Phillips evaluates Newton’s progress
November 15th, 2009 | 
Author: By LARRY VAUGHT
Joker Phillips, Kentucky’s head coach of the offense, hopes Saturday’s win at Vanderbilt was another big step forward for freshman quarterback Morgan Newton.
Here is what Phillips had to say:
Question: Does the win at Vanderbilt add to Morgan Newton’s confidence even though you relied primarily on the run and didn’t ask him to do a lot?
Phillips: “The guy has only lost one game and has started five. He is a couple of plays from being 5-0. He made a big-time throw to LaRod King. I think that was the best throw he has made along with the one he stuck into Maurice Grinter last week (against Eastern Kentucky). Those are as two of the best throws I have seen around here.”
Question: Does he make those throws in practice regularly?
Phillips: “It will show up something like that every day. The thing he needs is to continue to get game snaps. He is 2-0 on the road as a true freshman starter. He is a very mature guy that we just have to continue to grow because as he continues to grow, the program grows.”
Question: Considering you also played Mike Hartline and Randall Cobb at quarterback in the first half and he had a deflected pass intercepted, wasn’t Newton’s poise uncanny for a true freshman?
Phillips: “He didn’t look shaky at all. He is a mature guy. His dad is hard on him to perform in the classroom and on the football field. His momma is probably even harder on him. He is just a born winner and we are happy to have him on our side.”
Question: Does a throw like he made to King give you even more confidence to call more plays like that for him in the next two weeks?
Phillips: “It does. We just have to continue to progress our passing game. We are not where we want to be. One of the things you are afraid of with him right now is the protections. Our dropback protection, he is not real sharp yet. He is getting better every week and he can see the stuff he is going to see. He is going to see a lot of junk these next two weeks.”
Posted in UK Football
5 Responses to “Phillips evaluates Newton’s progress”
Leave a Reply
UKAthletics.com
[...] Larry Vaught of the Danville Advocate-Messenger writes on Morgan Newton’s progress. [...]
Control the game, Don’t hurt your Team, That Is what you hope for out of a young QB, That is what we are getting out of Morgan, Man this Kid is getting more and more comfortable..He looked so much better in that second half..BIG BLUE is is in good hands in the Future…GO BIG BLUE!!
I have always believed that Coach Brooks has a great deal of say in the plays called during the game and with a young QB now our leader he is going to be very conservative. I remember back when Coach Woody Hayes was asked why he didnt pass more, he would reply that 3 things can happen when you pass and 2 of those are bad. lol An truefully with our line and the great runners we have you cannt really blame him for being that way this year. GBB!!!
I have to agree. With the way the line blocked and Locke and Cobb ran, no reason to put extra pressure on Morgan. I think this week it will be different and he will be up to the challenge
Newton to King will be a combo that is going to help the UK wildcats for years to come. Newton will be fine. More snaps is all he needs. King showed some EMOTION AND FIRE on that 3rd down catch & run. That kind of FIRE can egnite his teammates the way Cobb does. King was a qb at the same high school I attended. As he gets more experience he will read the D faster and run routes better. I also expect Newton to get better at picking up the cb blitz that Vandy & a lot of teams used. Woodson was great at that read and made a lot of plays throwing the short slant to the blitzing side. Both the reciever and the qb have to be on the same page but I am sure these two(Newton &King) will get it. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. GO BLUE OR STAY HOME