SouthEastern Wildcat Review

Why so serious you ask? Today the University of Kentucky held a press conference to announce that Mitch Barnhart has officially dropped the "in waiting" from Joker Phillips' job title. In case you missed it, here you go. It is of the utmost importance that we are all very serious about the direction the football program is about to take. Six months ago, I wrote an article about Joker's history and my thoughts on this whole trend of naming a "Head Coach in Waiting." My opinion hasn't changed that much since then, but after having a few months to consider the recent history of the program and after numerous discussions with friends and family arguing the merits of this decision, I have a few concerns about our new coach.

I know that outside of Rich Brooks, no one knows the program, players, facilities, and recruits better than Phillips. He has had his hand in the recruitment of nearly every player on the roster, and I've no doubt he has their respect. After all, he is a former Wildcat that took his very first coaching job with UK. He has played in the NFL. He has a small amount of coaching experience in the NFL. He has proven his mettle as an Offensive Coordinator, even if he hasn't always been a model of consistency in regards to his play calling. The man who led Kentucky out of the depths of the cellar of the SEC hand-picked him to take over. So why am I having these second-guessing thoughts?

Please don't take any of these ramblings as negativity. I will support my team and Joker Phillips for as long as he is the head coach. However, I do believe I am about to raise some valid points regarding the path this program is about to embark upon. Much has been made of his sometimes questionable play calling, especially late in games. He has yet to prove he can handle the pressures of running the whole show in the toughest conference and division in the country. Will he be able to recruit the higher profile players? By that I mean the 3 and 4 star players with an occasional 5 thrown in, or will it be more of the same 2 and 3 stars with the occasional 4? Now that Brooks has gotten the Wildcats off of the whipping post, I don't want someone to come in and maintain their status. I desperately want it to grow!! I don't want to become happy with 7-5 or 6-6 every year including a trip to the Mediocre Bowl. I want that to be the final record when we have a down season. I want 8-4, 9-3, and 10-2 to become the norm.

Shouldn't Barnhart have at least taken a look at some of the more experienced and well-known coaches out there that are available right now? How great would Jon Gruden look in the Blue and White?? Imagine the recruiting path he could blaze across the country. What about Bill Cowher and his Super Bowl championship experience?? His recent behavior notwithstanding, Mike Leach was once the architect of one of, if not THE, most powerful offense in Wildcat history. Shouldn't we as fans want Todd and Barnhart to explore every available option out there, especially if it catapults UK towards the top of the conference?? One needs to look no farther than the big office at the Joe Craft Center to see what a difference that the right coaching hire can make. Love him or hate him, (personally, I hate him) look at the difference Lane Kiffin brought to the sucky Orange boys down south. The now have a big time defensive coordinator, signed the #1 recruit in the country last year, and they are building towards to future. I believe that UK is on a much better foundation right now than UT was when Kiffin took over. A little tweaking, some fresh ideas and philosophies, and the signing of a few 4 and 5 stars could go a long way towards establishing UK in the upper echelon of the SEC permanently.

I'm also definitely NOT saying that Joker should leave the program. He is a huge part of the success UK has enjoyed over the last four years, and if one of the above names were to have been hired, staying in his current position under new and different leadership would have only added to his knowledge and prepared him even more for the day when he becomes a head coach. Is Joker ready and qualified to take over the reins from Brooks ? Can he continue to build the program and surpass what Papaw accomplished? I sincerely hope so. I just don't know if I believe he is capable of it, now we just have to wait and see if it happens the way every 'Cat fan in the country wants. Good luck Joker, we'll all be watching, hoping, and praying that you continue not only to climb those stairs leading to national relevance, but to do it in style without taking any steps back. Just please forgive me for wondering what might have been.

Let's just hope that our Joker turns out to be a greater success than any other Joker that has come before him......

Jason Garrett of the Dallas Cowboys. Jimbo Fisher of the Florida State Seminoles. Will Muschamp of the Texas Longhorns. Former Eastern Kentucky Colonels Coach Danny Hope, now of Purdue University.
What do all of these names have in common?
All of these men either hold or have held the title of "Head Coach in Waiting." On Friday, January 18, 2008, the Offensive Coordinator of the Kentucky Wildcats, Joker Phillips, added his name to the above list. This is a relatively new trend in the sports world, for a head coach to name his successor prior to his departure from the program. On many levels the idea is a good one, as it shows recruits (and returning players) that the program will remain stable and not have any drastic philosophical changes. The H.C.I.W. is, under most circumstances, a coach with a lot of experience within the program and one that would continue on with the processes and ideals established by the current head coach. The H.C.I.W. already has a relationship with the organization's administration and fans, allowing both to already know what kind of product to expect to see on the field. The future of the team has been set.

