Kentucky depth chart takeaways: Zach Calzada will start vs. Toledo

Kentucky football’s supposed preseason quarterback battle ended exactly as expected.

Former Texas A&M, Auburn and Incarnate Word quarterback Zach Calzada will start the 2025 season opener for Kentucky against Toledo on Saturday. Calzada took almost all the first-team snaps in preseason camp, but UK coach Mark Stoops went public with praise for backup Cutter Boley after the second preseason scrimmage, declaring the race was too close to call at that point.

“It wasn’t what Zach wasn’t doing,” Stoops said Monday. “I think it was Cutter really playing well in particular down the stretch of camp, I’d say, the last 10 days. He just seemed so much more comfortable, so much more confident and playing at a higher level.

“I think they were both playing good and that we need that. As you know, it’s a very difficult schedule we have in front of us, and we need all hands on deck. And so I’m quite confident in both of those guys.”

It was clear from the moment Kentucky signed Calzada that this was the likely outcome. As a seventh-year senior coming off two years of impressive performance at FCS Incarnate Word, Calzada was never going to pick a school for his final college season where he was not likely to start. Still, he went out of his way to avoid any comments in interviews throughout the spring and summer that would suggest he had been guaranteed the starting job when Kentucky recruited him from the transfer portal.

UK coaches have continued to promote Boley as the quarterback of the future after he impressed in a four-game cameo as a freshman last season. Despite encouraging performances in the second half versus Murray State and Texas last year, Kentucky did not score on any of Boley’s 10 drives against Power Four competition.

When former starter Brock Vandagriff retired and backup Gavin Wimsatt entered the transfer portal, it was clear Kentucky would need to add a veteran quarterback to avoid being dependent on Boley as starter if he was not yet ready this year.

Kentucky found that quarterback in Calzada, who helped lead Texas A&M to an upset of No. 1 Alabama as a fill-in starter in 2021. Calzada then transferred to Auburn, where he did not play due to a shoulder injury, before landing at Incarnate Word.

Last season, Calzada completed 66% of his passes for 3,791 yards, 35 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also rushed for 332 yards and five touchdowns.

Fans should not expect Calzada to duplicate those FCS statistics against SEC competition, especially since Kentucky runs a pro-style attack and Incarnate Word runs a spread offense, but he boasts elite arm strength and the ability to make plays with his legs.

“For me, it’s just being a ‘game manager,’ and it’s just keeping my team ahead of the sticks,” Calzada said of his focus earlier in camp. “When coach calls shot plays, if it’s not there, not forcing anything, taking my check downs, handing the ball off on (run-pass options) when I was supposed to, and just managing the game.

“Big plays will come, but if you’re searching for them you get behind the sticks quickly. So making sure that I keep us in third-and-short situations and taking yards when we need them.”

Here is the rest of the week one depth chart.

OFFENSE

QUARTERBACK

5 — Zach Calzada (6-4, 230, SSr.)

8 — Cutter Boley (6-5, 220, RFr.)

RUNNING BACK

2 — Dante Dowdell (6-2, 227, Jr.)

or 3 — Seth McGowan (6-1, 215, SSr.)

WIDE RECEIVER (X)

17 — Hardley Gilmore (6-1, 183, So.)

or 4 — J.J. Hester (6-5, 203, SSr.)

7 — DJ Miller (6-3, 204, Fr.)

WIDE RECEIVER (F)

1 — Kendrick Law (6-0, 205, Sr.)

or 0 — Troy Stellato (6-1, 184, Sr.)

19 — Montavin Quisenberry (5-10, 170, Fr.)

WIDE RECEIVER (Z)

9 — Ja’Mori Maclin (5-11, 191, SSr.)

or 13 — Fred Farrier (6-1, 188, Sr.)

22 — Cameron Miller (5-11, 167, Fr.)

TIGHT END (Y)

84 — Josh Kattus (6-4, 247, Sr.)

87 — Henry Boyer (6-6, 265, Jr.)

or 85 — Elijah Brown (6-6, 258, Jr.)

