From what is quickly becoming one of my favorite SEC football blogs, “Saturday Down South” writer Hunter Montell puts out a call for change. As I’m reading this article, it felt like Hunter was pulling the words right out of my mouth. I understand that a lot of UK fans may not like this and I’m sure our own Scott Anderson will probably post a rebuttal (he’s definitely on Team Hartline).
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Here’s what Mr. Montell had to say about Saturday’s game….
[QUOTE]So many things went wrong, that you couldn’t count them on one hand. Our offensive line, for one, was the worst I’ve seen it since Shane Boyd and the West Coast (God help us). Mike Hartline threw any support and confidence he once had from his fans out the window with every check down he called. Our linebacking corps looked like they were running in slow motion which made allowance for the abundance of crossing routes and completed passes in the middle. And yet ANOTHER game with against a quality SEC powerhouse with no execution, lack of aggressiveness in scheme, and poor decision making. All of these things summing up why Kentucky is a basketball school, and not a national contender. You can react two ways: See it as a learning opportunity (Really?), or you call for change. I prefer the latter.[/QUOTE]A “call for change”! I would have to agree. I was definitely someone who was not a huge Hartline supporter at the beginning of the season, but he was building confidence with me after the first three games.
After the Florida game, I’m not sure who should be QB, but I’m thinking it’s probably not Hartline. It’s not that he does anything to lose the game, it’s the fact he does nothing to win the game.
Not making mistakes (no turnovers) is great, but if you’re not willing to throw the ball down-field on third and long, you might as well chalk it up as a turnover. Because I don’t care where you’re playing, throwing a four yard pass when you need 15, will not result in a first down.
Here’s why Montell thinks Hartline needs to go…
[QUOTE]The reads by Mike were beyond terrible, and it exposed how ‘Operation Win’ was more like [I]Operation Survive[/I]. We were scared to challenge their defensive backs. Man on none, we folded quicker than Johnny Chan with a 7-2 off suit. Think about this, Chris Matthews had 4 catches for 114 yards, all of which were well executed balls thrown DOWN FIELD. Something we saw just flashes of. You have to spread the field, or defenses will not respect you, which is the sole reason for Jeremy Brown’s 52 yard pick-6 in the second quarter. While check downs could be a reflection on the OC’s coaching philosophy, it doesn’t mean that it must happen as much as it does, because then it becomes predictable. Let’s be honest, Mike has to go. We have waited and waited for Mr. Hartline to make a comeback, and it isn’t coming anytime soon. He obviously must do all the right things in practice, but he can’t seem to transfer it to the game. The kid just isn’t producing quality wins, and that’s what UK fans are crying for. I’m not saying I don’t trust the head man Joker Phillips or the genius of Randy Sanders, but I am saying when it came down to picking the right man for the quarterback spot, their judgment was off, by a lot.[/QUOTE]So if it’s not Hartline, who is it? Montell seems to believe Newton is our man and I would have to agree. He has the most experience of the back ups and we know he can make something happen. He will probably make more mistakes than Hartline, but he’ll also make the plays necessary to win against the SEC.
Here’s Montell’s take on Newton…
[QUOTE]This kid is young, but talented. Whom Joker Phillips calls the most athletic of all the quarterbacks in rotation, Newton can throw the ball farther than your dad. He started the last eight games in 2009 and won 5 of them. His first start was at Jordan-Hare Stadium where he led his team to a 21-14 win. Mind you, at this time, he was a true freshman. He also won against LA-Monroe, EKU, at Vandy, and in Athens, Georgia for the first time in thirty-two years. He lost to a decent Mississippi State, a tough OT loss to rival Tennessee, to a star studded Clemson with now NFL running back C.J. Spiller, in the Music City Bowl. But what I like most about Newton is his attitude. Newton is a born winner — No question. DQ Evans, Kentucky’s scariest player and defensive end, was quoted saying “You look at him and he looks like a NFL quarterback, or maybe linebacker, he is 230 and runs with the best of them. He is always trying to come in first and is always competing.” [/QUOTE]Everyone talks about how many games Hartline has won compared to Newton, but I’ll ask you… How many SEC games has he won?
You can [URL=”http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/2010/kentucky-wildcats-change-mike-hartline-for-morgan-newton/”]read the entire article here…[/URL]
[I]You can also check out the [URL=”http://www.nationofblue.com/big-blue-breakdown-episode-1-hartline-vs-newton-no-homers-allowed-1753/”]first episode of the “Big Blue Breakdown”[/URL] as we discuss the QB situation before the season started. It’s “Episode One” so it’s a little rough (we’re much better now 🙂 ).. [/I]
