Joker has played a key role in UK's current success. There's a chance they wouldn't have been able to keep him, so they made him the head coach-in-waiting.

 

Nobody really knows what Joker will do as a head coach, but I'm content with him as the replacement for Brooks. There's a chance it won't turn out good, but hindsight is 20/20.

 

Is the Kentucky Administration and Fanbase content with 7 or 8 wins? Say Joker takes over and continues the sustained success we've had the last four or so years. Is that enough? How far will the program have to fall before a move is made? Or will a move be made if Joker doesn't improve, but stays consistent?

I would like to see what happens with Sanders calling the plays. This could be good because Joker wouldn't be calling the plays anymore and he could focus on other stuff.

Is the Kentucky Administration and Fanbase content with 7 or 8 wins? Say Joker takes over and continues the sustained success we've had the last four or so years. Is that enough? How far will the program have to fall before a move is made? Or will a move be made if Joker doesn't improve, but stays consistent?

 

I believe the UK fanbase wouldn't be mad with a seven or eight win season the next few years if it included a victory over UT or UF. Beating SC wouldn't hurt either. A lot of fans would love this year's record if they had beat SC and UT but lost to UGA and Auburn. It has just been too long. Fans are dying to beat those SEC east teams.

I believe the UK fanbase wouldn't be mad with a seven or eight win season the next few years if it included a victory over UT or UF. Beating SC wouldn't hurt either. A lot of fans would love this year's record if they had beat SC and UT but lost to UGA and Auburn. It has just been too long. Fans are dying to beat those SEC east teams.

 

I agree. And that's the whole point. Beating those teams would most likely boost our overall wins, considering we had 4 wins from OOC.

 

We haven't proved that we can beat Tennessee, so I don't know if Joker can change that. Sanders will be a good choice as OC, which will almost certainly happen unless he gets a HC job somewhere else. I think he would do pretty well. But still, I'm afraid Joker will want more imput on offense as the HC. I know there are many HCs that take over playcalling duties inside 2 minutes.

I think with the right defensive coordinator, it could work well. Offense has really stepped up in the league. Auburn started out well with their high octane offense. Florida and the spread hasn't been to shabby. It has more to do with having the atheletes to play what is needed. Mumme didn't have nearly the speed defensively that Brooks has now. It has been almost ten years since the Air Raid.

 

He wouldn't be my first choice, but I think he would be a good choice. He has a winning team at Texas Tech, usually. I'm not asking to push Brooks out now, but I do believe that when it comes time, with the right coach, Kentucky can reach the next level.

 

Totally different styles of offense. UF and Auburn have very sound running games, TT and Leach do not. Air Raid just won't work in the SEC IMO. Too much timing required, too many variables. Leach doesn't require his QB's to read coverage, but to find an open spot on the field. That is tricky in the SEC, where defenses are styled like the NFL. Sure he can pass for 5000 yards in the Big 12 against Kansas, Baylor, Iowa State, etc. but look at what Ole Miss did last season to him.

 

The man does not care about defense. His offense is gimmicky, compared to other SEC offenses IMO. In the SEC you have to start by playing great defense. Not good defense, not adequate defense, but great defense. Sure UK has some offensive success with Mumme, but IMO the SEC has only gotten better and the defenses have only gotten better. I don't know that I'd want UK to go back to a sling it all over the field kind of offense against defensive masterminds like Saban or Monte Kiffin and the like.

 

Don't get me wrong, I really like the Air Raid. I just don't think it is the right offense for UK to run. Mike Leach would be a step back in the wrong direction IMO. Would UK really want another coach who is notorious for drinking any way? Kind of hypocritical. I like what UK has become. They are a hardnosed blue-collar team. I don't want to go back to the days of Mumme-Leach-Franklin and go away from that. JMO.

I see Joker as a Randy Shannon type, though he isn't as good of an OC as Randy was a DC. Joker will learn on the job, but I think the players will play hard for him. I think he will recruit well and turn into a good coach. IMO, he will keep the program afloat and has just as good of a shot as anyone to take UK to the next step. Maybe the play calling at the end of the games was more of Brooks? He is a conservative guy, IMO, and is going to have the final say. Joker led one of the best offenses in the SEC a few years ago, and sure they had talent but no more than anyone else had in the league.

 

Is he ready to be a HC? I don't know. I do know that he will give everything to this program and do whats best for it. He is a man of integrity (as far as I know) and has done great things at UK IMO. He has earned the right to be the next coach. Now if Saban, Meyer want to come or Bear Bryant comes back to life then we'll talk. Strong wouldn't come IMO, and no one else mentioned is worth the problems it would cause to not hire Joker next, IMO.

I see Joker as a Randy Shannon type, though he isn't as good of an OC as Randy was a DC. Joker will learn on the job, but I think the players will play hard for him. I think he will recruit well and turn into a good coach. IMO, he will keep the program afloat and has just as good of a shot as anyone to take UK to the next step. Maybe the play calling at the end of the games was more of Brooks? He is a conservative guy, IMO, and is going to have the final say. Joker led one of the best offenses in the SEC a few years ago, and sure they had talent but no more than anyone else had in the league.

