Hamdan Seeing Improvement in Boley Each Week

On Saturday, Kentucky redshirt freshman quarterback Cutter Boley had perhaps the best game of his young career, against Texas. Boley was 31 of 39 through the air for 258 yards and he also rushed 14 times for 45 yards and a touchdown.

Following Tuesday’s practice, UK offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan spoke about Boley’s effort against the Longhorns.

“He’s done a really nice job of everything we’ve talked about, of getting the ball out on time,” Hamdan said. “You look at the completion percentage (against Texas), that’s something we’re tracking, and for him to go out there and be close to 80 percent against that defense is pretty impressive.”

Hamdan believes that the results on the field are due to the work that he and Boley are putting in during practice and in the film room.

“He’s showing a ton of emotion and that’s how much he cares,” Hamdan said. “Nobody wants it more than him and he’s got to realize how he’s playing right now is due to the work he’s put in the past couple of weeks and there’s a lot to be proud of. He’s been working, we have been working. I think any time you take the relationship of a coordinator and a quarterback every week, you just get a better feel for one another.”

Hamdan knows that practice can make improvements during practice but that there’s also just something about him that allows him to make plays on the field.

“He’s got the right stuff, the right makeup,” Hamdan said. “Aside from how he’s playing, I think there’s a toughness standpoint and the ability to just stay the course, those are two things you can’t teach and he’s got those things.”

Boley was not known as a runner, but he has shown the ability to make plays with his legs, including that 16-yard touchdown scramble in the fourth quarter against Texas. Hamdan is not surprised by Boley’s ability to make plays in the run game when the situation calls for him to do so.

“I have always thought he has plus athleticism,” Hamdan said. “He just has always surprised me in that way. I think for him now, you’ve got to choose the right spots. For him to pick his spots, continue to develop that, that’s obviously a huge key for him.”

Boley continues to show improvement, and stood tall last week against a very good Texas defense. The challenge continues on Saturday against Tennessee, which is also very good defensively.