FAYETTEVILLE — Kentucky has used three starting quarterbacks this season for the first time since 1979.
True freshman Mike Towles likely would have been the Wildcats’ fourth starter at quarterback for Saturday night’s game at Arkansas based on how he played in his debut last week in Kentucky’s 27-14 loss to Mississippi State.
Towles sustained a high ankle sprain, though, and won’t play this week, Kentucky Coach Joker Phillips said Monday.
Kentucky had planned to redshirt Towles, a Parade All-American from Fort Thomas,Ky., but decided to play him against Mississippi State with sophomore Maxwell Smith sidelined after undergoing ankle surgery for torn ligaments he suffered against South Carolina and senior Morgan Newton struggling with a shoulder injury.
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True freshman Jalen Whitlow replaced Smith against South Carolina and started against Mississippi State, but Towles excited the crowd at Commonweath Stadium when he came off the bench in the first quarter last week and led an 80-yard touchdown drive on which he went 5 of 5 passing for 71 yards. He injured his ankle on his next series.
That means Whitlow will start against Arkansas. He’s completed 23 of 50 passes for 199 yards and thrown 2 interceptions. Against Mississippi State, he was 10 of 21 for 73 yards.
“Just couldn’t really throw the ball in the ocean today,” Whitlow told reporters after the game. “That’s not good.”
Kentucky offensive coordinator Randy Sanders said he expected a better showing from Whitlow after he played the majority of the game the previous week.
“I’m going to answer this nicely - it wasn’t close to what I expected,” Sanders said. “We had some great looks to throw the ball and had some people open and we’ve got to hit them, with no question.”
Newton started at Florida - when Smith was sidelined by a shoulder injury - and completed 7 of 21 passes for 48 yards and threw 3 interceptions in Kentucky’s 38-0 loss to the Gators, so it’s unlikely he’ll get another start unless Whitlow is added to the injury report, too.
Phillips said freshman walk-on quarterback Jeff Witthuhn also will be making the trip to Arkansas.
Smith put up good numbers for the three games he’s played - passing for 975 yards and nine touchdowns - but Kentucky (1-5, 0-3 SEC) has struggled to generate much offense without him.
The Wildcats rank 13th in the SEC in total offense (329.2 yards per game) and scoring offense (20.5 points).
“Obviously, we’re having to play much different than we planned to play and what we wanted to play,” Sanders said after the Mississippi State game. “We worked all spring, all fall camp and the first three games playing one way and now we’ve been thrust into playing a completely different way.”
Kentucky’s defense also has been hit hard by injuries, and lost safeties Martavius Neloms (hamstring) and Ashely Lowery (head) against Mississippi State. Phillips said they’re questionable for the Arkansas game.
“If turnabout is fair play and the breaks equal out some day, then we’re in for some great days down the road as far as being healthy and being older,” Kentucky defensive coordinator Rick Minter told reporters. “Right now we’re losing guys almost by the bushels.”
Kentucky has played 14 true freshmen.
“First of all, you got to be patient with them,” Phillips said. “They’re 18 years old, so you have to be patient with those guys. ... Sometimes a 2-, 3-yard run is a positive run, because you try get yourself into some thirds-and-shorts and thirds-and-mediums, so you’re not getting yourself into third-and-long.”
Information for this article was contributed by The Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader.
SATURDAY, OCT. 13 - All times Central Auburn at Mississippi, 11:21 a.m.
Alabama at Missouri, 2:30 p.m.
Florida at Vanderbilt, 5 p.m.
Kentucky at Arkansas, 6 p.m.
South Carolina at LSU, 7 p.m.
Tennessee at Mississippi State, 8 p.m.
Texas A&M at La. Tech, 8:15 p.m.
Kentucky (1-5, 0-3 SEC)
DATE OPPONENT RESULT
Sept. 2 at Louisivlle L 32-14
Sept. 8 Kent State W 47-14
Sept. 15 W. Kentucky L 32-31 OT
Sept. 22 at Florida L 38-0
Sept. 29 South Carolina L 38-17
Oct. 6 Mississippi State L 27-14
Oct. 13 at Arkansas Oct. 20 Georgia
Oct. 27 at Missouri Nov. 3 Vanderbilt
Nov. 17 Samford Nov. 24 at Tennessee
Sports, Pages 13 on 10/09/2012