Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Wildcats’ QB role returns to normal
12th in a series previewing the 2020 SEC football season.
FAYETTEVILLE — Kentucky’s do-it-all player Lynn Bowden has moved on to the NFL.
The Wildcats will have a quarterback playing quarterback again this season.
Bowden — who excelled as a receiver, runner and kick returner during his first two seasons — started the final eight games at quarterback in 2019 after Terry Wilson suffered a season-ending knee injury in game two against Eastern Michigan. His replacement for the next three games, Sawyer Smith, was sidelined by shoulder and wrist injuries.
Bowden made his first start at quarterback against Arkansas and rushed for 196 yards and completed a touchdown pass to lead the Wildcats to a 24-20 victory.
Kentucky went 6-2 with Bowden taking snaps — and primarily running – to finish 8-5 with a 37-30 victory over Virginia Tech in the Belk Bowl.
Bowden won the Paul Hornung Award as the nation’s most versatile player after he had 1,468 yards rushing, 403 passing, 348 receiving and 273 returning.
With Bowden now working at multiple positions with the Las Vegas Raiders — who selected him in the third round of the NFL Draft — Wilson is the favorite to reclaim his starting job.
Wilson, a fifth-year senior, started every game in 2018 when the Wildcats were 10-3 and beat Penn State in the Citrus Bowl. In 15 games for Kentucky, Wilson has passed for 2,249 yards and 13 touchdowns while rushing for 591 yards and 5 touchdowns.
“We’re grateful to have Terry Wilson back at full strength,” Kentucky Coach Mark Stoops told reporters after the first scrimmage of preseason camp. “He looks very good. His legs look healthy. He’s full go.”
Wilson isn’t acting as though he’s won starting the job.
“We’re stacked. I feel like this is how it’s supposed to be in the quarterback room,” Wilson told reporters. “I feel like every quarterback is going to be a solid quarterback on the field whenever that time comes.”
Smith, who passed for 690 yards last season after transferring from Troy, is back at Kentucky as a senior.
The Wildcats added sophomore Joey Gatewood, who transferred from Auburn, where he played as a backup to Bo Nix last season. Kentucky is still waiting on word from the NCAA whether Gatewood will get a waiver to be eligible this season.
In eight games last season, Gatewood had 32 carries for 176 yards and 3 touchdowns. He completed 5 of 8 passes for 54 yards and 2 touchdowns. If Gatewood is ruled eligible for this season, he could play in the opener – at Auburn.
Freshman Beau Allen also is in the mix at quarterback.
“I know our fan base will be happy to know we’re in good hands at the quarterback position, going through what we went through a year ago,” Stoops told Kentucky Sports Radio. “It doesn’t happen very often when you go through that type of injury at any one position, but we’re in good hands.”
Whoever wins the starting quarterback job will have a strong supporting cast on offense.
The Wildcats return four starters on the offensive line, led by senior center Drake Jackson and senior tackle Landon Young.
“They’re blocking the heck out of us, to be honest with you,” Stoops said. “And we have a good defense. Those guys [on the offensive line] are really good players, they’re confident in their experience, and they work hard. That’s a great combination.”
Kentucky has three experienced running backs, led by senior Asim Rose, who rushed for 826 yards last season. Returning starters also include senior wide receiver Josh Ali (23 catches for 233 yards last season) and senior tight end Justin Rigg (11-128).
The Wildcats return seven starters on defense, led by senior outside linebacker Jamar Watson (111/2 tackles for loss last season) and junior safety Yusuf Corker (74 tackles).
Senior Max Duffy won the Ray Guy Award last season as the nation’s top punter. His career average is 46.3 yards.
“We’re a deep team with some experience,” Stoops said. “That has to help when you’re playing 10 conference games.”
Stoops has a 44-44 record going into his eighth season at Kentucky, including 18-8 the past two seasons.
Since the Wildcats were 2-10 in Stoops’ debut in 2013, expectations for the program have been raised considerably.
“Believe me, I’d much rather have it that way than constantly feeling like I have to change the narrative and change the culture and change the way people think about Kentucky,” Stoops said. “That took a long time to break through that, but I am proud that we’ve gotten past it and we’re talking about other things finally.
“Can we challenge in the SEC East? Absolutely. I mean, absolutely. But we concentrate on the day-to-day. And I know that’s boring to talk about, but it’s the truth.
“You can’t get out in front of yourself. If we just continue to build on the good things we’ve done and the foundation that we’ve laid and be innovative and find new ways to do things on both sides of the ball and continue to recruit elite players, we’ll put ourselves in position to chase those things.”
In 2018, Kentucky beat Florida 27-16 to end a 31-game losing streak to the Gators. The 10 victories that season were the most by Kentucky since 1977.
The Wildcats are 32-20 since 2016, their most victories in a four-year span since Bear Bryant led Kentucky to a 33-10-2 record from 1947-50.
Stoops can become the first coach to lead the Wildcats to bowl games in five consecutive seasons.
“I’ve said it from the beginning — and people laughed at me – but we’re never going to back down from anything or anyone,” Stoops said. “We’re just going to grind away, grind away, grind away, and know that we’ve earned whatever we get.”