Tag: Will Levis

As Will Levis thrives at Kentucky, ESPN asks why it didn’t happen at Penn State

Why didn’t Will Levis thrive at Penn State the way he is at Kentucky? ESPN examines.

It is nearly impossible to go a week of college football without keeping an eye on how former Penn State quarterback [autotag]Will Levis[/autotag] continues to do with Kentucky. Levis continues to be a high-profile quarterback prospect for the 2023 NFL draft and some draft experts believe there is a chance he could go No. 1 overall. If that is the case, it would be the highest draft pick ever recruited by [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag], which begs the question; why didn’t Levis succeed at Penn State on this kind of level? Perhaps more importantly, why was Penn State holding Levis back so much?

ESPN published a featured story on Levis this week digging into the transfer portal star for Kentucky as a draft prospect and his path to becoming one of the hottest names on the draft board. Levis shared a thought about why he made the move to Kentucky by explaining he just needed his opportunity to shine.

“I’ve always had confidence in myself. I always thought I was the best quarterback in the country, and nobody else was going to tell me otherwise,” Levis said in a story published by ESPN recently. “I just needed the platform to prove it. I needed the opportunity to get comfortable with playing the position at this level, and I feel like that’s something I didn’t have at Penn State.”

Levis is accurate on that point. Levis was backing up [autotag]Sean Clifford[/autotag] while in Happy Valley, and Clifford was giving the coaching staff no reason to make a quarterback change. Former offensive coordinator [autotag]Ricky Rahne[/autotag], now the head coach at Old Dominion, suggested that would have been a tough decision to make given the circumstances.

“Everyone always asks what happened and why Penn State didn’t start Will over Sean,” Rahne said to ESPN. “When we first picked Sean, Will wasn’t ready to start yet, and then it became hard to replace a guy who had won 11 games. People kind of forget that.”

Clifford led Penn State to a Cotton Bowl appearance and a victory in 2019, his first season as the starting quarterback following the graduation of [autotag]Trace McSorley[/autotag]. Clifford did have his struggles during the COVID-impacted 2020 season, but things got better in the second half of the shortened season. But it was after that 2020 season that Levis opted to pursue his opportunity to shine out of the transfer portal, and he quickly took flight with Kentucky in 2021.

“We knew we had to go get him, but because of the way he was utilized at Penn State, you really had to search for certain throws,” Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops said. “There was the Nebraska game from the year before, throws we watched and saw and confirmed what we thought.”

Who knows how things might have turned out if Levis was deemed more ready at the time it came to make a decision on who would ultimately succeed McSorley as Penn State’s starting quarterback, or if Levis had been given an opportunity to lead the offense to his full potential when things were not going well in 2020.

It will forever be a mystery question for Penn State football and head coach James Franklin.

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Will Levis finding plenty of success beating the blitz

If your favorite NFL team is looking for a QB prospect who can beat the blitz, Kentucky’s Will Levis might be their man

One of the most important traits a quarterback prospect can have is the ability to make plays down the field despite dealing with pressure from the opposing defense.

No quarterback in college football has been more successful in that department so far this season than Kentucky’s Will Levis.

Levis leads the NFL in passing yards when facing the blitz, per Pro Football Focus.

He still needs to prove he can be more consistent with his accuracy and decision-making overall, but so far, it’s easy to see why Levis was getting first-round buzz coming into the 2022 campaign.

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Will Levis, Kentucky beat Anthony Richardson, Florida in battle of top QB prospects

Anthony Richardson struggled, while Will Levis did just enough to lead Kentucky to a second straight win over Florida

It was billed as a showdown between two of the top quarterback prospects in the 2023 NFL draft class, but while the game had plenty of drama, the signal-callers weren’t exactly lighting it up on either side.

Will Levis led Kentucky to their second straight win over Florida, something that hadn’t happened since 1976, completing 13 of his 24 passes for 202 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson came back down to earth after his otherworldly performance in last week’s upset win over Utah, going 14-for-35 through the air for just 143 yards, no touchdowns, and a pair of picks. He was also held to just four yards rushing.

