[EKUAlum05]

I don't agree with pulling the redshirt halfway through the season
especially when you have Cobb's talent and Fidler on the roster
Fidler didn't show me much....but he's replacing Hartline....not Jon Elway
Hartline has made great strides this year....but I just hate to see the freshman lose a year of eligibilty to maybe squeak out bowl eiligibility

Disagree.

I was a huge advocate for keeping Hartline at QB because he was a RS-Junior and won the starting spot outright coming into Fall. There is a reason Fidler is a RS-Senior who has never been a factor towards being the starting QB, he simply is not close to being a SEC level QB. The bottom line is Fidler and Newton are not seperated by very much as it stands. You start Fidler and you will basically be playing the rest of the season with a mediocre QB with limited upside, who will be gone by season's end. Newton is a Fresh QB and potentially your future superstar, he may be mediocre now but his upside is huge and whatever games he plays will be a building block for the future.

I will also say that the decision becomes easier now that Alabama and UF are out of sight and out of mind., he two best defenses in the SEC. My biggest concern with Newton would have been him getting shellshocked by these great defenses and losing his confidence for the future. With those two games down, as well as South Carolina, arguably the three best defenses UK has to face are out of the way. The schedule also sets up nicely, see below:

Oct. 17 at Auburn 7:30pm - Tigers defense is #9 in conference, #9 in passing defense, and tied for 6th in sacks (same as UK)
Oct. 24 La.-Monroe 7:00pm - Step down in competition
Oct. 31 Miss. State TBA - 11th in sacks, 10th in pass defense, 10th overall in defense in SEC
Nov. 7 Eastern Kentucky TBA - Step Down
Nov. 14 at Vanderbilt TBA - Hartline may be back, the Dores have a decent defense but no matter how bad UK plays they should be in the game late.
Nov. 21 at Georgia TBA - Even if Hartline isn't back UGA's defense is horrible. 11th overall in conference and 11th in pass defense.
Nov. 28 Tennessee TBA -Hartline will be back for sure by then, even if he isn't then Newton will be very experienced