Cats could enter season with QBs splitting time

With fall camp gearing up and only 29 days remaining until Kentucky opens its season against Central Michigan, Mark Stoops & Co. conceded Friday that they may be using two quarterbacks early in the 2018 campaign.

Although both played well at times, neither Gunnar Hoak nor Terry Wilson separated themselves during the spring, and the two talented but untested sophomores are reportedly in a dead heat on Day 1 of practice.

"Right now, I do (plan to play both quarterbacks)," Stoops said Friday during UK's annual football Media Day. "Until those guys get under center and get playing and get those game reps, you're a bit unsure. I think it's fair to both of those guys to give them an opportunity because it's very close at this time."

Kentucky offensive coordinator Eddie Gran said that a prolonged quarterback battle should not be mistaken for a lack of talent at the position. The staff strongly believes it will get solid play from whoever emerges in the competition to replace Stephen Johnson, who helped lead UK to back to back seven-win seasons and bowl appearances.

"We are lucky to have four quarterbacks, and they’re going to be competing, and it will be a lot of fun," said Gran, throwing redshirt freshmen Danny Clark and Walker Wood into the mix as well.

"You’ve got about 20 or 22 situations, three scrimmages. It’ll be close, but whether two play or not, you just have to see how they develop. If it’s the best for our football team, that’s what we will do."

The main competitors are eager to show what they can do.

"I'm ready to just get out here and ball," said Wilson, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound athlete who originally signed with Oregon before taking the juco route to Garden City Community College in Kansas.

"My mindset right now coming into camp is to compete, obviously, and go every play like it's your last," said Hoak, a 6-foot-4, 206-pound product of Dublin, Ohio, who came to UK in 2016 as one of the top quarterback prospects in the nation. "I just want to go out and have fun with these guys, see what happens."

Hoak shrugged off the notion of pressure entering camp.

"Not really pressure," he said. "It's just coming out here doing what you're supposed to do and trying to have fun with it. Just compete."

And while he's yet to take a snap in an official college football game, Hoak cites experience as one of his big advantages in the quarterback battle.

"Just being here my third season with coach Gran and coach (Darin) Hinshaw and knowing those guys, knowing the offense," he said. "I feel like it's my time."

Wilson, who was rated the No. 5 juco prospect in the nation by ESPN, passed for 2,133 yards and 26 touchdowns while rushing for 518 yards and five scores at Garden City.

Some observers believe that running element may give him a leg up in the quarterback battle, but both players and their coaches said Friday that it's a misnomer that one player is the passer while the other is the runner.

"It's been like that for me since high school, so I'm kind of used to it," Wilson said in regard to one of the game's oldest stereotypes. "I'm kind of used to it... I can throw the ball, too."

"I can definitely do the RPO stuff, for sure," Hoak said of UK's run-pass option selections in the playbook that Johnson executed so well in 2016 and 2017.

Added Gran: "I think they both throw the ball well. I think Terry for sure runs better than Gunnar, but I think they both throw the ball well."

Both players noted that trying to replicate Johnson's intangibles -- particularly his toughness and leadership -- may be their biggest challenge.

"That was the biggest thing with Stephen," Hoak said. "Your main job is to lead."

"I'm ready to fill those shoes," said Wilson, who organized summer throwing sessions with receivers Dorian Baker, Lynn Bowden, Isiah Epps, Josh Ali and Ahmad Wagner in an effort to build chemistry with his new targets.