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Thursday, June 15, 2000 OnCampus/News    FOOTBALL NEWS    Bonner gone; Lorenzen picked as QB   NICK TOMECEK | KERNEL STAFF Risky business Coach Hal Mumme discussed Monday his controversial decision to start redshirt freshman Jared Lorenzen as quarterback this fall.   Switch: Mumme opts for Lorenzen and potential instead of Bonner and experience   Will Messer SPORTSDAILY EDITOR   Hal Mumme has earned the reputation of a gambler in his three years at UK, and this summer he has made the most controversial gamble of his career.   On June 2, Mumme told incumbent junior quarterback Dusty Bonner that redshirt freshman Jared Lorenzen would be the starting quarterback at UK this fall.   On Monday Mumme met with the press for the first time to discuss his decision.   "Basically, I probably made too hasty a decision in the spring," Mumme said of his original decision to retain Bonner as the starter. "That's a mistake, and hopefully I'll learn from it in the future."   Bonner announced Saturday that he will transfer to his hometown school, Division II Valdosta (Ga.) State University, to play for former UK assistant Chris Hatcher.   "I spent a lot of time this past week trying to make the best decision," Bonner said Saturday, "and I've come to a conclusion: I want to play football and the only way I can control that is to leave."   Bonner's departure leaves Mumme without a quarterback who has taken a Division I snap. Lorenzen, a former Mr. Football from Ft. Thomas Highlands, redshirted last season, and backup Mark Perry transferred to UK in 1997 from Division III Wilmington (Ohio) College.   Bonner took every snap at quarterback last season and threw for 3,266 yards and 26 touchdowns while leading UK to a 6-6 record and the school's second straight bowl appearance.   However, UK's high-octane offense averaged only 18 points in the last four games of the season, three of which were losses.   "We had safeties and linebackers really playing forward on us and really pressing us," Mumme said, "and I felt like we were not stretching the field enough and it was hurting the passing game in the deep and intermediate areas."   Mumme saw replacing the steady Bonner with the cannon-armed Lorenzen as the obvious solution to the problems facing his offense.   "I can give Jared experience, but I couldn't make Dusty's arm stronger. That's the bottom line," Mumme said. "I couldn't stretch the field anymore except by changing."   Mumme thinks the 6-foot-4, 270-pound Lorenzen will be able to use his arm strength to hopefully use the offense as well as All-American Tim Couch did.   "I think Jared can throw some balls not a lot of people can throw," Mumme said. "Tim told me this, he said 'He can make some throws I can't make.' Not to take anything away from Tim , but Jared's got a strong arm."   Current Headlines OnCampus/News

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