Bluegrassrivals

LEXINGTON, Ky (WYMT) - Quarterback Jalen Whitlow has decided to transfer from UK, Head Coach Mark Stoops announced on Wednesday.

Whitlow, who... Read More

The quarterback battles in the SEC continue to take shape as Kentucky announced Wednesday that Jalen Whitlow, who started 15 games in his two seasons with the Wildcats, will transfer to a new school.


"We respect Jalen and his decision as we want the best for him," coach Mark Stoops said in a statement. "I thank Jalen for his contributions to the team during his time at Kentucky. I want everyone to understand how hard he has worked and the effort he has given since our staff has been here."

Whitlow, an Alabama native, started in eight games this past season and finished with 1,033 yards passing, five touchdowns and five interceptions. He also rushed for 457 yards and six touchdowns. His best game came at South Carolina, where the sophomore went 17 of 24 through the air for 178 yards, rushed for 69 yards and scored three total touchdowns.

"I appreciate the University of Kentucky and what the coaching staff and administration have done for me," Whitlow said. "I also thank the community and the fan support I have received here. I wish the coaches and my teammates the best of luck."

Whitlow will finish the semester at Kentucky before transferring. He still has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

With Whitlow out of the picture, Stoops and his staff will now focus their attention on returning starter Maxwell Smith, sophomore Patrick Towles, redshirt freshman Reese Phillips and true freshman Drew Barker as they look to find a starting quarterback.

Smith, who is recovering from shoulder surgery, has not practiced this spring.

The Wildcats will hold their spring game on Saturday, April 26.

Thoughts about this big news???

When does Basketball start?

Bye, don't let the door hit you on the way out. I'm happy about this, now we will have a true quarterback back there instead of a hybrid WR/RB/QB.

Best of luck to him. He'd be a fine QB in a system that fits his abilities, but UK has 3 QB's looking strong in spring and he knew it.

He was evidently asked to move to WR

zaga_fan Wrote:He was evidently asked to move to WR

I would say your 100% right!!

He was asked to change positions.


I hope the door doesn't hit him. By all accounts he is a good kid and would have been an asset as an athlete at another position in this offense.

I said last year when they were red shirting Towels that he would be the starter this year. I think that happens and they red shirt Barker.

if he would have stayed where he committed 1st he may be starting here now(Arkansas State)

Thank God.

Ive been hoping to get rid of Whitlow and Smith since the first time they stepped on the field.
Believe what you will, but just the other day, stoops said if the season started today, Whitlow would be the starter.

I cried foul the entire year last year about him doing this same nonsense Joker was doing. We were going to suck regardless last year, so why not start these young guys to get them experience?

I can only hope to see Smith leave or not be able to play in some for or fashion, call me selfish if you will.

I hope to see Towles as the starter with Barker backing him up.

Finally we dont have to worry about him playing qb anymore. He was a good athlete but a terrible qb. The only ability he had was that he could run the ball and he didnt even do that very well.

he needed to play the roll that Cobb did and he would have done gr8...

Cobb had a much better arm than him. Wish him the best in what ever school he chooses.

Proven he can not win in the SEC.

cougarpride08 Wrote:Cobb had a much better arm than him. Wish him the best in what ever school he chooses.

Cobb had a better everything.

Whitlow was awful

If Cobb would have played QB his entire time at Kentucky, he wouldn't have made it to the NFL.

I don't know what Whitlow's aspirations are, but he needed to take a long hard look at splitting reps between QB/WR if he wanted to be on an NFL roster.

Never want to say anything bad about any of our athletes, Whitlow is a fine young man and a very good athlete. Would have liked to have seen him switch to WR/PR/KR/RB or somewhere the team needed extra help. Unfortunately he doesn't want to do anything but QB, and he simply is not the best QB on the roster (maybe not even in the top 3). Wish him all the best, and just trying to look at the positive in all this, our QB situation is now 25% clearer.
:Thumbs:

Thanks Jalen you was all we had last year. Wish you the best when you make it in the NFL. :betterthanexpected:

RunItUpTheGut Wrote:Cobb had a better everything.

Whitlow was awful

Awful is inaccurate. Let's not forget how little talent Whitlow had around him during his time as UK's starter. He was a competitor who did the best he could with what was around him. Is he an SEC quarterback? No, but he did show flashes of being a solid contributor at QB and took a beating during a very difficult two year stretch for the Cats.

going to Eastern ILLINOIS