This won’t be the final chapter when it comes to the draft stock of either passer, but Levis got the better end of this round.

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WATCH: Kentucky QB Will Levis tosses beautiful TD pass vs. Florida

Watch Kentucky quarterback Will Levis launch a 55-yard touchdown pass against Florida

In a battle between top quarterback prospects in the SEC, Kentucky’s Will Levis has made the first splash play.

The Wildcats’ talented passer opened things up early in the second quarter, lofting a sweet deep ball to true freshman wide receiver Dane Key for a 55-yard touchdown, giving them the lead over the Gators.

Anthony Richardson will have something to say about this one before it’s done, but Levis is showing off the kind of arm talent NFL teams will be excited about in next year’s draft.

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Seahawks among 15 teams watching QB battle between Florida and Kentucky

According to Jordan Reid, the Seahawks are one of 15 teams sending scouts to watch Will Levis vs. Anthony Richardson.

It’s the second Saturday of the college football season and the biggest matchup will come between Florida and Kentucky, where two of the top 2023 quarterback prospects will face off.

According to ESPN’s Jordan Reid, the Seahawks are one of 15 teams sending scouts to watch Will Levis vs. Anthony Richardson.

Seattle will be starting Geno Smith on Monday night against the Broncos, but no matter how well he performs this season it’s unlikely he will return as their starter next year.

While the 2022 QB class is supposed to be relatively weak, next year’s crop is much stronger and the Seahawks should have their pick of several promising passers, even if they don’t wind up with a top-five selection.

Last week, Richardson ran wild against Utah, totaling 106 yards and three touchdowns as a rusher. Meanwhile, Levis went 21/32 for 303 yards, three touchdowns against Miami Ohio. Both may turn out to be first-round picks.

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Panthers in attendance for Saturday’s Kentucky vs. Florida matchup

The Panthers will be one of 15 NFL teams in Gainesville tonight—with eyes, presumably, on Anthony Richardson and Will Levis.

The Carolina Panthers have plenty to focus on this weekend. After all, they only begin their 2022 regular season in less than 24 hours.

That, however, doesn’t mean they don’t have an eye on the future.

According to ESPN NFL draft analyst Jordan Reid, the Panthers will have some have representation down at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Fla. tonight—the site of an SEC battle between the Kentucky Wildcats and Florida Gators. They’ll be joined, unsurprisingly, by 14 other teams.

And that number is unsurprising because of the two headliners of the matchup—starting quarterbacks and top 2023 NFL draft prospects Will Levis and Anthony Richardson.

Levis is currently in his senior year at the University of Kentucky. He began his final collegiate campaign on a good note last week, passing for 303 yards and three touchdowns in a 37-13 win over the Miami University Redhawks.

Not to be outdone, Richardson shined as well in Florida’s season-opening triumph. The dual-threat 6-foot-4, 232-pounder—who some would say resembles a young Cam Newton—completed 17 of his 24 throws for 168 yards while adding another 111 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.

The Wildcats and Gators kick off at 7:00 p.m. ET.

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Lions 2023 NFL draft prospect watch for CFB Week 2

2023 NFL draft prospects to watch in CFB Week 2 with an eye for the Detroit Lions

College football enters its second full weekend of games on the Saturday before the NFL slate kicks off in full for Week 1. The Detroit Lions will have scouts out at college games around the country evaluating players who could interest them in the 2023 NFL draft.

Here are some of the players to know and watch from a Lions scouting perspective. The list features two games where Detroit is confirmed to be sending scouting staff on Saturday.

Anthony Richardson vs. Will Levis is must-see TV for QB-needy NFL teams

Saturday’s SEC East showdown between Florida and Kentucky will feature of matchup of top quarterback prospects in the 2023 NFL draft class

If your favorite NFL team will be needing a franchise quarterback next offseason, don’t be surprised if they have some high-rankings members of their scouting department in attendance for Saturday’s SEC East showdown between Florida and Kentucky.

