Curtis Pulley

LEXINGTON - While others may still doubt whether he can play quarterback on a winning team, Curtis Pulley has no doubts that he can not only win at Kentucky but also lead the Wildcats to a bowl game this season. "I could do that. I have been thinking that way since I got here," said Pulley, who will be a sophomore next season. "Hard work is how you turn things around. I hope this will be our year to go to a bowl and I can be a big part of that. " Pulley goes into Saturday's Blue-White Game at Commonwealth Stadium as UK's No. 1 quarterback after moving ahead of returning starter Andre Woodson in the last two weeks.

Sophomore quarterback-receiver Curtis Pulley is not enrolled at Kentucky for the spring semester but plans to return to the team in the fall and redshirt during the 2007 season. "I wanted him to redshirt all along," Kentucky coach Rich Brooks said. "This could turn out to be the best thing for him. " Pulley had been debating whether to stay at quarterback behind Andre Woodson or move to receiver on a full-time basis. He played in all 13 games last year and completed eight of 14 passes for 72 yards, rushed 23 times for 124 yards, caught 21 passes for 201 yards and one touchdown, and blocked two kicks.

LEXINGTON - Kentucky coach Rich Brooks said today that no decision has been made on moving linebacker Micah Johnson or quarterback Curtis Pulley to different positions for the 2007 season. Johnson, UK's most highly-touted recruit last year, started three games at middle linebacker but was mainly relegated to special teams duty late in the year. Pulley, a sophomore, backed up Andre Woodson at quarterback. Pulley emerged from spring practice as the No. 1 quarterback before Woodson won the job back in the preseason and went on to earn all-Southeastern Conference honors by throwing for 31 touchdowns and 3,515 yards.

Kentucky added another offensive linemen to its recruiting class Tuesday when Fresno City College's Kalavi Blanchard said he would sign with the Wildcats today. However, UK's late attempt to recruit Elizabethtown quarterback Chris Todd ended when he said he would announce for either Texas Tech, Oklahoma or Mississippi today. Kentucky is still hoping that Hopkinsville quarterback Curtis Pulley will stick to his earlier verbal commitment and sign with the Cats today. However, he is also considering Louisville.

What is Curtis Pulley's next move? Now that Eastern Kentucky University has rejected the former University of Kentucky standout's request for a transfer, Pulley's running out of options as the season draws near. If he wants to play this season, his only option is to transfer to a FCS program such as Eastern Kentucky, which turned him down because of his past problems. Pulley's next step could be to seek a program out of state, such as Georgia Southern or Tennessee Martin.

LEXINGTON -- Kentucky coach Rich Brooks announced this morning that quarterback Curtis Pulley has been dismissed from the team. "Curtis Pulley is no longer with us. He has been dismissed for a violation of team rules. We will move forward. That puts Mike Hartline front and center at the quarterback position," Brooks said this morning. "We will take a long, hard look at Will Fidler and a couple of freshmen working at that position. But the depth at that position is now a concern.

LEXINGTON - Curtis Pulley is still listed as Kentucky's No. 2 quarterback on the depth chart. That doesn't mean he roams the sidelines with a clipboard in his hands keeping a statistical track of starter Andre Woodson. Neither does he wait patiently in case of an emergency. However, given Pulley's athleticism and his ability to create plays, he isn't your ordinary backup quarterback. He doesn't have his hat turned around backward with a headset attached to his head. He always has a helmet in hand.

LEXINGTON -- Kentucky coach Rich Brooks announced this morning that quarterback Curtis Pulley has been dismissed from the team. "Curtis Pulley is no longer with us. He has been dismissed for a violation of team rules. We will move forward. That puts Mike Hartline front and center at the quarterback position," Brooks said this morning. "We will take a long, hard look at Will Fidler and a couple of freshmen working at that position. But the depth at that position is now a concern.

LEXINGTON - Curtis Pulley is still listed as Kentucky's No. 2 quarterback on the depth chart.That doesn't mean he roams the sidelines with a clipboard in his hands keeping a statistical track of starter Andre Woodson. Neither does he wait patiently in case of an emergency. However, given Pulley's athleticism and his ability to create plays, he isn't your ordinary backup quarterback. He doesn't have his hat turned around backward with a headset attached to his head. He always has a helmet ready in hand.

