Quarterback Battle Still Wide Open

Kentucky football held its annual media confab Friday morning at Commonwealth Stadium — under cloudy skies, we might add. While the underlying concern is the future of head coach Joker Phillips, the more pressing issue is the matter of who will start at the sport’s most important position.

In that there is a quarterback competition, this interested observer puts the opening pecking order as such:

■ No. 1 is sophomore Maxwell Smith, who finished last season as the starting quarterback, if you don’t count the win over Tennessee in which a wide receiver (Matt Roark, now graduated) started at quarterback.

■ No. 2 is Morgan Newton, who began last season as the starting quarterback, more or less lost the job, was later injured but is now healthy again. More or less.

■ No. 3 is true freshman Patrick Towles, who played in 45 games as a high school quarterback and happened to win 44.

■ Also at No. 3 is true freshman Jalen Whitlow, a “quarterback/athlete” who was rated as the No. 12 dual-threat quarterback in the nation by one scouting service.

“I wish the decision was already made,” Phillips said, “but it’s not because of the competition that we have.” Smith we know. The sophomore is angular of frame and accurate of arm. (Most of the time.) Newton we know. The senior is big, strong and can run a little.

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/08/04/2284352/john-clay-quarterback-is-up-for.html#storylink=cpy