By LARRY VAUGHT

LEXINGTON — Kentucky quarterback Mike Hartline could “possibly” play again this year after test revealed he did not tear his anterior cruciate ligament in Saturday’s loss at South Carolina.

Kentucky coach Rich Brooks said today that Hartline does have a “complete tear” of the medial collateral ligament off the femur and a slight tear of the posterior ligament as well as some cartilage damage.

“The manner of treatment is non-surgical for the MCL. That is usually a three- to four-week proposition to have that tacked down on its own. Then the question is when that happens will the cartilage allow him to play and be taken care of at the end of the season,” said Brooks.

The Kentucky coach said there was a reason not to surgically repair the cartilage now.

“Because the trauma to the joint prevents the MCL from healing. Protocol from doctors is to let the MCL heal and then wait and see if he can play with slight cartilage tear or not. If he can’t, they would remove the cartilage and it would be another two- to three-week process,” Brooks said.

“Possibly he could play before the season ends. Possibly he could not. It’s up in the air. But the great news is there is no ACL (tear).”

Brooks said the possible return of Hartline this season does not change what he’ll do at quarterback this week against Auburn or in future games and that he has to prepare for the worst case scenario that Hartline will not be back.

“We have seven games left and a chance do something that not been done here and we have to go for that goal,” Brooks said of UK’s chance to have a fourth straight winning season and earn a fourth straight bowl bid.

“We will work Morgan Newton and we will work Will Fidler. We will determine at a later date who will take the majority of snaps in the game.”

Fidler, a junior, has more experience than Newton, a true freshman. Brooks will also use true freshman Ryan Mossakowsi, who had been running the scout team, as an “emergency” third quarterback.

Plus, the UK coach emphasized again he will expand the wildcat package featuring Randall Cobb. However, he also noted that Cobb will remain at receiver.

“We are much a better team moving forward with trying to maintain the integrity of our offense. We just have to have someone execute the quarterback position,” Brooks said. “Will being in the offense shoudl be far ahead. I am not sure that is the case. That is what we will find out.

“Morgan has been getting a lot of reps and should be better prepared now than he was a month or six weeks ago. We have to make a decision on who is the best knowing that games are a lot different than what they see in games.”

Brooks says no matter whether Fidler or Newton plays, the Cats will reduce their offensive package.

“We have to find out what they are most comfortable doing. What we would like to do and what they are comfortable doing is what we have to work out,” Brooks said.

Brooks says it is important to be fair to Cobb and his team at the same time. He recalled how UK’s passing offense “was pretty much non-existent” last year when Cobb started four games at quarterback over a struggling Hartline. Brooks felt UK became too one dimesional and was easier for SEC opponents to stop.

“The other thing now is that he understands his future is not as a quarterback if he wants to make it at the next level. He has legitimate chance to be an outstanding receiver-return man at the next level,” Brooks said. “I want to do the right thing by him, but I also want to do right thing by the type of offense we have to execute to win in this league. I don’t want to throw that away at this point.”

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