By KEITH TAYLOR Winchester Sun Sports Editor LEXINGTON -- Curtis Pulley is still listed as Kentucky's No. 2 quarterback on the depth chart. That doesn't mean he roams the sidelines with a clipboard in his hands keeping a statistical track of starter Andre Woodson. Neither does he wait patiently in case of an emergency. However, given Pulley's athleticism and his ability to create plays, he isn't your ordinary backup quarterback. He doesn't have his hat turned around backward with a headset attached to his head.

While everyone else worries about his confidence level and whether he will be overwhelmed as Kentucky's starting quarterback, sophomore Mike Hartline remains relatively calm. Sure, he gets upset when he makes mistakes in practice, throws a bad pass or doesn't read the defense properly. However, he's not worried about whether he's capable of being a winning quarterback in the Southeastern Conference, even though he won't take his first meaningful snap at Kentucky until the Wildcats open the season Sunday at Louisville.

Landing one high-profile quarterback is a chore for most schools. For Kentucky, it's always been a near impossibility with the exception of home-grown phenom Tim Couch. But getting two nationally ranked quarterbacks in one year at UK? Not only has it never happened, but most college football analysts - and even UK fans - probably never thought it would. Well, elephants aren't flying today and money isn't falling out of the sky, but Kentucky does have its second verbal commitment for the 2009 recruiting class from a big-time national recruit.

While everyone else worries about his confidence level and whether he will be overwhelmed as Kentucky's starting quarterback, sophomore Mike Hartline remains relatively calm. Sure, he gets upset when he makes mistakes in practice, throws a bad pass or doesn't read the defense properly. However, he's not worried about whether he's capable of being a winning quarterback in the Southeastern Conference, even though he won't take his first meaningful snap at Kentucky until the Wildcats open the season Aug. 31 at Louisville.

What is Curtis Pulley's next move? Now that Eastern Kentucky University has rejected the former University of Kentucky standout's request for a transfer, Pulley's running out of options as the season draws near. If he wants to play this season, his only option is to transfer to a FCS program such as Eastern Kentucky, which turned him down because of his past problems. Pulley's next step could be to seek a program out of state, such as Georgia Southern or Tennessee Martin.

LEXINGTON - Offensive coordinator Joker Phillips is not ready to write off Kentucky's season because of the sudden dismissal of junior quarterback Curtis Pulley on Tuesday. Just when it looked like Pulley had weathered his summer of multiple transgressions and would stay on the team, UK coach Rich Brooks started Media Day here by announcing Pulley was off the team for a violation of team rules. Which rule or rules? Brooks wouldn't say, but it doesn't matter. All that does matter is that Pulley, UK's most experienced quarterback, is gone and the Cats won't have him when they open the season Aug. 31 at Louisville.

LEXINGTON -- Kentucky coach Rich Brooks announced this morning that quarterback Curtis Pulley has been dismissed from the team. "Curtis Pulley is no longer with us. He has been dismissed for a violation of team rules. We will move forward. That puts Mike Hartline front and center at the quarterback position," Brooks said this morning. "We will take a long, hard look at Will Fidler and a couple of freshmen working at that position. But the depth at that position is now a concern.

LEXINGTON - Kentucky offensive coordinator Joker Phillips remembers one bit of advice he learned from Jerry Claiborne, his coach at Kentucky. "I learned from coach Claiborne a long time ago that you can't worry about the ones you don't have. You don't worry about the ones you miss in recruiting. You don't worry about the ones you dismiss. You care about them, but you can't worry about them when it is time to get your football team ready to play," said Phillips. That's the approach Kentucky must take after coach Rich Brooks announced at the start of Tuesday's Media Day that junior quarterback Curtis Pulley had been dismissed from the team.

LEXINGTON -- Kentucky coach Rich Brooks announced this morning that quarterback Curtis Pulley has been dismissed from the team. "Curtis Pulley is no longer with us. He has been dismissed for a violation of team rules. We will move forward. That puts Mike Hartline front and center at the quarterback position," Brooks said this morning. "We will take a long, hard look at Will Fidler and a couple of freshmen working at that position. But the depth at that position is now a concern.