has to work out, but that mindset might be exactly what Kentucky needs to become a more explosive offense.