In a three-game stretch last month against South Carolina, Auburn and Louisiana-Monroe, Kentucky's Randall Cobb had a 55-yard reception, a 61-yard run and a 37-yard pass.

So what's his favorite role on the team?

"Probably punt returns are the thing I like doing most," Cobb said. "You never know what's going to happen. Sometimes it might go off the side of the kicker's foot, or it might be kicked in a place where you don't expect somebody to catch it."

After entering the Southeastern Conference last year and quickly becoming the league's most versatile threat, the 5-foot-11, 188-pounder from Alcoa, Tenn., is doing more as a sophomore and doing it better. Entering this week's game at Georgia, Cobb leads the Wildcats in scoring, receiving and punt returns, ranks second in rushing and kickoff returns, and is fourth in passing.

Kentucky is 6-4 overall and attained bowl eligibility for a program-record fourth consecutive year with last week's 24-13 win at Vanderbilt.

"He's a very special player," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt said. "You've definitely got to know where he is. He was amazing against us last year, so we have all the respect that you could have for him."

Cobb rushed for 82 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries in last season's 42-38 loss to Georgia at Commonwealth Stadium. His rushing and scoring totals were season highs, and he also completed 12 of 20 passes for 105 yards.

Yet his final attempt was tipped and intercepted by Bulldogs defensive end Demarcus Dobbs at Georgia's 18-yard line with 46 seconds remaining.

"It was tough the way that game ended, and it's something that has been on my mind since," Cobb said. "That's something I'm going to have to live with the rest of my life, and that interception at the end is something that gives me a little motivation going into this week."

Cobb made four starts at quarterback and four at receiver last season, but he entered this year expecting to play almost entirely at receiver. Coach Rich Brooks said this summer there would be times Cobb lined up in a "wildcat" package but that his primary role would be Mike Hartline's favorite target.

That held true in Kentucky's first three games, as Cobb had 18 receptions for 191 yards and only three rushes for 20, but everything changed when Hartline suffered an MCL sprain Oct. 10 at South Carolina. Brooks turned to junior Will Fidler before going with freshman Morgan Newton at quarterback, and aiding in that transition was an increase in direct snaps to Cobb.

Hartline came back last week at Vanderbilt but was ineffective and has undergone surgery to repair cartilage, which will knock him out this week and next week against Tennessee. Until his injury, the plan was for Newton to be redshirted.

"I really haven't quite experienced anything like this," Brooks said, "particularly going with a true freshman for five straight games."

Cobb had 13 carries for 89 yards and a touchdown at South Carolina and had 12 rushes for 109 yards and a score the following week at Auburn, when the Wildcats defeated the Tigers for the first time since 1966. He had 14 rushes for 99 yards last week at Vandy, and Kentucky rushed 58 times for 308 yards overall.

Junior tailback Derrick Locke had 25 carries for 144 yards against the Commodores, but Brooks isn't counting on the Bulldogs being so lenient against the run. He expects Cobb to get 10 to 18 touches a game in the "wildcat" the rest of the season but knows he can't overdo it or else Cobb could wear down.

Cobb bruised his shoulder late in the Vandy game and is scheduled to resume practice today.

"If we expect to have any chance against Georgia, we're going to have to throw the ball more," Brooks said. "We're not going to be able to run for 308 yards against Georgia's defense."