Kudos to Joker Phillips. The Kentucky football coach planted his feet and took a strong stand Saturday, suspending starting quarterback Mike Hartline for the BBVA Compass Bowl.
Hartline was arrested early Friday morning on alcohol intoxication and disorderly conduct charges. After practice this morning, Phillips announced that Hartline would not play in the bowl game.
It may be that Hartline’s transgression fell under the school’s alcohol policy, which calls for a 10 percent-of-season suspension for an alcohol offense. But in Hartline’s case, since it was public intoxication charge and not a DUI charge, Phillips may have had some leeway to try and make an exception and play his quarterback in the bowl game. He said earlier this year that he would treat each circumstance on a case-by-case basis.
In this case, Phillips wasted no time delivering the punishment.
In my column today, I wrote only that if Hartline was guilty of the assault accusation made by the accuser, no way should he be allowed to play in Birmingham. As for the other charges, it would be up to Phillips to weight the facts and circumstances and make a clear decision. The coach didn’t wait long. That’s a good thing. It shows Phillips has a strong feelings about where he wants his program to go, and what he wants it to represent.
Some have wondered if the Kentucky players aren’t testing their new head, what with the number of first-series, first-period and even game suspensions handed out by the head coach this season. But there is another school of thought. It may be that Phillips has cracked down on all transgressions — being late for meetings, not being on time for functions, not going to class — this season in an attempt to make the players more accountable and pay more attention to detail.
Still, none of that should have come into play with a fifth-year senior quarterback, a team leader who started every game this season. It’s unfortunate that Hartline messed up before his final collegiate game, but it was necessary for Phillips to send the message he did Saturday, that such behavior will not be tolerated.
Joker did the right thing. I know that everyone close to this situation is hurting. I continue to wish the very best for Hartline. Go Cats.
I agree Joker did the right thing if the story that was made public is a true account of what happened.I have no reason to think otherwise.Time to move on.Go Cats and hopefully Hartline learns a valuable lesson from this.
Joker did the right thing. Discipline and accountibility are important in building a football program. I hope he uses both QB’s in the bowl game so they have a chance to show their stuff.