The 2025 Kentucky football team looked very inconsistent at the start of the season. After two weeks, they have already switched quarterbacks. Kentucky's issue has been trying to find any consistency on offense, and it's not a good sign that they switched quarterbacks already. It is why they are desperately waiting for Matt Ponatoski to get to campus for next year.
Matt Ponatoski is the starting quarterback for Archbishop Moeller, a football powerhouse in Ohio. They are 3-1 already this season, and Ponatoski is the biggest reason. Coming off a state championship game appearance in 2024, Ponatoski is used to lighting up defenses and dominating. Through four games this season, the Kentucky commit has completed 76 of 110 pass attempts, accumulated 864 yards and 12 touchdowns through the air, and has a rushing TD under his belt.
The four-star can come in and immediately change this Kentucky offense. Last week, in a road win at Christ Presbyterian Academy (Tenn.), he passed for 297 yards and four scores, completing 25 of his 31 attempts. Then, the previous week in a win over Trinity, the top-ranked team in Kentucky, he threw for three touchdowns.
This hot streak by Ponatoski is a massive continuation of his stats after how well he played last season. He threw for over 4,000 yards and 56 touchdowns to just three interceptions. His stock continued to rise, as highlighted by his landing an invite to the Elite 11 Finals this past summer in Los Angeles.
It is worth noting that Ponatoski is a two-sport star. He committed to playing football and baseball in Kentucky. His size, 6 feet 2 inches and 190 pounds, allows him to play multiple sports. He was also named the Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year in football and baseball.
Rivals writer and scout Charles Power wrote about his performance at the Elite 11 and his great time there.
“Ponatoski looked like the most accurate Elite 11 Finalist throughout the week. The Cincinnati native was a smooth operator each day. He made drill work look easy, consistently delivering well-placed, catchable passes,” Power wrote. “Ponatoski carried that into Day 2, turning in one of the more impressive pro day showings while earning the highest score from the Elite 11 staff. They capped the week off with a solid showing in 7-on-7 that saw him throw three touchdowns. A dual sport star who doubles as a top baseball prospect, Ponatoski is an accurate, rhythm passer with natural timing and feel.”
It was a massive win for the Kentucky football program to get a commitment from Matt Ponatoski, and he could be the savior for Mark Stoops's job security.
