Will Levis Wins the Starting Job at Kentucky

Wildcats coach Mark Stoops says the former Penn State quarterback was his "clear choice" to start the season-opener.

Quarterback Will Levis threw a 65-yard touchdown pass on his first play of Kentucky's recent scrimmage. That helped solidify Levis as the Wildcats' starting quarterback for the 2021 season.

Kentucky coach Mark Stoops on Sunday named Levis as the stater for the Sept. 4 season-opener, affirming the former Penn State quarterback's January decision to pursue a change from the NCAA Transfer Portal.

Stoops said that Levis, a junior, was the "clear choice" despite being at Kentucky for only a few months. Levis has been "extremely efficient" through preseason camp, and Stoops wanted to get him in charge of the offense as soon as possible.

"We were ready," Stoops said during a Sunday call with reporters in Kentucky. "... He has a lot of talent. He's been doing some things very good. He's been very efficient. He's got unbelievable arm strength and he's a big, strong guy. He won the job."

Levis (6-3, 232 pounds) spent two seasons at Penn State, where he completed 59.8 percent of his passes (61 for 102). Levis also rushed for 473 yards and six touchdowns, leading Penn State's offensive staff to create a starting position for him.

Head coach James Franklin named Levis as the starting "Lion" in 2019, a position that encompassed a hybrid tight end/H-back role. But Clifford wanted to play quarterback and didn't see an opportunity behind Penn State starter Sean Clifford.

"I am extremely grateful to have been given the opportunity to be able to play and contribute for such a historic program," Levis wrote in a message posted on social media. "The blood, sweat, and tears that I have shed alongside my brothers here are deeply engraved in my memory and will never be forgotten."

At Kentucky, Levis already has built a strong rapport with his teammates. As a result, Stoops wanted to get him as much time leading the offense before Kentucky's opener Sept. 4 vs. Louisiana-Monroe.

"His presence is felt immediately," Stoops said. "His presence is strong. He's a very mature young man, very intelligent. There's that piece of it. There's command in the huddle. And there's the talent in the arm. It doesn't take long to see the arm talent."

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