Following up a strong performance in the spring game, quarterback Patrick Towles continued to make a statement in fall camp for the Kentucky Wildcats. On Monday, he was rewarded for his efforts by being named the starting quarterback to start the 2014 season in Lexington.
Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops announced the news on Twitter.After thorough evaluation and a hard fought competition, we are naming Patrick Towles as our starting quarterback.
— Mark Stoops (@UKCoachStoops) August 18, 2014
This competition has brought out the best in our quarterbacks and I’m confident in Patrick moving our team forward.
— Mark Stoops (@UKCoachStoops) August 18, 2014
Towles did not play for Kentucky last season with a redshirt, but did appear in five games as a true freshman in 2012. The former Mr. Football in the state of Kentucky and four-star recruit, according to Rivals, came to the Wildcats with some high expectations. After choosing Kentucky over offers from Arkansas, Cincinnati and Louisville, Towles mostly had to wait his turn to shine. That may have come in the spring game for the Wildcats, when Towles emerged as a strong candidate for the starting job this fall.
“I think you saw Patrick do some good things,” Stoops said after spring scrimmage. “Patrick is improved, you saw him a year ago and you see him now, you see the improvement and I’m proud of that.”
Towles had been floating on top of the depth chart this fall camp, so he was looking like the favorite for the starting gig. Towles beat out Maxwell Smith, Drew Barker and Reese Phillips for the starting job. Smith led the Wildcats in passing in 2013 with 975 yards and eight touchdowns after appearing in four games at the start of the season, and he was recovering from shoulder surgery. Barker is a four-star freshman joining the team this season. Phillips was a three-star recruit in Kentucky’s Class of 2013.
Kentucky will open the 2014 season at home against UT Martin on Saturday, August 30.