By LARRY VAUGHT

What’s the best option for Kentucky at quarterback now that Mike Hartline will be out at least two weeks and more than likely the rest of the season?
The most popular scenario among fans today probably is to use sophomore Randall Cobb at quarterback. He led the Cats on a fourth-quarter scoring drive at South Carolina Saturday when he got the call.
And didn’t he win his first game as a starter at Mississippi State last year after Hartline had struggled and lost the starting job?
However, Kentucky coach Rich Brooks cautioned Sunday that there is more to consider than just Cobb’s edge in experience as he debates whether to use Cobb, junior Will Fidler or true freshman Morgan Newton at quarterback when the Cats play at Auburn this week.
“Will Fidler has taken more snaps in our regular offense than anybody else has. We had a four-game aberration of our offense last year with Randall at quarterback. In our true system of quarterback, he has had more snaps than Randall,” said Brooks.
But doesn’t Cobb’s experience at quarterback — not to mention that he has also played at receiver and kick returner — give him a huge edge over the seldom-used Fidler and Newton, who has not taken a snap at Kentucky.
“You have to think of a lot of things when you consider Cobb. One, he is a better receiver than quarterback. He is a great athlete and we try to utilize his talent and will continue to do that,” Brooks said. “To expect him to sit in the pocket in a dropback passing game in which we have invested  lot of time and got better at is difficult for him.
“He is short and can’t see the field. You have to do more rollouts and all kind of different things in the passing game and that means revamping the whole offense. I don’t think I prefer to do that at this point, but we will judge that going forward as we see practice unfold and how we perform in the next game. We will continue to evaluate and try to do the best we can.”
Cobb was 7-for-13 passing for 56 yards with one touchdown and one interception and rushed for 31 yards and a score at Mississippi State. He was 12-for-20 passing for 105 yards in a loss to Georgia, 11-for-26 for 144 yards in a loss to Vanderbilt and 4-for-7 for 23 yards in a loss to Tennessee when he was injured. He ran for 82 yards against Georgia, 72 against Vandy and 22 against Tennessee while going 1-3 as a starter.
Plus, who is a proven playmaker at receiver without Cobb there? Brooks tried to make a case for junior college transfer Chris Matthews making a “great third down catch” at South Carolina and  Gene McCaskill also making a “few plays” in the same game.
But Cobb is the go-to guy. He has 23 catches for 310 yards and four scores. As a team, UK has only six touchdown receptions. Only running back Derrick Locke has been as consistent a receiver as Cobb. And Cobb can make big plays running the reverse as he did at South Carolina.
“We found out last year when we changed at midstream and went more option that we won one game and nearly won another one but we were not as productive and got the guy (Cobb) hurt,” Brooks said.
Does that sound to you like Brooks is ready to abandon his normal offense and go to one specifically designed for Cobb, especially since it had mixed results at best in a four-game stretch last year?
If Fidler is the quarterback, Brooks likely will reduce UK’s offensive package some. It will be reduced more if Newton is the quarterback.
“Neither one is at the level Hartline is at,” Brooks said Sunday. “I know everybody has an opinion (about the quarterback), but we as coaches work with guys every day and know who is doing the best job. And by the way, Hartline was playing his fanny off and having a great game (when he was hurt).”

5 Responses to “Brooks: Cobb better receiver than quarterback”