Midway through last season the University of Kentucky football team found itself embattled in a quarterback controversy.

After Saturday's spring game and with two high-profile freshman quarterbacks on the way, another could be brewing over the summer heading into fall camp.

Back-up quarterback Will Fidler looked especially sharp early while incumbent starter Mike Hartline stumbled out of the gate and never got into any kind of rhythm as the Blue Team raced out to a 21-0 lead before holding off a late White Team rally to take the annual spring game 28-23 before a school-estimated 20,200 fans on a beautiful day at Commonwealth Stadium. 

On the Blue Team's first possession, Fidler shredded the White Team defense, engineering a 12-play, 93-yard drive capped off by a 26-yard touchdown pass to Randall Cobb. 

"I thought Fidler, that first drive in particular, was as good as I've ever seen him play," Brooks said. "Will's problem isn't arm strength, it's usually been his decision making and he showed definite improvement in that area today. He started off like gangbusters and had a pretty good guy to throw to (Cobb). I thought he clearly closed the gap and there was a gap. I feel much, much better about Will Fidler after this scrimmage. And obviously, he got the win, so he's the cock of the walk today."

Hartline, who at times struggled mightily last season, completed just one of his first nine pass attempts and although Hartline finished 17-of-33 for 208 yards and two touchdowns, also threw two picks, had several balls batted down or tipped at the line of scrimmage and missed on several deep balls down the sideline, an area of continuing concern. Hartline, did however, show a greater propensity to tuck and run, rushing seven times for 33 yards, including a 16-yard scamper for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

Fidler, who ended 10-of-24 for 110 yards and two touchdowns--adding a nine-yard scoring strike to sophomore receiver Matt Roark--was helped immensely by the playmaking presence of Cobb, who looked good in returning from a late season knee injury, catching four balls for 70 yards and a score.

"Randall looks good everywhere he lines up," Brooks said. "Good holder, good punt returner, good receiver. He's just a real talent. He's a difference maker. We have to get the ball in his hands."

Some other youngsters also made their presence felt, including a pair of walk-ons. Coshik Williams, who Brooks graded out well through spring practice, broke off a 43-yard run and then punched it on from four yards out on the Blue Team's second possession to put the Blue out in front 14-0. Williams finished with 56 yards on just seven carries.

"Coshik has done some good things on and off this spring," Brooks said. "He's taken it up inside a little tougher. He'll have a lot of competition coming in in the fall, but he's gained some credibility with what he's done and we'll see how it all shakes out."

The other simply came from out of nowhere. Sophomore wide receiver Nick Melillo was just a foot note in UK's media guide before Saturday's game. But the Louisville Trinity product hauled in four balls--two of which went for touchdowns--for 43 yards. With the inconsistency at receiver that existed last season, Brooks said Melillo earned a longer look going into fall camp.

"One guy stepped up from nowhere and made some plays and that was Melillo," Brooks said. "So guess what, he's going to move ahead of some of the scholarship players right now. He has put himself in a position where he is going to be looked at very hard in the fall. He doesn't drop anything, he's physical, he plays hard, he plays fast. I'm encouraged by what I've seen from him. He deserves a look."

On the defensive side of the ball, linebackers Micah Johnson and Danny Trevathan dominated the action, each recording 11 tackles. Trevathan (Leesburg, Fla.), just a sophomore, has already drawn high praise from Brooks and even added a 31-yard kickoff return.

"How long has it been since Kentucky's had a linebacker fast enough to return kicks?" Brooks queried. "He's a playmaker, he has speed, he's tough and he has instincts."

With Trevathan, alongside Johnson and fellow veteran Sam Maxwell (six tackles), Brooks said the future at the position is indeed bright.

"I promise you, as good as those two guys were that graduated (Braxton Kelley and Johnny Williams), these guys can fill it up."

SCORING

1ST - 8:32 BLUE - RANDALL COBB 26 PASS FROM WILL FIDLER (LONES SIEBER KICK) 12-93, 4:56     0-7

1ST - 3:44 BLUE - COSHIK WILLIAMS 4 RUN (SIEBER KICK) 5-54, 1:58     0-14

2ND - 12:02 BLUE - RASHAAD PALMER 59 FUMBLE RECOVERY (SIEBER KICK)     0-21

2ND - 7:04 WHITE - NICK MELILLO 9 PASS FROM MIKE HARTILNE (RYAN TYDLACKA KICK) 10-50, 4:58     7-21

2ND - 1:08 WHITE - TYDLACKA 23 FIELD GOAL, 8-42, 4:38     10-21

3RD - 9:30 BLUE - MATT ROARK 9 PASS FROM FIDLER (SIEBER KICK) 4-60, 1:47     10-28

3RD - 1:02 WHITE - MELILLO 16 PASS FROM HARTLINE (TYDLACKA KICK) 2-20, :53     17-28

4TH - 2:39 WHITE - HARTLINE 16 RUN (HARTLINE PASS FAILED) 7-75, 6:12     23-28

Comments (1)