It was announced during UK football head coach Mark Stoop’s regularly scheduled press conference Thursday that injured quarterback Drew Barker will be undergoing surgery the week of Thanksgiving that will effectively end his season. 

Barker has been sidelined due to a back injury since week three when the team played New Mexico State at home.

Stoops said along with the initial announcement, that the team had exhausted every other medical option that would not end Barker’s season, but the team’s doctors concluded that surgery would be necessary.

The timetable as of now, has Barker being made available to the team towards the ends Spring practices.

It is unlikely that Barker will receive a medical redshirt and get back this past season, as he already redshirted his freshman year at UK. Upon his return next season, he will have two years of eligibility left.

Barker appeared in three games this season, played just three snaps in his last one against New Mexico State. In those games threw for 334 yards at a 50 percent completion rate for four touchdowns and five interceptions.