🏈 Joker Phillips not returning.

[planomateo]

Not surprised.

MT @UKAthleticsNews: In letter to #BBN, Mitch Barnhart announces Joker Phillips will not return as head football coach http://bit.ly/TDMqzJ

 

[tidentrue]

when does Jesse Jackson show up?

 

[JoshB]

as if Jesse Jackson cares enough about Kentucky football to show up lol

 

[ElephantStomp]

Although I'm not surprised by this move I don't agree with it.

 

[TerryP]

Although I'm not surprised by this move I don't agree with it.

Why?

Joker is certainly no Rich Brooks—a hugely under-appreciated coach. Still, even UK isn't going to put up with a maximum of two conference wins per year.

I see them as a 1-9 team, a two win team when seasons end, but more importantly a school with the goal of getting ahead of the coaching searches that'll be starting—publicly—in a matter of a month from now.

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To me, this has Petrino written all over it with the goal of trying to get back to the Hal Mumme years in terms of success.

 

[ElephantStomp]

I just don't think three years is enough time to get a team turned around. But, I think Kentucky is where good college coaches go to kill their career

 

[TerryP]

I just don't think three years is enough time to get a team turned around. But, I think Kentucky is where good college coaches go to kill their career

Turned around? Hmm. We certainly don't see Kentucky in the same light.

Brooks took UK for four straight bowl games and won three in a row which is more than any other coach in UK history. Hell, one of his teams even broke into the top ten which is simply unheard of in Lexington.

That team has digressed since Joker took over—tanked.

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If you look at what Oregon is today and ask who put that foundation in place coaches will point to Rich Brooks. I've heard them say so.

 

[doemasters]

smart move to go ahead and do it, this way they can go ahead and TRY and grab any coach they want (Petrino) before anyone else does

 

[TerryP]

smart move to go ahead and do it, this way they can go ahead and TRY and grab any coach they want (Petrino) before anyone else does

This.

That's the primary, motivating reason to the early announcement.

(I read the release. It's odd that Joker being released is the main point, but it was one of the last things mentioned.)

 

[ElephantStomp]

I hadn't realized Kentucky had regressed so much under Joker.

Petrino would be a good hire, but would they want him?

 

[TerryP]

I hadn't realized Kentucky had regressed so much under Joker.

Petrino would be a good hire, but would they want him?

I agree. It would be his type of coaching that would do well at UK. I heard the comparison today of Freese and Ole Miss. Bring something new to the table that's not trying to compete with the Bama's and LSU's—athlete to athlete.

Setting aside the Calipari jokes for a minute.

I can see the "blue blood" crowd being against Petrino. Although, as the hair grows grayer so do some peoples outlooks. ($1 to Dave Baker)

My question about the hiring of Petrino is still the same. Will the President of the University sign off on the move?

 

[planomateo]

I agree. It would be his type of coaching that would do well at UK. I heard the comparison today of Freese and Ole Miss. Bring something new to the table that's not trying to compete with the Bama's and LSU's—athlete to athlete.

Setting aside the Calipari jokes for a minute.

I can see the "blue blood" crowd being against Petrino. Although, as the hair grows grayer so do some peoples outlooks. ($1 to Dave Baker)

My question about the hiring of Petrino is still the same. Will the President of the University sign off on the move?

Guess it depends on how they view what he did. He put the university in a bad spot and out right lied about it. Something tells me this could be viewed on par with say NCAA violations.

 

[TerryP]

Guess it depends on how they view what he did. He put the university in a bad spot and out right lied about it. Something tells me this could be viewed on par with say NCAA violations.

So many still make this all about the affair.

Any administrator, in his right mind, is going to look and see "he lied to his boss."

Any administrator with a background in law is going to look and see the 100+ applicants that had all the right in the world to file a lawsuit based on the hire of Dorrell in the Ath. Dept.

I heard one guy say today that UK needed to look him in the eye and see if he regretted his decisions. My thought was which decision? The affair? The lie to Jeff Long? The implications it had on Arkansas? Atlanta? Louisville?

He'll get another job because someone will be desperate enough to hire him.

 

[TerryP]

Houston Nutt to Kentucky?

Good coach. He's a .500 guy there though.

Is that enough for Kentucky to have a .500 football team?

 

[Bo]

I've heard rumblings that UK and Phil Fulmer have mutual interest in each other.

 

[JoshB]

ANYONE that hires Petrino deserves what they get...

 

[doemasters]

If i was Kentucky and wanted to take a chance i would try Mark Helfrich

 

[TerryP]

Sonny Dykes brings Petrino's style of coaching with him. Well, more accurately, Mumme/Leach's style of coaching.

He'd be a solid coach for the Wildcats. I do believe if he'll bide his time he can do better than UK.

If i was Kentucky and wanted to take a chance i would try Mark Helfrich

Interesting thought.

I can't say I've heard his name associated with any HC opportunities on this side of the states before.

 

[doemasters]

I just think they could get him and would bring his style of offense in and might put some people in the seats

 

[planomateo]

If they promote an Assistant to HC, they aren't in it to win if you ask me. Name the last successful OC/DC to SEC HC... This goes for any school in the SEC.

Guess it depends on how you define "successful".