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Posted by eleem (Member # 884) on 01-18-2008, 11:37 AM:

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Joker Phillips, offensive coordinator for the University of Kentucky football team, is expected to be named today as Rich Brooks' eventual successor as the Wildcats' head coach.

Phillips, Brooks, UK athletic director Mitch Barnhart and university president Lee Todd will hold a news conference today at 4 p.m.

Link

Posted by LouisvilleCat (Member # 2679) on 01-18-2008, 11:41 AM:

Not really a surprise. Glad they are making it official though.

Posted by prophet (Member # 2089) on 01-18-2008, 12:26 PM:

Could someone explain to me why I'm not nearly so euphoric over this announcement as the large majority would seem to be? Perhaps it's that I don't think it's good policy to name a successor pre post facto, but I'm open to suggestions.

Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 01-18-2008, 12:57 PM:

I don't know why you feel the way you do, but I think I understand why this is being done.

Stability

Barnhart has alluded to this in several interviews. Stability means that the recruits know that four years hence, when they are seniors, they won't need to be learning a new system.

Joker seems to be a bone-fide head-coaching candidate. Keeping him happy is a good plan...

Posted by LouisvilleCat (Member # 2679) on 01-18-2008, 01:28 PM:

I think this also helps in the fact that other programs may now hesitate before going after Joker for other jobs. Knowing that he has a future already lined up with a head coaching job makes him a little less attractive, especially if a possible other program can not, or does not, match or beat the current salary and expected increase once he takes the job at UK officially.

Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 01-18-2008, 05:33 PM:

Great news and as someone mentioned this is about stability and making sure coach Phillips isn't hired before we could offer him the job.

Phillips is a great hire and good to see another classy African-American is hired by Kentucky. He will do a great job and couldn't be any more happier to see Kentucky do this...

[ 01-18-2008, 05:36 PM: Message edited by: catmandoo ]

Posted by boomdaddy (Member # 2644) on 01-18-2008, 08:28 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by prophet:
Could someone explain to me why I'm not nearly so euphoric over this announcement as the large majority would seem to be? Perhaps it's that I don't think it's good policy to name a successor pre post facto, but I'm open to suggestions.

I could be off base, but the way that I see it, opposing schools are using the age card against UK to say that Brooks won't be around to coach the incoming recruits. By naming a successor, and a worthy one ( I might add ), Kentucky is showing that no matter what happens to Brooks, the program will stay the same.

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 01-18-2008, 09:18 PM:

Joker knows the program from both sides of the ball! I really think that he'll be a great decisionmaker for the Future F-ball CATS!!!

Posted by bayer (Member # 462) on 01-20-2008, 05:17 PM:

I have no problem with the AD naming a coach to replace Coach Brooks when he decides to retire, BUT, I do have concerns about whether Joker has the necessary coaching experience to handle the job. Maybe by the time Coach Brooks retires Joker will have all the experience he needs, but being a Head Coach in the SEC is about more than being head of the offense, a whole lot more.

Posted by BlueCollarMan (Member # 2114) on 01-21-2008, 10:05 AM:

Joker will probably get added responsibilities to help him in the transition. Also, this gives UK a chance to actually recruit with two "head" coaches and possibly get out to more recruits.

Fred