Could QBs Brock Vandagriff and Gavin Wimsatt play at the same time for Kentucky football?

Just more than a week into Kentucky football’s preseason camp, no one in the Wildcats program is suggesting Georgia transfer Brock Vandagriff’s position as starting quarterback is at risk.

But coaches and players are also clear that backup Gavin Wimsatt, the former Owensboro High School star and Rutgers transfer, has a role to play regardless of how Vandagriff performs.

“He’s a really big, athletic kid,” tight ends coach Vince Marrow said of Wimsatt. “I think the surprising part is how he’s throwing the ball. And not saying I didn’t think he could throw the ball, but just watching him live.

“When I recruited him out of high school, he was a kid that we really wanted, but now watching him, I mean, man, he’s a good looking dude.”

During Kentucky’s Fan Day practice Saturday, which was open to reporters and fans, Wimsatt impressed with multiple deep connections to wide receiver Fred Farrier while running the second-team offense.

Considering Wimsatt completed just 46.6% of his passes in 25 games across three seasons at Rutgers, him becoming a consistent threat in the air would be a surprise, but any progress there could make his role even more interesting considering his prowess as a runner.

“I think that we are going to utilize him in a lot of those ‘wildcat’ type situations, at the very least,” offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan said. “... He is a big, talented player.”

Wimsatt, listed at 6-foot-3, 227 pounds on UK’s roster, rushed for 628 yards and 11 touchdowns at Rutgers.

The quarterback run game is expected to be a significant piece of Hamdan’s offensive scheme. While Vandagriff brings his own dual-threat abilities to the field, Wimsatt could help account for some of the question marks surrounding the running back position.

As both a play-caller at Boise State and Washington, Hamdan incorporated the “wildcat” formation where the ball is snapped directly to a runner. At Boise State last season, that formation was a way to get the ball in the hands of star running back Ashton Jeanty.

Now, it will likely be a way to get Wimsatt involved, but could be expanded to add even more wrinkles since Wimsatt is at least a threat to throw as well.

“You were able to see during that (Fan Day) practice some of the things he’s able to do,” Hamdan said. “We think he’s one of the best ball carriers we have as well. So it’s on us to be creative.

“Making sure it’s a package he can handle, but he can also handle going in and being the full-time quarterback if needed there. It’s something we’re working on.”

Hamdan acknowledged Tuesday early challenges on the schedule mean his staff will start game planning for September matchups against South Carolina and Georgia during camp. The first task is beating Southern Miss in the Aug. 31 opener, but do not be surprised if a few of the wrinkles in the Wimsatt package are held back for the early SEC challenges.

And yes, one of those wrinkles might involve Wimsatt and Vandagriff being on the field at the same time.

“We haven’t done too much of that yet, but I’m definitely not ruling that out,” Vandagriff said on media day. “Definitely not ruling that out. That’s definitely something you look forward to.”

In previous play-calling stops, Hamdan has proven willing to stick with one quarterback when the situation warrants, but he also used a two-quarterback system for much of the 2023 season at Boise State, rotating starter Taylen Green and freshman Maddux Madsen before an injury to Madsen ended that arrangement.

The best-case scenario for Kentucky remains Vandagriff living up to his hype as a former five-star high school recruit, but the addition of Wimsatt at least raises the floor if Vandagriff struggles or is injured. It might raise the offense’s ceiling too if the Wimsatt “wildcat” package proves effective.

“It’s intriguing,” Wimsatt, who has made it clear he still plans to compete for the starting job, said. “Especially what I’ve seen him do at Boise and his other schools made me curious. And I’m excited.”

This story was originally published August 7, 2024 at 10:00 AM.

Jon Hale

Lexington Herald-Leader

(859) 414-6776

Jon Hale is the University of Kentucky football beat writer for the Lexington Herald-Leader. He joined the Herald-Leader in 2022 but has covered UK athletics for more than 10 years. Hale was named the 2021 Kentucky Sportswriter of the Year. Support my work with a digital subscription