Boley Named Starter as Cats Prepare for Cards
The Kentucky football team closes its regular season on Saturday, hosting archrival Louisville in the annual battle for the Governor’s Cup.
The Cats have won the last five games against the Cardinals, tying a Louisville five-game winning streak from 2011-15 for the longest streak in the series. Last season, Kentucky upset the ninth-ranked Cardinals 38-31 in the Derby City.
UK head coach Mark Stoops has never shied away from the importance of Kentucky’s rivalry with Louisville.
“It’s been important. You heard me say that the first time we played them,” Stoops said. “I never shied away from the importance of this game. It doesn’t’ really matter what the records are or anything like that. I have a lot of respect for Jeff and the way he coaches and their program. But it’s important to our fan base, it’s important to our players, it’s important to me that we go play well.”
Once he got to Lexington, it didn’t take Stoops too long to figure out just how important this game is to the Big Blue Nation.
“It didn’t take long,” Stoops said. “Early on, the minute I got here, I felt that from the fan base. Once you’re in these rivalry games, you get a good feel for it right away. Certainly, the intensity is there. So it didn’t take long.”
As for this year’s version of the Cardinals, Stoops has been impressed with what he has seen from them.
“Another big game, rivalry game. Excited about this opportunity with Louisville, a team that’s always very well-coached,” Stoops said. “I think Jeff (Brohm) does a very good job. They’re good on both sides of the ball. We’ll have our hands full and excited about this opportunity.”
When the Cats take the field on Saturday, they will have a new starting quarterback – freshman Cutter Boley. On Saturday at Texas, Boley played the second half against the nation’s third-ranked team and acquitted himself pretty well. He completed 10 of 18 through the air for 160 yards with an interception. Stoops announced on Monday that Boley will be the starter in the season finale.
“He does. I thought he handled himself very well,” Stoops said. “I thought he had a lot of poise in the pocket, had the vision to hit open receivers. You saw a lot of good things. He deserves the opportunity to get a start here this week.”
What makes this the right time to give Boley the starting nod?
“Right away, I think we saw a lot of talent. Seeing him from his first game experience until the next time he got that opportunity prior to Murray (State), just something a little different with his approach,” Stoops said. “He’s always very serious, he wants to be great, he’s committed with his time. But I think maybe a light or switch went off. I feel like he’s really tuned in and I think part of that is opportunity. Ever since the bye week, I think you’ve seen him go out there and execute at a higher level.”
Boley will try to lead the Cats to a sixth consecutive Governor’s Cup victory over Louisville on Saturday in his first career start.
