Kentucky football lands first QB commitment since hire of Bush Hamdan as OC
Kentucky football has found its first quarterback commitment of the Bush Hamdan era.
Less than a month after UK coach Mark Stoops hired Hamdan from Boise State to be his new offensive coordinator, the Wildcats added a class of 2025 commitment from three-star Ohio-prep quarterback Brennen Ward on Thursday.
Ward is the second quarterback to commit to UK’s 2025 class, following four-star prospect Stone Saunders, who picked the Wildcats while Liam Coen was still offensive coordinator. He is the fourth commitment in the class.
Kentucky was the first Division I program to offer Ward a scholarship in May 2022. The Wildcats have changed offensive coordinators twice since then, but recruiting coordinator Vince Marrow has continued to recruit Ward through the offensive turnover.
Ward most recently visited UK in February, just a few days after Marrow and offensive line coach Eric Wolford visited him at Gahanna Lincoln High School in Columbus, Ohio.
Much of Hamdan’s first few weeks on the job have centered around learning the current Kentucky personnel and preparing his fellow offensive coaches to install a new offense in spring practice, but in an interview with the Herald-Leader over the weekend, Hamdan said he had begun to evaluate UK’s current offensive commitments and other recruits the staff believed it was close to landing.
“I’ve been around it and have a good grasp of what it’s going to take,” Hamdan said, referencing his recruiting work in previous Power Five coaching stops at Florida, Washington and Missouri.
Bookmark this page to follow along with Kentucky’s high school class throughout the 2025 recruiting cycle. It will be updated with each new commitment.
Kentucky football 2025 recruiting class
QB Brennen Ward
247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars
High school: Gahanna Lincoln (Columbus, Ohio)
Commitment date: March 7, 2024
Ward picked Kentucky over reported Power Five scholarship offers from Boston College, Virginia, Missouri, Indiana and Syracuse. Kentucky was his first Division I offer in May 2022. Recruiting coordinator Vince Marrow continued to recruit him through two offensive coordinator changes. Ward became the first quarterback to commit to Kentucky after the hire of offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan.
RB Isaiah West
247Sports Composite rating: 3 stars
High school: St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia)
Commitment date: March 1, 2024
A four-star running back according to 247Sports, West picked Kentucky over reported Power Five offers from Michigan State, Pittsburgh, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Virginia Tech, Syracuse, South Carolina, Indiana and Minnesota. He committed less than a month after taking a visit to UK for the program’s February Junior Day. West plays for the same high school program that produced 2024 UK three-star wide receiver signee David Washington.
WR Quintin Simmons
247Sports Composite rating: 4 stars
High school: Withrow (Cincinnati)
Commitment date: Feb. 5, 2024
Kentucky will hope Simmons’ commitment sent a strong message for the future of the offense since he pledged to the Wildcats just two days after offensive coordinator Liam Coen’s departure to the NFL was made official. Simmons picked UK over finalists Michigan, Penn State, West Virginia, Syracuse and Cincinnati. He comes from the same high school that produced four-star 2024 UK defensive back signee Terhyon Nichols.
QB Stone Saunders
247Sports Composite rating: 4 stars
High school: Bishop McDevitt (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania)
Commitment date: Aug. 4, 2023
The 2025 class started with a splash with a pledge from Saunders, the son of a former NFL strength and conditioning coach. At the time of Saunders’ commitment, the 247Sports Composite ranked him as the No. 20 quarterback in the 2025 class. Saunders committed to UK while Coen was still offensive coordinator but stuck with that pledge after Coen returned to the NFL.
