Joey Gatewood (UK Athletics Photo)
Which University of Kentucky quarterback did the best in spring practice? Was it Beau Allen or was it Joey Gatewood? Reports have surfaced at various times that Allen was the leader and at other times Gatewood had.
Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said after Saturday’s final scrimmage of spring drills that the two had alternated days being the best.
“Both have done some really good things,” Stoops said. “You can see the confidence in both guys growing.”
Stoops said Gatewood, the former Auburn transfer, had looked good with “place action and waggles” to hit some deep balls — something UK did better during the spring. He also said Allen “dropped a dime” on a deep pass in Saturday’s scrimmage in an obvious passing situation that the coach felt the receiver should have caught for a touchdown.
Stoops said he wasn’t going to say who was No. 1, especially with Penn State transfer Will Levis arriving this summer to join the competition. Besides, keeping the competition open reduces the chances of a quarterback who does not win the spot transferring or maybe even keeping Levis from arriving on campus. Balancing quarterback depth, especially with the transfer portal now, is a delicate job.
“I think definitely both quarterbacks (Gatewood and Allen) have made big strides,” Stoops said. “I see confidence in them and awareness about where to go with the football. We all understand we need to improve at that position along with all of us.
“It’s never just on the quarterback, but I see confidence in the quarterbacks growing and rubbing off on other guys. Beau and Joey have both made a lot of growth.”
One thing different this spring is that Stoops has encouraged offensive coordinator Liam Coen not to penalize quarterbacks for throwing into tight windows. The coach has wanted the quarterbacks to “force” the ball to learn when and where they can throw and also to challenge the defense.
“Accuracy can be taught and developed with the progression of where to go with the ball and what to do with it,” Stoops said.
