Cutter Boley standing out in QB competition as ASU leaves Valley for Camp T

TEMPE — When Arizona State’s fall camp opened last Wednesday, the strides made by quarterback Cutter Boley popped almost immediately.

Boley’s footwork was much quicker and more decisive than in the spring, and a lot of work had been done for the junior signal-caller to fill into what was previously a lanky 6-foot-5 frame, now up seven pounds from last season’s listing at Kentucky to 220.

He said Friday the footwork and strength were his two biggest areas of emphasis for the summer, and they led to a visibly more confident operation altogether.

Head coach Kenny Dillingham has not said the quarterback competition is over — he has previously targeted roughly Aug. 26 as the latest he would name a starter — but the SEC All-Freshman transfer has looked like the best of four options so far.

Ball security was especially important for Boley to nail down after throwing 12 interceptions across 301 attempts last season.

After an encouraging spring, he has been nearly turnover-free to start fall camp outside of roughly the last hour of Monday’s practice, which included an interception on a nice play made by Montana Warren and two fumbles coughed up shortly after.

His connections with the receiving talent around him have made progress as well, as he’s finding rhythm on a downfield ball he couldn’t hit too much with less talented players around him at Kentucky.

As ASU departs Tempe for Camp Tontozona after Tuesday’s practice — which included solid results from Boley in a live segment — a strong showing throughout the week and in Saturday’s open scrimmage up north would go a long way toward sealing the deal.

Veteran QB Mikey Keene, who has 39 games of college experience at Fresno State and UCF before sitting out injured last season at Michigan, has looked how he should given his prior experience in terms of always keeping his operation clean and tidy.

He’s been behind Boley in the arm talent it takes to maximize a receiving group as talented as what ASU has, with the likes of transfers Reed Harris, Omarion Miller and Raiden Vines-Bright, as well as returning pass catchers Jalen Moss, Jaren Hamilton, Derek Eusebio and young standout Cory Butler Jr.

 

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If Keene does come up short of the QB1 role, he’s poised to be as reliable a QB2 as you’ll find around the country.

Freshman Jake Fette, who joins sophomore Cam Dyer as the two in the competition without college snaps under their belt, continues to flash the highest upside of the four players and he’s likely the best straight-line athlete, but the youth still shows up to where he shouldn’t play ahead of Boley or Keene.

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