By Tom Hurley | @TomHurley

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Sophomore quarterbacks Jalen Whitlow and Maxwell Smith are the final two players in the running for the starting QB job, UK head coach Mark Stoops said Tuesday.

“We haven’t made a decision on the starter yet (but) we have narrowed it to two,” Stoops said, before confirming that Whitlow and Smith were the final two in contention.

“Both of those guys will play in the first game,” Stoops said.

The first-year head coach said that sophomore quarterback Patrick Towles may redshirt the 2013 season.

“He’s open to the idea, if the opportunity presents itself, to redshirt.” Stoops said of Towles. “If we go throughout the year and neither one of the quarterbacks are getting it done then we may open it back up. But he’s going to prepare to be the third quarterback.”

Stoops was speaking after the Cats held a scrimmage at Commonwealth Stadium in which he was happy with how the offense performed.

Stoops said he was “not very pleased with the defensive effort” during the scrimmage, but was “pleased to see the offensie bounce back.”

The Cats open their 2013 season against Western Kentucky at LP Field in Nashville, Tenn., on Aug. 31.

Kickoff at the home of NFL’s Tennessee Titans is set for 7 p.m.