Both Morgan Newton and Mike Hartline will play against Vanderbilt, but Saturday’s starter will be a game-time decision, head coach Rich Brooks said Thursday.

Hartline, who has missed the last four games with a knee injury, said he is prepared to play despite some slight pain in his knee.

“It’s been fine,” Hartline said. “It’s going to hurt. That’s just the way it is. There is stuff in there right now that still isn’t healed. You’ve just got to deal with it and cope with it the best you can.”

Hartline said his mobility will not be at 100 percent.

“It’s definitely a little difficult to run,” Hartline said. “I’m obviously not at full speed where I was (before I got hurt). But as far as moving in the pocket and doing my regular run game, it’s fine. I can do everything just as good as it was last time. As far as the other intangibles, it can be a little difficult at times. You’ve just got to push through it.”

The junior quarterback made it through his first full practice since injuring the knee on Tuesday. Hartline has practiced the last three days without any significant setbacks, although he has experienced a little swelling in the knee.

Brooks said he’s been throwing the ball extremely accurate in 7-on-7 drills, but there is still some rust to knock off when bodies start flying around him in the contact drills.

Getting used to the speed again has been the biggest hurdle in his recovery, Hartline said.

“It was slow at first,” Hartline said. “Calling the play fast, thinking fast and just making things happen on time was difficult. At the same time, I almost felt refreshed. The ball was coming out just as good and we’re still making plays.”

Hartline, who appeared to be taking a stranglehold on the quarterback position before getting hurt, said he doesn’t mind splitting time with Newton.

“I feel like it’s still necessary with some things that we’re doing,” Hartline said. “With how Morgan is progressing and how good he is doing, you just don’t want to shut him out and not have him play anymore. We’ll see how they want to take it as far as who starts and who doesn’t, but at the same time we’re both going to go out there and play and we’ve both been preparing like we’re going to start.”

Cobb practices without cast: Sophomore wide receiver Randall Cobb, who missed last week’s game with a sprained left thumb, practiced Thursday without a cast.

Brooks said he received punts and caught passes with the cast both on and off.

“Hopefully now the thumb starts settling down,” Brooks said. “There is going to be some pain for him, but the rest of that just needs to continue to improve.”