Kentucky football: 3 biggest offseason questions facing Mark Stoops’ Wildcats in 2021

1. Who replaces Terry Wilson at starting quarterback?

The biggest change to the Kentucky offense will be that at the quarterback position. While Terry Wilson’s highs were not among the best in the SEC during his run at Kentucky, he was a winner and a guy whose set of skills perfectly complemented what Stoops and his staff wanted to do defensively. With him transferring, there leaves a glaring void the Wildcats offense must fill this offseason.

Internally, the two likeliest candidates to be the next Kentucky starter are Beau Allen and Joey Gatewood. Allen is only a redshirt freshman, while Gatewood will be entering his junior season after transferring from Auburn. On reputation alone, Gatewood would appear to be the favorite to win the starting job, but he will be facing even more competition outside of just Allen this spring.

With Will Levis transferring over from Penn State and immediately eligible, he has absolutely thrown his hat into the ring for the Kentucky starting job. Though he may have to wait his turn, Kentucky does have a three-star quarterback enrolling early in Kaiya Sheron out of Somerset, Kentucky. Look for Allen, Gatewood and Levis to battle throughout fall camp for the starting job.

Ultimately, Stoops and his staff do not need to name a starter until right before kickoff of the 2021 college football season. Even if there is some uncertainty at the position, we saw what happened when Lynn Bowden Jr. had to fill in for an injured Wilson in 2019. Bowden hustled and carried his way to the Paul Hornung Award in his unforgettable season for the Wildcats.

So what questions do the Wildcats have to answer this offseason? Their biggest issues are along the offensive line and at the quarterback position. While recruitment is what it is, maybe a true freshman or transfer can come in and make an impact? The most important thing is for the offensive line to remain a strength, as it will bring out the most in the new starting quarterback.

If Kentucky is able to build on last year’s success, the Wildcats could push for a top-25 2021 finish.

For more NCAA football news, analysis, opinion and unique coverage by FanSided, including Heisman Trophy and College Football Playoff rankings, be sure to bookmark these pages.