John Clay's Sidelines

Photo by Mark Cornelison.

With the unexpected news UK quarterback Randall Cobb is now “doubtful” for UK’s impending bowl game after knee surgery, former qb starter Mike Hartline is unceremoniously shoved back into the spotlight.

To me, that’s a good thing.

Don’t get me wrong. Count me a Randall Cobb fan. He’s a terrific athlete, a mature kid, a great leader, or (for a freshman) has the makings of a great leader. But don’t count me among those who beleive that Cobb is UK’s long-term answer at quarterback. He performed well in that snowball rout at Florida, yes, earning the starting job the next week against Mississippi State, where he was just ok. (UK won 14-13 thanks to a missed 27-yard State field goal down the stretch.) Cobb followed a fabulous effort in that heartbreaking loss to Georgia with back-to-back duds against Vanderbilt and Tennessee. And, to be honest, defensive domination and Georgia did not belong in the same sentence this season.

To be fair, Cobb didn’t have much help. But that’s part of the Catch-22. Cobb might be the best receiver on a team with precious few receivers of notable ability. He can line up out wide, or in the slot, or the backfield, or pretty much wherever you want to line him up, and have an effect no the defense. Where SEC coordinators were able to scheme to stop Cobb at quarterback, that might be more difficult to do if the Tennessee native lined up at different spots on the field.

And there is this: “I still believe,” Rich Brooks re-iterated after last Saturday’s loss to Tennessee, “to win in this league you have to be able to throw the football.”

Enter Mike Hartline, who started the season’s first eight games before giving way to Cobb. Is Hartline a strong passer? No, not yet. But he could be down the road, with improvement, and experience. With Cobb likely on the holiday shelf, Hartline will have the bowl practices nearly all to himself to receive repeated reps and work on his game as he prepares for Kentucky’s opponent.

And with touted freshmen Cameron Newton and Ryan Mossakowski coming into camp next fall, the UK staff will be afforded an excellent opportunity to gauge Hartline’s future. Is he the quarterback the freshmen will battle come 2009? Or is he someone the Cats might want to use at another position — receiver, perhaps, where Hartline’s brother, Brian, is a star at Ohio State. Hartline can gauge his future, as well.

One thing’s fo sure, were I Brooks I wouldn’t play Cobb in the bowl game. It’s not worth it. Let him rehab. Let him worry about 2009. He’s too precious a commodity to risk. Let the bowl spotlight fall on Mike Hartline. Let’s see what he learned standing on the sideline for the majority of the final four games. Let’s see what he can do.