Kentucky QB Barker to have season-ending back surgery

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) Kentucky coach Mark Stoops says that sophomore quarterback Drew Barker will undergo back surgery the week of Thanksgiving and miss the

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) Kentucky coach Mark Stoops says that sophomore quarterback Drew Barker will undergo back surgery the week of Thanksgiving and miss the remainder of this season.

Barker has been out since being injured on the Wildcats' first series against New Mexico State on Sept. 17. Junior college transfer Stephen Johnson is 5-2 as QB for Kentucky (5-4, 4-3 Southeastern Conference) since relieving Barker and 4-2 as a starter.

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Stoops said after Thursday's practice that surgery was scheduled for Barker after non-surgical treatments had been exhausted without improvement. The coach suggested that ''if everything goes right he should be back for spring, the latter part of spring, in some capacity.''

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