One of the biggest concerns coming into this season is whether or not Mike Hartline will improve as a passer after an up and down first season as starting QB. In 5 of the 6 games the Cats lost last year, a big pass play here or there could have made all the difference. (We won't even mention the Florida game; 50 big pass plays might not have turned that one around.)Rich Brooks doesn't release official stats from preseason scrimmages, but the head coach has been very vocal of his satisfaction with Hartline's improvement. He told the media on Monday that Hartline looked impressive during the most recent scrimmage, leading the offense to two consecutive scores against what is believed to be a good UK defensive team. Then today, Rich Brooks tweeted that Hartline has continued to impress in today's practice, as well.
As we all know, Hartline was named third team all SEC in the preseason vote, and was recently named the number 6 quarterback in the league by Chris Low of ESPNU. While much of the preseason hype has centered around Micah Johnson and Trevard Lindley, it is nice to see Hartline get some much need confidence boosters from his head coach and the media. Just how much Hartline has improved remains to be seen, but all signs point to optimism as the kick-off to the new season quickly approaches.
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