Grad transfer QB Tommy Stevens reportedly visiting Kentucky

While the Kentucky Wildcats have a lot to be excited about for next season, one fatal flaw could be the situation at quarterback.

That’s no knock on Terry Wilson, who showed a lot of potential last season and is primed to make a jump in Year 2 with the Wildcats.

But if Wilson goes down, Kentucky will be in a world of hurt with only true freshmen Amani Gilmore and Nik Scalzo as the only other true quarterbacks. Walker Wood will be a redshirt sophomore, but he has no real in-game experience and may ultimately move to another position.

That’s why it’s imperative that Kentucky adds another quarterback this summer, whether it’s a transfer or junior college option.

And that’s where Tommy Stevens could come into play, as he’s visiting Kentucky on Tuesday, according to Bruce Feldman.

The former Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback is looking for a new home, and Kentucky is in dire need of someone like him. Stevens spent most of his time in Happy Valley as a backup to Trace McSorley,

However, freshman Sean Clifford ultimately passed Stevens and even played briefly in Penn State’s Citrus Bowl loss to Kentucky. That helped lead to Stevens looking for a new home following the conclusion of spring football.

While Stevens doesn’t offer much upside as a starter, he’s still going to be a redshirt senior with multiple seasons of Power 5 experience. He’s also a running quarterback that actually has 76 career carries for 507 yards and eight scores. He’d be an ideal backup behind another mobile passer like Wilson.

For what it’s worth, Barrett Sallee says Stevens isn’t going somewhere just to be a backup, so perhaps the veteran will get a chance to compete for the starting job. While Wilson should retain his job, he probably shouldn’t have it 100% guaranteed after he threw for an average of 145.3 yards per game. He threw for 132 yards or less in seven of 13 games, three of which were for under 80 yards.

After all, competition is always a great thing in football. And if nothing else, the loser of this battle — if Stevens picks Kentucky — could still see extensive playing time as a Wildcat QB and help preserve the starter.