Who has an arm up at the start of Kentucky football’s quarterback competition?
Let the battle begin.
Introducing, in one corner: Will Levis, the 6-foot-2, 232-pound junior transfer from Penn State via Madison, Conn. In another corner: Joey Gatewood, the 6-5, 221-pound junior transfer (before the 2020 season) from Auburn via Jacksonville, Fla. In the third corner: Beau Allen, the 6-2, 207-pound sophomore and local product via Lexington Catholic High School.
We know all three are quarterbacks. We know all three will be competing to be Kentucky’s opening-day starter Sept. 4 against Louisiana Monroe. And head coach Mark Stoops let it be known that he will not be cornered into making a quick decision.
“It’s more important to get it right,” Stoops said Friday at the Wildcats’ Media Day at Kroger Field.
All three quarterbacks attended the occasion, allowing our first chance for a face-to-face meeting with the trio. (No more Zoom.) Or at least at a distance. Because of the growing concern over the Delta variant of COVID-19, a tape/rope-like barrier was set up between the media and the players to keep everyone — specifically the players — at a safe space.
Arms were the first thing you noticed. Levis, who arrived on campus this summer after three years at University Park, is reported to have a gun for an arm. And his arms do have guns in terms of his biceps. He’s been hitting the weights. A considerable athlete in his own right, Gatewood wore “Humble Over Hype” wristbands at the end of each arm. And Allen talked about how being a rhythm passer was an important arm characteristic of Liam Coen’s offense.
Like Levis, Coen is the new guy, UK’s first-year offensive coordinator via the Los Angeles Rams. Like Levis, Coen is a New England native. Levis is from the Nutmeg State. Coen is from the Ocean State.
“I’m pretty sure we’re the only team in the country to have two coordinators from Rhode Island,” said Levis of Coen and defensive boss Brad White. “That’s pretty cool.”
Does that mean Coen might hold a geographical bias? That’s doubtful. The guess here is that the 35-year-old’s ultimate bias leans heavily toward putting as many points on the scoreboard as possible. That’s especially true in the dog-eat-dog SEC.
In fact, if any candidate has a leg/arm up on the competition, it might be Gatewood. The former five-star recruit actually started a game for UK last season — 15-of-25 for 91 yards passing; 23 yards rushing in a 14-3 loss to fifth-ranked Georgia — though under former OC Eddie Gran. Gatewood also has a spring practice in Coen’s system under his belt. The scuttlebutt around the Cats’ camp is that Gatewood performed well in spring drills. “I feel like I took a big stride,” he said Friday.
Allen is ready, too. On paper, the son of former UK quarterback Bill Allen may be the best pure passer of the group. He also got his feet wet last season. And, like Gatewood, Allen surely benefited from a full spring of learning and practicing the Coen attack. “I like it a lot,” he said Friday.
Coen reiterated he wants to let the competition play out. Sure, it’d be great for one candidate to separate himself from the pack early. And it’d be nice to get the No. 1 guy plenty of reps before the season kicks off. Preferable, but not essential.
At least at first, all eyes will be on Levis, however. (“I haven’t seen him throw yet,” Coen said.) He did start one game last season for Penn State — 13-of-16 for 106 yards passing; 34 rushing yards in a 41-21 loss to Iowa — but his primary usage came as a running quarterback. Levis said Friday one reason he chose UK was to prove he can throw the football, a necessary step toward his ultimate goal of being an NFL quarterback. Ah, first steps first.
“I’m definitely ready to kind of take the step and be an established starting quarterback at a Power Five school,” Levis said.
Said Coen, “We have good depth at the position.”
But only one can start.
