In case you missed it, this is a link to video of Joker Phillips’ comments at his weekly press conference, but here are a few highlights from today:Newton still No. 1 option at quarterbackJoker Phillips made news this weekend when he sent true freshman Maxwell Smith to play quarterback over junior Morgan Newton to start the second half of UK’s 35-7 loss at LSU. The Cats were down 14-0 at the half and looked to the youngster to provide a spark to a struggling offensive unit.Smith was not able to do so, completing just 1-of-5 passes and getting sacked twice, one of which led to a fumble return touchdown for the Tigers. Newton eventually reentered the game, leading UK on a fourth-quarter touchdown drive.  Phillips said Newton remains the top option at quarterback, but Smith and Newton will continue to compete with one another.”There’s always a competition at every position,” Phillips said. “Morgan still gives us our best chance to win, though.”UK’s struggles in the passing game have been well documented. A lot has been made of the problems Newton has had completing passes, whether due to drops by his wide receivers or inaccuracy, but Newton has had just as much trouble getting the ball off at times. UK has yielded 21 sacks on the young season and that high number can’t be pinned on any single facet of the game.”You try to dissect those plays, try to find out how we’re getting sacked so much,” Phillips said. “A lot of those sacks have been (Newton) holding the ball too long. A lot of it gets put on the offensive line. It’s not always the line. Sometimes it’s the back. Sometimes it’s just the line. Sometimes it’s just the wide receivers. Sometimes it’s the quarterback.”With UK’s offensive line finally regaining its health, protection has improved and should continue to, but Newton’s receivers need to do a better job getting open. Also, Newton must recognize when a receiver is open and the window may be smaller than it was when he played in high school.”The separation is very small at this level,” Phillips said. “It’s not as big as it is at the next level. Some people say separation is not enough to throw it in there. Sometimes it is. We’ve got to recognize it at that position.”The search for playmakers at wide receiver and on offense in general is still a work in progress. One player who will get a more serious look this week will be freshman quarterback Bookie Cobbins. The Louisiana native has yet to play this season, but has the kind of athleticism that could make him a game-breaker.”We have to find out if we can find another playmaker,” Phillips said. “We’ll practice him this week at some other positions also, just try to see if he can provide some playmaking abilities. We’ll look at him at some other positions and just try to figure out whether or not he can go in the game and help us.”It’s unlikely Cobbins will play as a traditional quarterback this season, but he could see spot duty under center to take advantage of his ability. Additionally, Phillips said he will work out at wide receiver. However, since Cobbins has yet to play this season and is still eligible to redshirt, putting him in the game has to be carefully considered.”We’ll look at him at some other positions and just try to figure out whether or not he can go in the game and help us,” Phillips said. “Also, if you’re going to play a guy after going into your sixth game of the season, he’s got to play enough to warrant taking a redshirt off of him.”South Carolina a different kind of challengeHaving just played a pair of highly ranked teams, UK’s task doesn’t get too much easier this weekend against South Carolina. Florida used dazzling speed to gash the Cats defense in the running game while LSU used a pounding attack on the ground. Star sophomore Marcus Lattimore is a combination of both speed and power.”I think these guys are a little bit faster than the group we just saw, and just as physical, especially the running back position,” Phillips said. “I think (Lattimore is) probably a little faster than the backs we saw last week and just as physical.”Lattimore is second nationally with 677 rushing yards so far this season and has scored nine touchdowns. Last season in UK’s 31-28 upset of South Carolina, Lattimore rushed for 79 yards, caught four passes for 133 yards and scored three touchdowns. The only thing that stopped him was an ankle injury that forced him out of action. UK scored 21 unanswered points with Lattimore sidelined as quarterback Stephen Garcia threw two picks for the Gamecocks.Garcia is now a senior and has been featured under center yet again by Steve Spurrier, but a change at the position is being considered on the heels of a 16-13 defeat against Auburn. As for that potential change, Phillips doesn’t pay too much attention. He’s more focused on Lattimore.”I hope they shake it up and don’t turn it over to 21 (Lattimore),” Phillips said. “That’s the shaking up I’d like to see done.”On the defensive side, UK will have to contend with a pair of pass rushing machines in Melvin Ingram and Jadeveon Clowney, who rank first in second in the SEC in sacks. Phillips said Clowney, a freshman, would likely be the top pick in the NFL Draft if he were allowed to enter his name in the draft with his size, speed and athleticism and Ingram is just as productive. UK will have its hands full in protective whoever is under center.Raymond Sanders hoping to return against GamecocksSophomore running back Raymond Sanders has missed each of UK’s past three games following surgery to repair torn knee cartilage, but was able to run for the first time on Sunday. He experienced minimal swelling and Phillips said he will practice on Tuesday as long as it stays that way.Defensive end Collins Ukwu, who has also missed games recently with a knee injury, will not play this weekend barring a major change. Safety Miles Simpson will also be out with a back injury. Defensive tackle Mark Crawford (shoulder sprain) could play on Saturday while wide receiver Gene McCaskill is “questionable.”Also, a pair of players did not show on the injury report, but their statuses were affected last weekend by injury. Wide receiver E.J. Fields and running back CoShik Williams were unable to practice during the week and the determination was made to use players who had a chance to prepare in mid-week practices.”We’ve seen how some of our guys this year have performed after only practicing one day,” Phillips said. “We just didn’t want to go through that because we just didn’t think they had been prepared enough to play, so we decided to play the other guys that had been at practice.”Both Williams and Fields are expected to return to practice this week.