Kaiya Sheron becomes latest Kentucky QB to enter transfer portal: report

LEXINGTON — Kentucky's quarterback room reportedly took another hit Tuesday. One day after Destin Wade entered the portal, fellow backup signal caller Kaiya Sheron did the same.

Sheron, a third-year sophomore, served as Devin Leary's backup for the entirety of the regular season. A Somerset native, Sheron beat Wade, a redshirt freshman, for the No. 2 spot on the QB depth chart.

Before the season, offensive coordinator Liam Coen said Sheron has grown in leaps and bounds since he first met the right-handed signal caller, a three-star prospect in the Wildcats' 2021 recruiting class.

"(He's) so much more confident, just knowing how to operate, be a normal student — just be a kid — how to carry himself," Coen said Aug. 22, the week before the season opener. "And he's performed. He's played at a high level."

Here are some things to know about the Wildats' latest transfer portal entrant:

Kaiya Sheron was forced into action in 2022 and 2023

After redshirting in 2021, Sheron made his college debut in Kentucky's third game last season: a 31-0 romp over Youngstown State at home. In that contest, Sheron didn't attempt a pass after replacing Will Levis.

But a foot injury sidelined Levis for UK's game against South Carolina, pushing Sheron into the starting lineup. In his first extensive action with the Wildcats, Sheron completed 15 of 27 passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns and an interception.

There were mistakes: The Kentucky offense botched a reverse on its first play from scrimmage, and Sheron was intercepted late in the fourth quarter of a 24-14 loss to the unranked Gamecocks. Coaches and teammates absolved Sheron of blame, however, noting it hadn't been an easy game for the first-time starter — notably, the offensive line allowed six sacks to a USC defense that entered with only four in its first five games.

"You want to take shots down the field, but you get conservative with protection and different things at times and you don't want to make a mistake," then-UK offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello said after the defeat. "The defense was playing really good in the first half, so we felt like we were in the game and we were willing to be conservative with a young player, and that's how it played out. We missed some opportunities on third down — a dropped ball, an assignment mistake in protection. It was really just not good."

Sheron briefly came in the following week versus Mississippi State, throwing two passes (completing both) for 9 yards before Levis returned from the locker room. Sheron's final appearance last season came against top-ranked Georgia; he accumulated no stats in the 16-6 loss to the eventual national champion.

Sitting behind Leary this fall, Sheron once again saw scant playing time.

He subbed in at various junctures in five games this fall: Akron, Georgia, Mississippi State, Alabama and South Carolina. Sheron combined to throw just four passes in those five outings, completing two (both versus Mississippi State) for 5 yards.

Kaiya Sheron was an in-state superstar

Sheron was a three-year starter at Somerset High for the late coach Robbie Lucas. He won the Kentucky Football Coaches Association's Class AA Player of the Year award in each of his final two seasons.

As a senior, he led the school to a 9-3 record, throwing for 2,016 yards and 15 touchdowns and rushing for 465 yards and 10 more scores.

Sheron was even better as a junior in 2019, lifting Somerset to the Class AA state title.

Which the Briar Jumpers won in stunning fashion.

Trailing Mayfield with only 28 seconds left, Somerset took over at its own 14-yard line. The Briar Jumpers marched down the field in four plays before the Cardinals committed pass interference with no time remaining. Awarded an untimed down, Sheron connected with Tate Madden on a 20-yard strike for the game-winning score.

Sheron, who won the state championship game's MVP award, tallied 4,177 yards of total offense (3,218 passing, 959 rushing) and 37 touchdowns (28 passing, nine rushing) that season as Somerset finished 14-1.

Kaiya Sheron played multiple sports in high school

While most known for his exploits on the gridiron, Sheron also played for Somerset's basketball team. Not even two weeks after his title-winning throw, Sheron was on the hardwood, leading Somerset in points (15; 6-of-6 shooting on 2-point field goals) and rebounds (eight) in a 69-47 victory over Bluegrass United in the Berea All A Holiday Classic.

Sheron earned three letters in basketball at Somerset.

According to his biography on UK Athletics' official website, Sheron also claims to be "good at ping pong."

He's also not limited to leaning only on his throwing hand; per his bio, though Sheron throws with his right hand, he kicks with his left foot.

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Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky football roster: Quarterback Kaiya Sheron to transfer