Kentucky QB Towles takes Harry Potter fandom to new level

The Cats' Pause Kentucky football yearbook is set to be released next week, and on the cover is quarterback Patrick Towles.

Why is this newsworthy? Because the cover photo isn't just any ol' picture of Towles; rather, it's a photographic ode to Towles' apparent obsession with the Harry Potter series, with Towles donning a Gryffindor House scarf as well as glasses and a Photoshopped forehead scar.

Just look for yourself:

While the idea for the photo shoot came from the Cats' Pause staff, it was inspired by Towles' previous confessions about his love for all things Harry Potter. And the 6-foot-5, 245-pound senior quarterback was more than happy to play along.

"It's a chance to show people that I’m a real person who likes what you guys like, who eats what you guys eat and does what you all do," Towles told Cats Pause. "It helps develop a sense of common ground. ‘Hey, he’s not really that far away,' or, 'He’s not really that different. He’s just one of us who happens to play football.'"

Towles has said that he's read each book in the series at least seven times and can "quote the whole thing," referring to the movies. And to take his fandom a step further, he annually celebrates Harry Potter's mythical birthday on July 31.

Towles explained his obsession as follows: "I love the magic part about it and how it's really just kind of like a whole different world and stuff. Granted, I know it's not reality and it's never going to happen, but it's a fun thing to play around with."

Harry Potter fan or not, you've got to appreciate the passion that led to the photo linked above as well as a yearbook titled "Patrick Towles and the Order of Kentucky Football."

(h/t Yahoo Sports)

Image Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports