Kentucky’s quarterback picture still evolving

Posted by ESPN.com’s Chris Low

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Who’s going to play quarterback for Kentucky this fall?

Now that Curtis Pulley is out of the picture, the guy pushing him all spring, sophomore Mike Hartline, has moved to the head of the pack.

Hartline’s chief competition for the job might come from a guy that Hartline would love nothing more than to get the ball to a few times this season in one-on-one matchups on the perimeter.

True freshman Randall Cobb has been one of the most impressive athletes on the field this preseason, according to Kentucky coach Rich Brooks, and he’s going to be on the field somewhere.

That’s fine by Hartline.

“Whatever it is - quarterback, receiver or catching punts - he’s too athletic for us not to put him on the field. We’re going to get him the ball in some way, shape or form,” said Hartline, who’s attempted just six passes during his career.

“It also pushes me, too, because you see somebody that young and that talented with that potential. It’s a competitive thing I like. I don’t take it as a threat, because he’s my teammate. We’ll make each other better.”

The 6-6, 205-pound Hartline is also a good athlete and went to the state track and field finals in several events as a high school senior. But what the Wildcats will need from him more than anything is to effectively distribute the ball.

Hartline credits quarterbacks coach Randy Sanders with helping him learn the intangibles of the position. Former Kentucky star quarterback Andre Woodson also said Sanders was a big part of his development.

Woodson went from six touchdown passes and six interceptions in 2005 to 71 touchdown passes and 18 interceptions the last two seasons.

“It puts a little more pressure on me (with Pulley being gone), as far as getting the job done and stepping in and being the guy,” Hartline said. “But every time I’ve been here in my life, I’ve been up to challenges and up to the pressure. I don’t think this will be any different.”

Many of Hartline’s top receiving targets will also be new. Outside of Dicky Lyons, Jr., there’s very little experience. Brooks thinks several freshmen will be factors this season. Among them: Aaron Boyd, Eric Adeyemi, Matt Roark, E.J. Fields and Gene McCaskill. Boyd has been slowed my mono and Fields a hamstring pull.

Of course, there’s also Cobb, who’s spending 85 percent of his time with the quarterbacks and 15 percent of his time with the receivers. He said he caught just one pass in high school in Alcoa, Tenn., but it was a 49-yard touchdown.

He’s not going to be picky about where he lines up this fall - quarterback or receiver. But look for him at both spots.

“They’ve given me a lot of responsibility, and I’m going to run with it,” Cobb said. “I just want to do whatever I can to help this program stay on the move.”

Cobb threw for 22 touchdowns and ran for 13 more last season in leading Alcoa to its fourth straight state championship. His house sits about 10 minutes from Neyland Stadium, and the Vols wanted him.

In the end, though, Cobb said Kentucky had been on him the longest and he also felt like he would get a fairer shot at playing quarterback for the Wildcats.

“Tennessee started recruiting me pretty hard after I had a breakout game my senior year, but that was too late,” Cobb said. “They said they were recruiting me as a quarterback. I wasn’t really sure. I didn’t feel comfortable with the situation. I felt I had some coaches up here at Kentucky that I could trust, who were loyal and that everything they told me … I could believe.”

Believe this: Cobb won’t have to wait long to show what he can do in Big Blue.

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