This matchup features two of the top passers in the 2023 NFL draft class, and they’re both getting an early test against a conference opponent to prove their mettle.

Florida’s Anthony Richardson is coming off an incredible performance in last week’s upset win over No. 7 Utah, in which he showed off his rare versatility, athleticism, and playmaking ability.

Kentucky had no problem with Miami (OH) last week in a 37-13 victory, as Will Levis threw for 303 yards and three touchdowns, with an interception.

Both of these talented prospects have shown flashes of brilliance that prove their high ceilings at the next level, but consistency is what NFL teams will want to see from them, especially in big games against quality opponents.

This game will give NFL scouts a chance to see how Richardson and Levis are able to rise to the occasion, knowing they’re facing off against another star at their position across the field.

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Ranking SEC quarterbacks after Week 1

SEC QB rankings following Week 1: Stetson on the rise.

The reigning Heisman winner, Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, appears ready to repeat as the recipient of college football’s most coveted award this season. And after a 6 touchdown performance that included 100 rushing yards, he’s the frontrunner for the award again this season.

But the Southeastern Conference has no shortage of elite talent at the quarterback position that will give Young a challenge every week.

There’s Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett, a player very few considered one of the top passers in the SEC this season. The reigning national champ had a stellar game, helping UGA’s offense score 49 points against No. 11 Oregon. Don’t forget Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson, who torched Utah through the air and on the ground in an upset win for the Gators. Hendon Hooker of Tennessee looked like he’s ready for a big year with a nice performance in Week 1. Same goes for Mississippi State’s Will Rogers and Arkansas‘ KJ Jefferson, who both put up big stats over the weekend.

We ranked every SEC quarterback following their Week 1 performance.

The rankings, plus their Heisman odds (courtesy of Tipico Sportsbook):

James Franklin far less definitive on backup QB plans in Week 2

James Franklin was definitive on his backup QB decision in Week 1, but not so much in Week 2.

Penn State fans got a brief glimpse of [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] in action in Week 1 against Purdue, but head coach [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] is reluctant to say the freshman will be the top backup to [autotag]Sean Clifford[/autotag] again in week 2.

Franklin named Allar the team’s backup quarterback in Penn State’s season opener at Purdue. Allar got on the field to run the offense for a series in the third quarter while Clifford was attended to briefly in the locker room. But despite the brief appearance as Penn State’s backup quarterback, Franklin is heading into Week 2 looking for a competition at the backup position between Allar and [autotag]Christian Veilleux[/autotag].

“We haven’t really made any decisions,” Franklin said on Tuesday in a press conference with the media when asked if Allar will be the backup option again. “We had basically a Friday corrections jog-through practice, and kind of a bonus one on Sunday, which we were able to do a little bit more, but we still were only in helmets.”

“Tuesday and Wednesday are our work days where we get the best evaluation of where we’re at,” Franklin explained. “That determines maybe some moves that we may or may not make. It’s a competition week-in and week-out. I don’t have that answer for you right now.”

A week ago, Franklin came right out and said Allar would be the team’s backup. This week, he is clearly taking a more open approach to not necessarily rule out the possibility Veilleux gets the nod if needed. It is an interesting change in messaging from the head coach, and there could be multiple reasons to do so for Franklin. Franklin has always been one to pump up competition for the team’s best interest. But the public messaging on the subject could also be a tactic used to try to convince Veilleux he is still a key member of the team to keep him from contemplating entering the transfer portal.

Penn State has lost two backup quarterbacks to the transfer portal since the end of the 2020 season with [autotag]Will Levis[/autotag] going to Kentucky and [autotag]Ta’Quan Roberson[/autotag] heading to UConn.

Penn State faces Ohio in Beaver Stadium on Saturday, September 10 at 12:00 p.m. ET on ABC.

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Follow Nittany Lions Wire on Twitter and like us on Facebook for continuing Penn State coverage and discussion. Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.