Aug. 24, 2009

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Wide receiver E.J. Fields will have surgery to repair a foot injury and is expected to miss most of the season, Coach Rich Brooks announced following Monday’s practice.

Fields has a torn ligament in mid-foot and is slated to have surgery on Thursday. Fields (Frankfort, Ky.) redshirted last year and is looking for his first collegiate game action in 2009.

Brooks noted that the status of John Conner is uncertain after the senior fullback incurred a sprained ankle in Saturday’s scrimmage. The extent of the injury will become more apparent in the next few days, although Conner appeared to be improved on Monday.

The coach also said that offensive guard Jake Lanefski began running on Monday. The sophomore from Mobile, Ala., has been sidelined because of a knee cartilage repair but could return to practice later in the week.

“We had a pretty good practice today,” Brooks said. “We’re trying to clean up a lot of mistakes and assignments. (We’re doing a) Lot of team work, trying to polish up the mistakes that we’ve been making the last few days.”

The coach was asked his evaluation of the film from Saturday’s scrimmage.

“Lot of good plays on both sides and there were some mistakes on both sides,” Brooks said. “That’s what we’re going to try now, to polish up assignment-wise, and in some cases, technique-wise, in the next eight or nine days.”

The team returns to the practice field on Tuesday. The Wildcats will have the day off on Wednesday, which is the first day of classes. Kentucky is preparing for the season opener on Sept. 5 vs. Miami.