Kentucky wants consistency from Zach Calzada

Kentucky dove back into the transfer portal to find a new starting quarterback again after the 2024 season ended. The Wildcats landed Incarnate Word transfer Zach Calzada. A 7th-year player, Calzada will turn 25 years old during the season as he returns to the SEC after stints at Texas A&M (2019-21) and Auburn (2022). Playing experience was a big factor in Kentucky signing Calzada.

The multi-time transfer has played 2,289 career snaps with 32 starts and a 23-9 record as a starter. Calzada accumulated 8,660 passing yards, 708 non-sack rushing yards, and 84 total touchdowns. Despite all of that experience, offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan has expressed consistency for the veteran quarterback this spring.

“Every practice is so important for him. This is a guy that has played a lot of football but it’s still a new system, and again, in a year one setting. I always like to see quarterbacks that continue to improve and I think he has done a really nice job of that,” Hamdan told reporters on Wednesday. “Consistency with him is going to be critical.”

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Arm strength and power is something that people within the program have brought up continuously when discussing Zach Calzada. There is a belief that the new quarterback will help the Cats carve out a vertical passing game but accuracy needs to improve. Hamdan said that Calzada “surprises you with his athleticism” and is a “big, strong, physical kid”. That athleticism shows up on Calzada’s Incarnate Word tape where he got to show off more of his running ability. That is something we can expect Kentucky to use when the game begins but spring practice is very much about the fundamentals.

The offense at the Joe Craft Football Training Facility is looking to build a new identity with all of the new pieces on the roster. That likely includes a run-heavy offense with a very active play-action passing game. Hamdan will need his quarterback to deliver when his number is called and big-play opportunities present themselves. That ultimately means execution and decision-making coming together to help the offense score points. Kentucky believes that consistency will help accomplish that.

“As we know, it’s always going to come down to decision-making and accuracy and that’s what we’re striving for him to do,” Hamdan said.