Arizona State has made its choice at quarterback, and it’s former Kentucky passer Cutter Boley.
According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Boley has won the job for the Sun Devils after entering a quarterback race that also featured Mikey Keene, a sixth-year transfer from Michigan who had been Fresno State’s starter in 2023 and 2024, and Jake Fette, a true freshman.
Boley arrives in Tempe after a winding path. He was part of Kentucky’s 2024 recruiting class, played in four games that season, then took over as the Wildcats’ starter in 2025 after Zach Calzada was injured. In 11 games and 10 starts, he threw for 2,160 yards and 15 touchdowns, but he also had 12 interceptions.
After the season, Boley entered the transfer portal and landed at Arizona State. With Sam Leavitt transferring to LSU, the Sun Devils turned to a new battle under center, and Boley came out on top.
Now the job is his as Arizona State tries to steady itself after a tougher 2025. The Sun Devils went 11-3 and 7-2 in the Big 12 in Kenny Dillingham’s first season and reached the College Football Playoff, but last year they slipped to 8-5 and 6-3. Leavitt’s foot injury was part of the reason the offense never fully clicked, even though he still played in seven games and produced 1,628 passing yards, 10 passing touchdowns, 306 rushing yards and five more scores on the ground.
Arizona State opens the season against Morgan State in Tempe on Sept. 5.
In Other News...
Kentucky Opens The Will Stein Era With One Uncomfortable Week 1 Threat
Kentucky will kick off the Will Stein era at Kroger Field in 2026 with a Week 1 meeting against Youngstown State, a matchup that looks comfortable on paper but still carries a little more bite than a typical season opener. The Wildcats are favored by 23.5 points, and the expectations around a new coaching start usually leave little room for early anxiety, especially at home.
Youngstown State, though, arrives with a profile that deserves attention. The Penguins are ranked No. 9 in the FCS preseason poll and already opened their season with a strong showing from quarterback Beau Brungard, which is enough to make a few people wonder whether the gap in the spread is as safe as it seems. For Kentucky, the game is less about the number next to its name and more about handling a tested opponent cleanly before the first real questions of the Stein tenure begin. [Read more 🡒]
Kentuckys SEC Reality Under Will Stein Is Hard To Ignore
Preseason odds are already drawing a blunt picture of where Kentucky sits in the SEC pecking order, and it is not hard to read between the lines. FanDuel has the Wildcats near the bottom of the league board at +12500 to win the conference and +6000 to reach the championship game, a reminder of just how steep the climb remains in a league where Georgia and Texas are setting the pace.
For a program trying to reframe its outlook under Will Stein, the path looks even more crowded because Kentucky is scheduled to run into several teams carrying stronger betting respect throughout the fall. Tennessee is at least being mentioned as a possible sleeper, helped by a favorable schedule and a highly recruited freshman quarterback, which only adds another layer to a conference race that already looks unforgiving for the Wildcats. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Landed A Freshman WR Who Could Matter Right Away
Kentuckys first recruiting splash after introducing Will Stein as its new head coach came at a position where immediate help is always welcome. The Wildcats added wide receiver Kenny Darby to the class, and the four-star prospect arrives with the kind of rsum that suggests he can be part of the offense from the start. He was the top-ranked player in Kentuckys 2026 class, and his production in Louisiana showed why so many schools were involved.
What makes Darby especially notable for Kentucky is how quickly the fit came together after the coaching transition. He had previously been committed to LSU, but the Wildcats were able to turn that into a win for their own future, giving Stein and the offensive staff a highly regarded receiver with a chance to step into the rotation early. For a team trying to build momentum under a new head coach, landing a player with Darbys background and upside is the kind of move that can matter well beyond signing day. [Read more 🡒]