Stoops says, “We’ve got to get a portal QB,” but has yet to target either

Kentucky fans are starting to wonder what Mark Stoops’ strategy is with the transfer portal this year. It seems like not much is happening, and what is happening is more confusing than exciting. From going after FCS and G5 players to some confusing top targets. For example, it’s great to chase Joshua Bruan because he’s an elite lineman, but he’s a guard. Does this mean he will move Jager Burton back to center? Who knows.

The one portal position we know Stoops said he would pursue is quarterback. He told a press conference: “We have to get one.” However, he doesn’t have that yet. There haven’t even been rumors of Stoops chasing a portal quarterback. What’s going on there? There have even been quarterbacks who have jumped onto the transfer portal and have already found new homes.

This can mean many things. Does that mean they are in place with Cutter Boley and Stone Saunders as their top quarterbacks? Does that mean there isn’t currently a quarterback in the lineup that Stoops and offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan like?

Hamdan recruited Malachi Nelson from USC to Boise State, but he has been anything but remarkable at the college level, despite coming out of high school as a 5-star quarterback. However, there has also been no noise about Hamdan going after him.

Does that mean Brock Vandagriff will run it back and that Stoops and Hamdan will try again with him? Many Kentucky fans hope not because of his inability to help the Wildcats win. Maybe they have reached out to some, but it won’t be leaked? There are so many questions about how Stoops approaches this portal, and it’s growing an already disgruntled fanbase into more and more discontent. Stoops needs to earn back the trust of Big Blue Nation, and his early portal decisions have done the opposite.