Kentucky's assistant coaches salaries are not even in the same stratosphere in the SEC.

 

 

http://www.govolsxtra.com/news/2009/jan/22/33m-salary-for-assistants-may-top-nation/

 

Alabama set the standard when Nick Saban came on board. Tennessee took it to another level when Lane Kiffin and staff took over.

 

My guess is that Tennessee defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin ($1.2 million) makes close to more annually than all UK's assistants combined.

 

Joker Phillips is at $296,000 and coordinators Steve Brown and Randy Sanders are at $225,000, I think.

 

Joker is doing a good job for the pay. More money, better play calling maybe?:idunno:

Why would BK be unrealistic?

 

Id take BK in a heartbeat. Doubt he would ever consider it, despite money and major facility upgrades. He is lurking for top 10 jobs if he wants them.

I'd need a few questions answered before I'd say BK would take a serious look at UK.

 

1. How much is UK willing to spend not only on a new big name coach, but the staff that he would bring along with him? BK has had most of these guys with him since GVSU with a few being by his side for most of his entire coaching career. He's not going anywhere without those guys, and he's going to expect a lot of money to be thrown their way.

 

2. Does UK have a full scale indoor practice facility for football? If so I find it a bit odd that I've never heard about it.

 

I'll start with those two...

 

For UK to even interest BK he would have to have carte blanche control over football, including bringing in who he wants to bring in.

The Nutter Center is pretty decent.

However, major upgrades are on the horizon...recruiting room, expansion of C-Dub, and a few other items...all tied in with the new arena and baseball complex.

Its a pipe dream...they have pigeon-holed themselves with Joker.

What happens if Kentucky reneges on Joker?

 

How negative would the implications be?

 

How long until the race card would be pulled out?

For UK to even interest BK he would have to have carte blanche control over football, including bringing in who he wants to bring in.

The Nutter Center is pretty decent.

However, major upgrades are on the horizon...recruiting room, expansion of C-Dub, and a few other items...all tied in with the new arena and baseball complex.

Its a pipe dream...they have pigeon-holed themselves with Joker.

I agree there is almost zero chance BK would ever end up replacing Brooks, but if they wanted to do as Clyde has suggested, I think they could get him to listen without a doubt. BK has talked a lot in his time at UC about building his own legacy without being in the shadow of a coaching legend at a power program. UK would fit that bill. He has also spent his entire career learning how to evaluate talent that fits his system without any concern to ratings and hype, so that would also fit well at UK.

 

Pipe dream sounds about right, but when you get down to it there are a lot of things about UK that would seem to fit what he is looking for. That's why I took the approach I did to the question...

Here are my thoughts on the situation...

There is a lot yet to play out with four games remaining, but what is clear, this year, the program is not taking that next step. In a word, it is disappointing. As LVaught said, last night, was season wrecking, and CRB said as much in his postgame...

 

Yes there are opportunities out there with games remaining, but as we survey the area we have covered, it has been a disappointment. CRB threw out the "most talented team" we have had quotes all preseason...and this team has not lived up to it, especially on the defensive side...frankly they have been woeful. The last four years our defense is not a whole lot better than it was under Mike Major in the Mumme regime.

 

CRB said our bowl season aspirations start with a must win at USC. Very questionable coaching in the latter stages of that one. Joker says MSU game is most important in 30 years...very questionable coaching all around on defense and then on offense in key situations. We have seen the rhetoric from our coaches, but their actions have been disappointing.

 

There has been very little sustainable growth. Yes, the Auburn win was huge, but turning around and losing to Mississippi State counters that.

 

UK has the fewest wins in SEC since the big LSU victory. That in a nutshell is what we are seeing this year, the lack of capitalizing on opportunities.

 

Yes, we have had injuries...but in the SEC, there is going to be attrition, and we have simply not recruited quality depth in areas. There is still a talent gap.

 

To make up for talent gaps, you have to be able to scheme teams. I have not seen anything that makes me have great confidence in our OC's and DC's.

 

Last night's defensive scheme, was laughable.

