Mark Stoops believes the quarterback room is one of the strongest he has seen in Kentucky: “It’s a really good group.”

Kentucky is in a unique position at quarterback as Mark Stoops enters his 12th season in Lexington. Brock Vandagriff has thrown 21 passes and carried six more in three seasons at Georgia. This is QB1, the guy you bet everything on to be a star in blue and white. He has all the hype as a former five-star recruit, but not the experience.

On the other hand, you have not one, not two, not three, but four Guys in that room that you know aren’t going to be absolute disasters under center. You start with a former top-25 prospect who was viewed as a potential quarterback of the future by a guy who knows a thing or two about winning national championships, namely Kirby Smart. If that doesn’t work out, you have Gavin Wimsatt — a dual threat who started 13 games in the Big Ten in 2023. Not him? Four stars Schneider Boley has the tools and is seen as the long-term face of the room. You can give him his chance early or pair him with another former four-star player. Beau Allenwho has already been through a lot himself.

Can you say with certainty that Vandagriff will be a superstar by the time the games are played? Maybe not, but you can be pretty sure something will work. And that is a position that Stoops would like to continue to hold in 2024.

“I really have a good feeling about them,” he said Saturday. “That’s absolutely nothing against anyone who has been here before, but as a group I have a lot of confidence in the four guys we have. It’s a really good group.”

Kentucky has historically had strong starters but limited or inconsistent depth, which put the Wildcats in a tough spot when injury struck. It even threw everything off track a time or two.

While that doesn’t mean there won’t be injury issues this fall, Stoops believes the team is better prepared for whatever comes their way compared to past years.

“Sometimes when you have guys in the portal, others leave and you’re thin on the ground,” he said. “I feel like we’re really well-positioned with the quarterback room, I really believe that. I just told them I have confidence in all of them. We don’t want anyone to get hurt, but it gives you the confidence to let the guys play and just play the game.”

“We all know the game is physical and things happen and we don’t want that to happen to anyone, but I feel good about the depth and I think all four guys could play.”

His secret weapon in all of this, the new variable that gives him more confidence than usual? The new offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan, who has made an early impression as a teacher and communicator in the quarterback room. The players are experienced, but so is the man who calls the shots on offense.

They have worked exceptionally well together so far.

“I think it helps a lot. It starts with Coach (Bush) Hamdan, just looking back to the spring and his way of teaching. Gavin (Wimsatt) is new this summer, but (Hamdan) is very organized, he’s very calm and very determined. He’s a very good teacher. I think that rubs off on these players,” Stoops said. “Brock (Vandagriff) and his experience, when we talk about Gavin – he probably has the most playing experience of anybody. Then there’s Cutter (Boley), he came in the spring, and Beau (Allen) is coming back.

“I think all four complement each other very well. It’s a really great space.”

Ideally, Vandagriff is the right guy – and that’s the plan. But just in case, it helps to have a strong quartet like Kentucky.