Gavin Wimsatt provides much-needed insurance in Kentucky’s QB room

In years past, Kentucky’s depth at the quarterback position has been shaky. Take the 2019 season for example. Terry Wilson got hurt not even two full games into the season after getting beat against Eastern Michigan. Then there remained the transfer of Troy Sawyer Smith take charge once Wilson was ruled out for the season with a torn patella tendon in his left knee.

Smith’s three games behind center have been difficult, to say the least. The ‘Cats would fall back-to-back to Florida, Mississippi State and South Carolina, and the average margin of defeat was 13.3 points, or nearly two touchdowns per game. Unfortunately, Smith would also be injured and would spend most of the rest of the season sidelined with a shoulder injury.

Kentucky would then win six of its final eight games in 2019, even with Wilson and Smith hit. Lynn Bowden, who had spent his career up to that point playing wide receiver, would step in at quarterback. The system worked well, even earning Kentucky a close victory over Virginia Tech in the Belk Bowl.

The only problem, however, is that not every team has a Lynn Bowden. He’s a one-of-a-kind athlete, and he was perhaps the only player in college football who could have made this system work. Kentucky only had two quarterbacks ready to step in, and both were injured.

However, a lack of quarterback depth shouldn’t be the case in 2024.

Gavin Wimsatt’s experience as a starter is a huge plus

With the commitment of Gavin WimsattKentucky will now have some much-needed insurance behind center.

Wimsatt arrives at a place where he is the only quarterback on the roster with experience as a starter at a major conference school. Brock Vandagriff did not start in Georgia, Beau-AllenThe starting experiment took place at Tarleton State, and Boley Cutter arrives in first year.

Bush Hamdan has already made it clear that Wimsatt can play an important role on this team, but he can also provide depth at quarterback. Kentucky has seen promising seasons derailed time and time again by injuries.

However, Wimsatt is now an additional piece that Mark Stoops can lean on if the injury bug returns to Lexington this season.