Offensively, at key times incredulous.

 

I think this program is at a crossroads. Do we continue to move forward and try to take that next step, or do we keep up with the old "we're happy to go to a lower tier bowl" and whip up on non-conference foes and get our 6-7 wins while we wallow in the SEC?

 

Without the added 12th game UK only makes one bowl out of the last three.

 

It is time the fans demand better and demand we take the next step and not accept mediocrity. I understand the history of UK football and the lack of bowl games, but in today's world roughly half of all teams qualify for bowls...wallowing in the Liberty, Independence or Papa Johns Bowl is mediocrity. It is not good enough to say any more that "well we have never gone to four straight bowls"...it is time to demand that we want more...others are not waiting.

 

Tennessee is back on the uptick, Mississippi State has a breath of fresh air, Arkansas will be better with Petrino....on and on.

 

Do we accept the same or do we push for more and demand better?

 

That is the big question, IMO.

 

CRB is getting up there in age, 4th oldest in the nation. I think UK has peaked under CRB and UK will be indeted to him for bringing UK back to respectability...however, I think it is time to move on.

 

Mitch has pigeon-holed himself with Joker and I would be willing to bet if they ran a statewide poll regarding hiring Joker or another coach, "another coach" would wind on top of the poll.

 

However, I do think it is time to get the Joker Era underway.

 

CRB still has that fire...I heard he was nose to nose with Steve Brown after the game and Chuck Smith will be having more of a say in the defense this week. However, the buck stops with CRB and he should have stepped in if it was so appalling.

 

It is a matter of UK demanding more or accepting the status quo of playing hard and teams tight.

I agree there is almost zero chance BK would ever end up replacing Brooks, but if they wanted to do as Clyde has suggested, I think they could get him to listen without a doubt. BK has talked a lot in his time at UC about building his own legacy without being in the shadow of a coaching legend at a power program. UK would fit that bill. He has also spent his entire career learning how to evaluate talent that fits his system without any concern to ratings and hype, so that would also fit well at UK.

 

Pipe dream sounds about right, but when you get down to it there are a lot of things about UK that would seem to fit what he is looking for. That's why I took the approach I did to the question...

 

Maybe he would listen, but nothing would come of it in my opinion. UC is a better job right now. If UC had some money it would take a whole heck of a lot to pry him out of Clifton.

He has a scheme that would be successful at UK and the SEC in my opinion, and he has that swagger about him that would make some waves so to speak.

Maybe he would listen, but nothing would come of it in my opinion. UC is a better job right now. If UC had some money it would take a whole heck of a lot to pry him out of Clifton.

He has a scheme that would be successful at UK and the SEC in my opinion, and he has that swagger about him that would make some waves so to speak.

 

Agreed on all points...

Very well thought out and chronicled, "LABS".

 

I, personally, would like to see Coach Brooks stay on board a few more years. He still has the fire in his belly and that will be greatly missed with the Coach in Waiting that you accurately identify as the coach the athletic director has "pigeon-holed".

 

I think Rich Brooks wanted this to be a ultra-successful finish to his 47 years of coaching, but I don't think he will walk away from it under these circumstances.

What happens if Kentucky reneges on Joker?

 

How negative would the implications be?

 

How long until the race card would be pulled out?

 

If UK reneges on Joker the impact would be huge if they don't hire another minority coach like Turner Gill. Expect the BCA to go nuts be it justified or not. They ran a huge negative campaign against Auburn last year after Auburn passed on Turner Gill.

3 & 1/2 years from probation at a basketball school in the premiere football conference in the northern most conference state. We have an instate high school recruiting base that doesn't match the other SEC states. Yep, that's a recipe for a powerhouse football program.

 

Brooks, his staff and players have done things at UK that have never been done. Each year they are doing things that haven't been done in 20-30-40-50 years. In the past decade they have 7 recruits who were 4-5 stars. UF has had 73 in that same period. We have seen the conference produce multiple BCS title winners and numerous bowl game victories as a conference.

