Fidler to forego final year, participate in Senior Day

University of Kentucky quarterback Will Fidler has decided to forego his final season of eligibility and will participate in Senior Day activities on Saturday before UK’s regular-season finale against Tennessee.

Fidler’s name did not appear on UK’s original list of 26 seniors who would be honored on Saturday but showed up on a list released on Wednesday evening.

Fidler, a Henderson County product, was a highly-touted prospect when he signed with UK in 2006, but was slowed by a shoulder injury suffered his redshirt freshman year. Fidler appeared in four games in mop-up duty during the 2007 and 2008 season and won the backup job behind starter Mike Hartline in fall camp. Fidler relieved Hartline when he went down with a knee injury in the South Carolina game, but the UK coaching staff decided to go with true freshman Morgan Newton the following week at Auburn. Newton has started the last six games.

Fidler saw action off the bench in Auburn, Louisiana-Monroe and Eastern Kentucky games. For the season Fidler is 20-of-41 passing for 186 yards with a touchdown and an interception. His departure means UK currently has three scholarship quarterbacks for 2010: Newton, Hartline and freshman Ryan Mossakowski, who redshirted.