What to know about Kentucky football QB Destin Wade, the Wildcats’ Music City Bowl starter
Nashville-area native Destin Wade made his college debut as Kentucky football’s starting quarterback in the Music City Bowl versus Iowa.
Wade is filling in for Will Levis, a likely first-round NFL Draft pick who opted out of the bowl game. Fellow quarterbacks Kaiya Sheron and Deuce Hogan could also see time for Kentucky in the game, but Wade took the first snap.
Here is what you need to know about the freshman quarterback.
DESTIN WADE’S TWIN BROTHER ALSO PLAYS FOR KENTUCKY
Destin is actually the second Wade to play for the Wildcats this season as his twin brother, Keaten, has appeared in every game at outside linebacker. The Wade brothers starred together at Summit High School in Nashville, Tennessee, where they were trained at the same gym as UK star freshman wide receiver Barion Brown.
Both Wade brothers were rated as four-star recruits in high school. They briefly considered going to separate schools before both committing to Kentucky.
“When we just thought about it and what was best for us, what would be more fun, it was sticking together,” Destin said before the season.
Quarterbacks are held from contact in practice but with the twins on opposite sides of the ball, a friendly rivalry has developed.
“When he’s doing good on offense and fitting in balls and running plays good, I just want to make plays on defense and try to match his play on offense, so he doesn’t get all the recognition,” Keaten said. “There will be a lot of trash talk trying to get back to him in the backfield.”
DESTIN WADE WAS RATED AS AN ATHLETE AS A RECRUIT
While Destin started at quarterback for three years for Summit, there were some question about whether he would stick at the position in college. As a senior, he rushed for 2,308 yards and 30 touchdowns and thew for 1,436 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Each of the recruiting services rated Destin as an athlete, but Kentucky promised him the chance to play quarterback.
“It meant a lot, just that they believed in me basically,” Destin said. “Some schools didn’t think I was able to. To play in the SEC and have a chance to play quarterback means a lot to me.”
While former Kentucky offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello, who was fired after the end of the regular season, was not on staff when the Wildcats recruited Destin, he did provide the freshman with a strong endorsement in camp.
“I would say based on what I evaluated of him, he probably throws the ball a little bit better than I expected, which is a promising sign,” Scangarello said. “We know he’s a good athlete, we know he’s a leader, we know he’s competitive.
“So, fortunately for him we’re in no rush to play him. I think it’s hard in this offense for sure to play a true freshman that hasn’t been here for the spring, so he’s got a role to play. He’s going to be huge on the scout team for us this year. He can develop, and we’ll see what he’s made of. So far, I’ve been impressed with him as a person and a player.”
Kentucky began preparing a package of plays for Wade during the regular season after Levis was sidelined with turf toe, but he did not appear in a game.
He impressed enough in pre-bowl practices to takeover the starting job.
“He’s a winner,” associate head coach Vince Marrow said of Wade. “That’s what people don’t realize. He’s a winner. He won at a very high league. So, he can make every throw. He’s athletic.”
DESTIN WADE MAKES HIS DEBUT IN HIS HOMETOWN
Wade’s first college appearance came in the NFL stadium where he watched games growing up. He was named Tennessee Mr. Football for Division I, Class 6A as a senior at Summit High School in Spring Hill, Tennessee.
While there was no expectation that Destin would play this season with Levis entrenched at quarterback and Sheron and Hogan also ahead of him on the roster, his Nashville-based trainer did predict in an interview with the Herald-Leader Destin could still make an early impact.
“I think he’s a quarterback long term,” said Buck Fitzgerald, the CEO of National Playmakers Academy. “Obviously, they have a tremendous quarterback now, but I think he’s impressed people with his ability to throw the ball.
“I would like to see maybe him used in unique ways while he’s waiting his turn. Just because he’s too special of a guy to not use. Kentucky is a great program, but I don’t know if they’re a great enough program not to use that guy in some capacity.”
With Keaten Wade and Brown already playing key roles, Kentucky will feature three Nashville-area natives in the Music City Bowl.
“Nashville always wanted to see me, Destin and Keaten play on the same team,” Brown said. “Having the opportunity to play in front of them and let them see how hard we have worked for this, it’s going to be great playing with them in Nashville.”
This story was originally published December 31, 2022 at 12:13 PM.