 

I was listening to Larry Vaught on Sunday morning and his take on it pretty much mirrors mine. Sure, every fan would like UK to be better. But it isn't like UK has any real tradition in football. Heck, the winningest coach ever was in the 1940's and is better known as one of the greatest coaches ever for what he did AFTER he left UK. Has the coaching staff made mistakes? Absolutely. What staff hasn't. But I am very comfortable with where the program is headed and what the staff has done. When we began rebuilding last year, it was from losing several solid players from a just above average team.

 

Brooks can stay as long as he wants IMHO. UK fans seem to believe we have this tremendous right and should be MUCH better than we are right now. The fact is that UK is better off now than it was with no hint of NCAA problems. When Brooks does decide to leave, he should be given a parade, name the field after him (as they did at Oregon) and remember where we were and compare that to where we are now.

 

I have no problem where the program is. I lived thru all the horrible years, the probation years from Curci to Mumme/Bassett, and respect the man for doing it the right way. Sure we all want the program to be better, and I still believe in what Brooks is doing and the way he is doing it.

 

I personally believe that he wants to leave Joker with a team that will be successful when he leaves.

 

As far as this team, ... after seeing Newton the past few weeks and watching his progression (and he is getting better for a true frosh), ... I think they should turn him loose a little bit more. Let him develop and put a little bit more on his shoulders.

I will support Brooks until he decides its time to leave... a solid program on the field and off! Yeah, I have seen Kelly and he is a great fit for Cincinnati. But Cincinnati also had Huggins. I just don't see Kelly a good fit in Lexington... he is awfully rough around the edges! Brooks and staff are a class act... and that is what the Cats' deserve during this rebuilding of team and reputation.

 

Pipe dream sounds about right, but when you get down to it there are a lot of things about UK that would seem to fit what he is looking for. That's why I took the approach I did to the question...

 

As the original question-er I appreciate the actual thought you put into it. That's what I was looking for vs the "we've been to 3 straight bowls" reaction.

I will support Brooks until he decides its time to leave... a solid program on the field and off! Yeah, I have seen Kelly and he is a great fit for Cincinnati. But Cincinnati also had Huggins. I just don't see Kelly a good fit in Lexington... he is awfully rough around the edges! Brooks and staff are a class act... and that is what the Cats' deserve during this rebuilding of team and reputation.

 

You raise an interesting point about BK in Lexington. That could be fun to cover. I wouldn't necessarily use "rough around the edges" but I would agree that he would certainly ruffle feathers and demand UK step it up for football. I don't see that, though, as a negative. IMO UK and its fans accept "OK" instead of asking if we can raise the bar.

3 & 1/2 years from probation at a basketball school in the premiere football conference in the northern most conference state. We have an instate high school recruiting base that doesn't match the other SEC states. Yep, that's a recipe for a powerhouse football program.

 

Brooks, his staff and players have done things at UK that have never been done. Each year they are doing things that haven't been done in 20-30-40-50 years. In the past decade they have 7 recruits who were 4-5 stars. UF has had 73 in that same period. We have seen the conference produce multiple BCS title winners and numerous bowl game victories as a conference.

 

.

 

 

How long does the probation pass last? Does the probation pass allow for a team to underachieve at home after a supposed big win on the road? Our recruiting base in KY is never going to change so what does that have to do with anything? You think Oregon is fertile ground for high school 5-star kids? You think Utah is cranking out 5-star kids? No. They go get them. Our recruiting is actually solid. However, the fans like you who accept the "3 bowls in a row" even though, as LABS pointed out, we would not have made a bowl game if not for adding a 12th game to the regular season, tell recruits that "we're cool with 6-6 and going to Shreveport because we've got Coach Cal." Why would a top-notch kid like the kid who just committed to the Canes come here with that mentality? He wants to play for championships. We don't demand that we even TRY to get near the top.

 

UK has great facilities and great resources so the "northern most team" mantra is another excuse that doesn't fly.

 

We've kept the bar so low that we will continue to accept 6-6 and edging Vandy for last in the SEC East.

 

That's disappointing.