[SLIDESHOW] UK, Newton find stride in 37-12 win over EKU

Even as junior quarterback Mike Hartline paced the sidelines of UK’s 37-12 win over Eastern Kentucky without crutches after taking his first passes in practice earlier in the week, his replacement was finding his own footing.

Freshman quarterback Morgan Newton completed 20 of 29 passes for 187 yards and his first two career passing touchdowns, which came on consecutive offensive snaps, to lead the Cats (5-4, 1-4 Southeastern Conference) to a win on Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium.

In delivering his most complete offensive performance of the season, Newton continued to show progression from week to week since becoming UK’s starter three games ago.

“When we went down to Auburn and you called a pass, you didn’t know what was getting ready to happen,” UK offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Randy Sanders said of Newton’s development. “You knew what he had done in practice but you didn’t know exactly what was getting ready to happen. Today, when we would have passes called, I pretty much knew where the ball was going to go once the ball was snapped.”

Though Newton didn’t complete a pass of longer than 18 yards, he took only one sack and didn’t have any interceptions. He was also playing without two of his top offensive threats, as junior tailback Derrick Locke and sophomore wide receiver Randall Cobb sat the game out with injuries.

“This week was better than last week, and that’s what I have to continue to do, get better each week,” Newton said. “I think we should be in good shape.”

Newton’s progression – from precocious freshman to emergency game manager to Saturday’s performance – sparked hope in his teammates on both sides of the ball.

“It’s a lot more confidence,” senior linebacker Sam Maxwell said. “Knowing that the offense has the power to go down the field and score has an effect on (the opposing) offense, it pushes them to score and that can frustrate them into more turnovers.”

The win ran UK’s nonconference win streak to 18, a school record. UK’s last loss out of conference play was a 59-28 clobbering at the hands of Louisville in the 2006 season. The victory also puts UK within one win of becoming bowl eligible for the fourth consecutive season.

The Cats won handily despite some gaffes in the special teams game. Eastern Kentucky scored its first touchdown on a fake field goal scramble by junior defensive back Marcus Williams, who was the holder on the play. In the third quarter, senior kicker Lones Seiber had a field goal blocked while trying to put UK up 20-6. Seiber missed an extra point attempt in the third quarter after Newton’s second touchdown pass.

By the fourth quarter, Newton was an afterthought. A fourth string tailback broke a 79-yard run for a touchdown and Tyler Sargent, buried beneath Hartline, junior quarterback Will Fidler and Newton on the depth chart, was taking snaps under center for UK.

The Cats face a struggling Vanderbilt team next week with a chance to become bowl-eligible. Brooks wouldn’t rule out the possibility of Hartline’s return, though he said he’ll have to see Hartline in practice. With Newton’s immediate future as a developing starter in doubt, the Cats will have to turn their attention to an SEC game that could determine the fate of their season.

“It’s obviously going to be a very difficult game,” Brooks said. “I’m sure they’d like to return the favor that we did to them on several occasions when our win knocked them out of a bowl and helped us get in. Now they can’t get in, but they can have a lot to say about whether we do or not.”

GAME NOTES
Sophomore wide receiver Randall Cobb sat the game out with a sprained left thumb. He was cleared by doctors to play and dressed, but spent most of the game wearing a headset instead of a helmet. Brooks said he didn’t want to risk aggravating Cobb’s injury … Senior corner Trevard Lindley returned to UK’s secondary for the first time since the Alabama game and finished with two tackles and one pass breakup. He did give up a 42-yard reception to Colonel receiver Orlandus Harris … Sophomore tailback Derrick Locke did not play with nagging injuries in both of his knees, but is expected to be healthy for next week … Sam Maxwell made his team-leading fourth interception of the season in the second half … Freshman tailback Donald Russell busted a 79 yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, his first career score, to give UK its final margin of victory.