The Kentucky Wildcats, similar to every other program in college athletics, have been shaken up by the transfer portal. The team's top quarterback, Kenny Minchey, and top running back, CJ Baxter, are both coming from other programs, respectively Notre Dame and Texas.
However, the Cats have also given plenty of talent to other programs, namely Arizona State. Cutter Boley, who started several games as a sophomore last season, took the leap to the West Coast this offseason and will now get a chance to be a starter. The Sun Devils recently named Boley the starter, and he's going to have a mammoth challenge early in the season.
Boley, a 6-foot-5 quarterback, played in 11 games last season, ending with 198 completions on 301 attempts. He had 15 touchdowns
and 12 interceptions. He wasn't the big-name starter that fans were expecting to shine at the start of the season, but Boley clearly showed enough to get another quality program interested.
Sources: Arizona State has named Cutter Boley the school’s starting quarterback, and the Kentucky transfer will debut for ASU against Morgan State on Sept. 5. (ASU travels to No. 8 Texas A&M the next week). He won a battle with veteran Mikey Keene and freshman Jake Fette. pic.twitter.com/mzHfPIyqrQ
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 29, 2026
Boley has some quality games, and he even almost upset Texas, ending that October 18, 2025, game with 258 passing yards on 31 completions. The Wildcats lost 16-13 in overtime. He chipped in 14 rushing attempts for 45 yards and a score on the ground. Boley was able to use his legs often, and given his size, he was pretty effective on the ground.
Ultimately, Boyle struggled immensely in the 41-0 season finale loss against Louisville, the last game that both he and Mark Stoops had with Kentucky. Will Stein is ushering in a new era, and Boyle might not have been the starter with the new head coach in town. Also, Stein revamping the offense with his guys seemed inevitable. That said, despite the Lexington-native having not found a long-term home with the Cats, things certainly seemed to work out for the best all around.
This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Former Kentucky Wildcats standout named Arizona State starting QB