TIGHT END (F)

81 — Willie Rodriguez (6-4, 252, So.)

18 — Mikkel Skinner (6-4, 231, Fr.)

LEFT TACKLE

73 — Shiyazh Pete (6-8, 322, Sr.)

71 — Malachi Wood (6-8, 328, So.)

LEFT GUARD

75 — Joshua Braun (6-6, 342, SSr.)

53 — Aba Selm (6-4, 323, RFr.)

CENTER

62 — Jager Burton (6-4, 323, Sr.)

58 — Evan Wibberley (6-5, 304, Jr.)

RIGHT GUARD

52 — Jalen Farmer (6-5, 318, Jr.)

79 — Jay Clark (6-4, 325, Fr.)

RIGHT TACKLE

50 — Alex Wollschlaeger (6-7, 311, SSr.)

69 — Darrin Strey (6-7, 322, Fr.)

DEFENSE

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

92 — Kahlil Saunders (6-5, 293, Sr.)

94 — Tavion Gadson (6-5, 298, So.)

NOSE GUARD

60 — David Gusta (6-3, 317, Sr.)

97 — Josaih Hayes (6-3, 322, SSr.)

DEFENSIVE END

90 — Mi’Quise Humphrey-Grace (6-4, 270, Jr.)

95 — Jerod Smith (6-4, 275, So.)

DEFENSIVE END/OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

2 — Sam Greene (6-2, 248, So.)

35 — Steven Soles (6-2, 235, So.)

or 1 — Kam Olds (6-4, 252, Sr.)

MIDDLE LINEBACKER

7 — Daveren Rayner (6-2, 217, SSr.)

22 — Grant Godfrey (6-3, 234, So.)

or 9 — Landyn Watson (6-1, 245, Sr.)

WEAKSIDE LINEBACKER

3 — Alex Afari (6-2, 227, Sr.)

44 — Antwan Smith (6-3, 215, So.)

MEDIUM/NICKEL

12 — Quay’Sheed Scott (6-0, 196, So.)

or 10 — Jantzen Dunn (6-0, 185, Sr.)

or 24 — Jaden Smith (6-3, 208, RFr.)

FIELD CORNERBACK

5 — DJ Waller (6-3, 203, Jr.)

19 — Kevis Thomas (6-0, 181, Jr.)

FREE SAFETY

25 — Jordan Lovett (6-2, 208, Sr.)

4 — Martels Carter (6-0, 200, Fr.)

STRONG SAFETY

14 — Ty Bryant (6-0, 198, Jr.)

18 — Cam Dooley (6-2, 208, So.)

BOUNDARY CORNERBACK

6 — JQ Hardaway (6-3, 193, Sr.)

20 — Terhyon Nichols (5-11, 198, So.)

SPECIALISTS

KICKER

91 — Jacob Kauwe (6-1, 212, RFr.)

97 — Zach Schreiner (6-0, 181, Sr.)

KICKOFF

48 — Aidan Laros (6-2, 218, Sr.)

97 — Zach Schreiner (6-0, 181, Sr.)

PUNTER

48 — Aidan Laros (6-2, 218, Sr.)

93 — Wilson Berry (6-4, 214, Sr.)

LONG SNAPPER

42 — Alex McLaughlin (5-10, 228, Sr.)

59 — David LaGanga (6-0, 212, Jr.)

SHORT SNAPPER

42 — Alex McLaughlin (5-10, 228, Sr.)

59 — David LaGanga (6-0, 212, Jr.)

HOLDER

93 – Wilson Berry (6-4, 214, Sr.)

48 — Aidan Laros (6-2, 218, Sr.)

PUNT RETURNER

14 — Ty Bryant (6-0, 198, Jr.)

0 — Troy Stellato (6-1, 184, Sr.)

KICKOFF RETURNER

1 – Kendrick Law (6-0, 205, Sr.)

12 — Quay’Sheed Scott (6-0, 196, So.)

This story was originally published August 25, 2025 at 11:51 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