LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -- Kentucky quarterback Mike Hartline will miss the rest of the regular season to receive surgery on his injured knee, coach Rich Brooks said Sunday.
The junior quarterback was featured in the Wildcat's 24-13 win over Vanderbilt on Saturday, throwing 2-of-6 for 10 yards and an interception. Brooks said the pace of the game agitated a knee injury Hartline picked up five weeks ago enough to warrant immediate surgery.
"When the game started flying as fast as it did, (the knee) just wasn't functioning correctly," Brooks said.
Hartline had started the Wildcats' first five games of the season before injuring the knee in a loss at South Carolina. After weeks of rehabilitation, he returned to practice last week to prep for the Vanderbilt game.
Brooks had hoped to use Hartline as a backup to Morgan Newton for the rest of the season.
The coach added that he will continue using a quarterback rotation of Newton and receiver Randall Cobb running a spread offense. Cobb will likely get 10 to 20 snaps in the remaining games, Brooks said, after running for 99 yards and two touchdowns against Vandy.
"We're definitely using (Cobb) a lot more than we thought," Brooks said. The Wildcats punished the Commodores on the ground, running for 308 total yards.
Brooks said he is pleased with the freshman Newton, despite his struggles.
"He certainly managed the line of scrimmage very well," Brooks said. "He's gotten better and better in practice each week, and now he'll have to show it against another really good team."
The Wildcats (6-4, 2-4 Southeastern Conference) look to improve their post season status at Georgia (6-4, 4-3) on Saturday in what Brooks describes as a very tough test against an underrated team.
"Their numbers don't tell the story of their speed and talent," Brooks said. "If we expect to have any chance against them, we need to throw better."
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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