 

Is he ready to be a HC? I don't know. I do know that he will give everything to this program and do whats best for it. He is a man of integrity (as far as I know) and has done great things at UK IMO. He has earned the right to be the next coach. Now if Saban, Meyer want to come or Bear Bryant comes back to life then we'll talk. Strong wouldn't come IMO, and no one else mentioned is worth the problems it would cause to not hire Joker next, IMO.

 

My thing is why not at least interview other people and see who all is interested. Yeah have Joker as one of the leading candidates, but I think its just dumb for the program to just give him the job. If he is still the best guy for the job after they have interviewed people, then thats fine. However it is just very dumb not to at least look IMO.

Joker has played a key role in UK's current success. There's a chance they wouldn't have been able to keep him, so they made him the head coach-in-waiting.

 

Nobody really knows what Joker will do as a head coach, but I'm content with him as the replacement for Brooks. There's a chance it won't turn out good, but hindsight is 20/20.

 

My question is do you think it would be a good hire if Joker keeps us where we are at and just winning 3 SEC games a year? I mean if people are still happy with that, then I don't get the point of rooting for a team where your happy with average. UK very well could take a step up to the next level now, with the right people leading it.

I believe the UK fanbase wouldn't be mad with a seven or eight win season the next few years if it included a victory over UT or UF. Beating SC wouldn't hurt either. A lot of fans would love this year's record if they had beat SC and UT but lost to UGA and Auburn. It has just been too long. Fans are dying to beat those SEC east teams.

 

Thats the thing, I see no reason to believe that Joker will get us to that next level. I see at best us just staying at this same level. The problem is UT is going to get back up to that next level very soon most likely with Lane Kiffin. UF is going to be a top program with Urban, and well Georgia will bounce back to. Also obviously at this level we are at now, we still haven't been able to beat South Carolina. So honestly what really makes people think that we will get to the level of these teams by basically stay with the same people once Brooks retires?

I would like to see what happens with Sanders calling the plays. This could be good because Joker wouldn't be calling the plays anymore and he could focus on other stuff.

 

I agree. I'm not a huge Joker guy, but I'm willing to give it a chance based upon what you posted.

My thing is why not at least interview other people and see who all is interested. Yeah have Joker as one of the leading candidates, but I think its just dumb for the program to just give him the job. If he is still the best guy for the job after they have interviewed people, then thats fine. However it is just very dumb not to at least look IMO.

 

That would look terrible for UK on a number of levels though.

That would look terrible for UK on a number of levels though.

 

Well UK should have never named him head coach in waiting anyways. However if I was UK, I wouldn't really care how it would look to people on the outside. I would care about doing whats best for my program. Yeah Joker should be a candidate and should get to interview for it and strongly looked at. However if I find someone else that I think is better after the interviews and would have a better chance at getting UK to the next level, then that is what I would do. I mean yeah it might look bad at first, however it would also look bad for the UK football program if he does fail or just stays at the same level. We will be at a level that no one still gives us much respect in the SEC for only winning 3 games a year. I am more worried about how the UK program looks based on wins and losses, than people not liking it for going against automatically making him the head coach.

I say give Phillips the chance. Hopefully they can keep Sanders as the O-coordinator and Brown as the D-coordinator. Had it not been for Joker Phillips, Brooks would have been fired long ago. Hudson was awful and that change really helped UK take off.

I say give Phillips the chance. Hopefully they can keep Sanders as the O-coordinator and Brown as the D-coordinator. Had it not been for Joker Phillips, Brooks would have been fired long ago. Hudson was awful and that change really helped UK take off.

 

They need to keep as much of the staff in place as possible, with the possible exception of special teams. Joker deserves the chance in my opinion.

My question is do you think it would be a good hire if Joker keeps us where we are at and just winning 3 SEC games a year? I mean if people are still happy with that, then I don't get the point of rooting for a team where your happy with average. UK very well could take a step up to the next level now, with the right people leading it.

 

Who is the right person? Do you know that Joker isn't?

 

There's no way of knowing how any coaching hire will work out until you see it. UK fans loved Hal Mumme...that turned out to be a disaster. They tore Barnhardt to shreds for letting Morriss get away and then hated Rich Brooks for the better part of 4 years. Turns out, he's the best coach they've had in my lifetime...

 

If UK ever reaches an elite level in the SEC, its going to take a lot more work. The fans want it now, and that's not realistic. Brooks has improved the talent and the depth to the point where UK has managed to absorb key losses, injuries, and sub-par QB play to still win 7 games...

 

Besides that, has Brooks stated intentions to step down after this season. Why on earth is there so much discussion about our next coach when we've got a guy like Brooks here now? I have no problem with Joker. I like what I've seen from him as OC, despite my disagreement with taking Cobb out late in the game vs. Tennessee (and South Carolina). He made a mistake. It happens. But, he's done a lot of great work at UK.

 

People want him out before ever giving him a chance, thinking the next Urban Meyer is coming to UK. Seriously. What are the odds of any school getting that guy, much less UK?

 

What will be, will be. My advice is to enjoy Rich Brooks while he's here, and give Joker a chance before determining that he can't be a head coach.