Spring Rundown: Kentucky looks for depth at quarterback

The college basketball season is heating up, and college baseball are has officially started its 2022 trek towards Omaha. However, football never really stops. In March, Kentucky will break out the pads for the 10th spring practice under head coach Mark Stoops.

There are still a lot of unknowns with the program as Zach Yenser has become the third offensive line coach in three seasons, and the team is currently without an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Yet, the show still rolls on as that hire should be made sooner rather than later.

Spring practice is right around the corner, and KSR is here to help prep the Big Blue Nation for the 15 practices. Now is the time to go position-by-position to see where Kentucky stands. First up are the quarterbacks where Will Levis returns to campus with high expectations, but the depth of position needs to be solidified.

State of the room

In the quarterback room, Kentucky has both solid answers and legitimate questions to figure out. The return of Will Levis will give this team a more than capable starter and a talent who could be on his way to becoming a high NFL Draft pick. Last season, the Penn State transfer accounted for 3,188 total yards and 31 touchdowns while posting a passing success rate of 49.6 percent and a non-sack rushing success rate of 65.9 percent. The Wildcats know what is there with QB1.

The rest of the roster remains uncertain.

As a redshirt freshman, Beau Allen played in just three games and threw only 12 passes. The Lexington (Ky.) Catholic product did not play in an SEC game last year and will now be on this third offensive coordinator and position coach in just his third year on campus. That can stunt development.

Elsewhere, Kaiya Sheron is back after redshirting, and Iowa transfer Deuce Hogan has enrolled for spring practice as a walk-on who is looking to compete for the backup spot. Meanwhile, new signee Destin Wade will not arrive until the summer.

Levis is proven, but whoever the new coach is must figure out what the offense will do as far as depth at the quarterback position goes.

Most to prove

Without question, this is a huge season for Beau Allen. The former top-500 recruit was a big in-state recruiting win for the program in the class of 2020, and some billed the homegrown product as the quarterback of the future. However, the change in schemes has altered things quite a bit, and the young player faces another learning curve heading in the year.

Also, these spring practices will tell both sides a lot about the future. Not only is Kentucky’s new offensive coordinator going to figure out if Allen can fit into his system, but the young player will be able to tell if he’s a fit right away as well. Both sides have a lot to gain, and the hope is that this new marriage can be fruitful for both parties.

If it doesn’t work out, Kentucky would be in a bind. The team could be forced to find both a transfer portal quarterback and a high school signee before the 2023 season rolls around.

Wild card

Deuce Hogan was a four-star recruit out of the suburbs of Dallas who had plenty of options coming out of high school. The prospect decided to sign with Iowa and spent two seasons in Kirk Ferentz’s program. However, Hogan could not find a real role with the Hawkeyes through two seasons and eventually landed at Kentucky.

At 6-foot-4, Hogan has some good positional size and a big arm, but the other intricacies of the position need some strengthening. If things start to click at his new home, Kentucky could have quite the surprising option behind center.

Spring prediction: Things remain calm at QB

Due to the return of Will Levis, there will not be much stress about the quarterback position. The new offensive coordinator is stepping into a good situation unlike last year when the Wildcats had a huge worry about the position.

Beau Allen will remain his steady self as Deuce Hogan and Kaiya Sheron both settle in behind the third-year player. Kentucky will have a bunch of questions to answer once the season is over, but for now, it’s time to watch Levis go out and lead an offense that will have a chance to do some special things this fall.