Kentucky Football and Quarterback Competition Drawing to Normalcy

By: LONNY DEMAREE

With the Covid-19, the NIL, the potential realignment based on two new entries in the SEC, and the disjointed-speculation on the new starting quarterback, we are drawing close to a sense of sanity.

There is a lot’s of moving and shaking centered around Mark Stoops’ football team, the quarterback being the central issue.

Local talk show personality Matt Jones in an early prediction on a starter was 65%, Will Levis. He later went to 98%. Not to be outdone, other organizations jumped on board with their early predictions, all of which was Will Levis.

Levis transferred from Penn State, where he was not able to beat out Sean Clifford who pushed Trace McSorley for the starting job. McSorley was Penn State’s starter when the Wildcats defeated them in the Florida Citrus Bowl.

Levis arrived on the UK campus a few weeks ago to position himself in challenging Joey Gatewood for the starting job. New offensive coordinator Liam Coen has prior knowledge of Levis, having recruited him for U-Mass.

Despite the presence of Gatewood’s second year at UK after transferring from Auburn University and going through spring practice in Coen system, a consensus of the BBN held on the pre-conceived notion that Levis has the upper hand. He has a cannon for an arm. Gatewood to has a strong arm.

At the SEC Media days at Hoover, Mark Stoops to elaborate on Joey Gatewood who said is from his neck-of-the-woods, as he stated. Stoops fired the first salvo by pointing out Gatewood likeability as a teammate and saying he is a big, strong, a hard-worker, and directly point out his accuracy down the field. This cause some of the talking heads to retreat somewhat, though some of the editorializing has been held served up in a measured way.

My position has always been to let them compete and may the best man emerge on top. And lower the temperature and pointed, uneducated opinions.

I’m taking the position based several comments coming from a more educated source, and one direct source that 99% barring injury that Gatewood will take the first snap against ULM to open the season.

Assistant Head Coach Vince Marrow was the offensive coordinator leading into the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, albeit not in a pure passing system, stated he was very, impressed with Gatewood and almost went with him in the game.

For the fans, its axiomatic to say that life is not always easy in a non-self-evident declaration. If the quarterback decision is not where the pre-conceived notions are could cause some fans unfortunately, unnecessary angst.

My position with a longtime starvation for some bigtime success, I have no dog in the fight. The person should be who can best change the digits on the scoreboard.