COLUMN: Will Levis' Impact on Kentucky Football is Far From Over

Levis' career as a Wildcat may be over, but his name will live on in Kentucky for the foreseeable future.

Will Levis played at Kentucky for just two seasons, but he'll be remembered in Lexington for a lifetime. 

From manning the offense that won 10 games for just the fourth time in program history, to his 4-0 record against rivals Louisville and Florida, to that...weird banana peel-eating, mayonnaise-coffee saga, there will be no shortage of memories when thinking about his time as a Wildcat. 

There were plenty of questions asked when he first transferred to UK from Penn State, then some more when he was tabbed the starting quarterback under a brand-new offensive coordinator at a program that has consistently struggled to score points. 

All of those questions and more were answered swiftly after a 367-yard, 4-touchdown performance against UL Monroe opened the 2021 season with a bang. Big Blue Nation quickly fell in love with its new QB1. 

After an elongated run of putrid play under center, the Wildcats finally found someone who could lead the team to victory through what he did on the field, as well as off. 

Levis didn't always stuff the stat sheet, but his presence as a play-caller was vital to Kentucky's success over the last two seasons.

Head coach Mark Stoops put it best: 

"He came at a time when we desperately needed him." 

The highs were high and the lows were low for the QB. When he was responsible for five touchdowns in a win over LSU or four rushing scores in his first Governor's Cup victory against Louisville, Levis was quick to pass the praise elsewhere, commending Chris Rodriguez, his coaches or his offensive line. 

When he was responsible for three interceptions against Mississippi State or just 109 yards in a stunning loss to Vanderbilt, he always faced the music, never running away from the blame. 

Levis may not have always risen to the occasion, but he damn sure tried every Saturday, even when he was far from being considered fully-healthy. 

“If I have one thing to hold in my heart from my time here in Lexington, it’s that Kentucky has my back and that everything ahead of me wouldn’t be possible without the support and encouragement I received along the way,” Levis wrote. "Because of Kentucky, I found belief and confidence in myself that had not been reached beforehand, and, more importantly, we won some incredibly memorable ball games in my college career. It has been a great move forward."

Battling through injury and a poorly-ran offense, Levis' 2022 maybe didn't go the way he had hoped, but that will hold zero impact on his legacy that was built over two years in Lexington.

Levis will soon begin his professional career in the NFL, but his impact left on UK will carry for years to come. He proved that QBs can come to Lexington and succeed, laying the groundwork for the Cats to consistently bring in top-notch play-callers, whether it be through the recruiting trail or the transfer portal. 

Standing at sixth on the program’s all-time passing yards list and fifth on the program’s all-time passing touchdown list, the Madison, Connecticut native has left his footprint in the Bluegrass. 

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