Personally, I haven't made up my mind whether I like the idea of a head coach in waiting or not. While all the above facts are true, I think that it really limits a program's options. What if (and I know this might be a little stretch for 'Cat fans) after Brooks announces his retirement, a high-profile coach becomes available. Say that for whatever reason, an Urban Meyer, Steve Spurrier, or Rich Rodriguez had left their current teams and was showing an interest in the Kentucky job? Wouldn't someone like this have the ability to maybe take the UK football program to new heights? I'm not saying anything against Joker as the best case scenario would be to keep him on staff in his current position. Don't get me wrong, I like Joker and think he will do a good job as the head coach. Maybe he will be the coach that continues raising the bar as Brooks did before him. Just imagine for a moment, however, the instant credibility one of these names would bring to Lexington. Enough of the debate, let's take a look at the man who, maybe as soon as the end of the upcoming season, will be charting the future course of the Kentucky program.

Joseph "Joker" Phillips was born April 12, 1963, in Franklin, Ky. Always athletic, he was a three-sport star at Franklin-Simpson High School, lettering in football, basketball, and track. His mother and grandfather bestowed the nickname "Joker" on him due to the fact that his father's name was also Joe, and they didn't want to call for Joe and have them both come running. "Joker" quarterbacked the Wildcats (a mascot he would become very familiar with) to two consecutive Class AAA Kentucky state titles in 1979 and 1980. He was also named to the All-State team as a senior. Since leaving Franklin, he has stayed very close to his hometown roots, returning every year to conduct the Joker Phillips Football Fundamentals Camp. His high school coach, Kentucky Hall of Fame member James Mathews, had nothing but good things to say about his former player:

"He's a class act," Mathews said. "He's a classy guy who gets along with people and knows how to deal with kids. He also has a great relationship with all the other coaches. I've never heard a negative thing about him."

Very high praise, and a sentiment that is echoed among all people that know Joker, one of the two most famous products of Franklin, the other being PGA golfer Kenny Perry. Following graduation, Joker accepted a scholarship offer to play wide receiver at the University of Kentucky, where little did he know, he would spend the majority of coaching career.

Joker arrived in Lexington on campus in the fall of 1981 and ended up being a four-year letterman for the Wildcats. He donned jersey numbers 80 and 84 during his Kentucky career, which concluded with him being 5th on the all-time receiving list sporting final numbers of 75 catches, 935 yards, and 9 touchdowns. In his senior year of 1984, Joker had 28 receptions, 305 yards, and 5 touchdowns and was part of the last UK team to win 9 games in a season. The team also accomplished something that year that hasn't been done since, they defeated the Tennessee Volunteers. He helped lead the 'Cats to back-to-back Hall of Fame bowl appearances. One of the highlights of his UK career came on October 15, 1983, when he had two touchdown catches during a 21-13 victory over the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge. Fellow Franklin product Kenny Baird supplied the other touchdown with an interception return. This prompted his old high school to produce bumper stickers which read: Franklin-Simpson 21 LSU 13

After graduation, Phillips spent the next three years playing professional football in the NFL with the Washington Redskins in 1985 and 1987, spending 1986 with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. Following his pro career, Joker followed his heart and began his coaching career with his alma mater in Lexington.

Joker came back to UK as a Graduate Assistant, a position he held for the '88 and '89 seasons. He was the Assistant Recruiting Coordinator in 1990, then was promoted to Wide Receivers Coach in '91 where he was instrumental in the rise of Derek Abney. Joker left UK after the '96 season to accept a position with Cincinnati Bearcats where he coached the wide receivers and cornerbacks. Then he moved north to Minnesota in '99, helping the team receive a berth in the Sun Bowl. Head Coach Bob Davie of Notre Dame hired Joker in 2001 as the wide receivers coach, replacing Urban Meyer who was hired to be the head coach for Bowling Green. After only one year with the Fighting Irish he came back to the SEC and served in the same capacity under Lou Holtz at South Carolina.

"Joker Phillips is a class individual who comes to us very highly recommended," said Holtz. "He's going to be an outstanding addition to our staff. He is a true role model for our players, and he possesses a well-rounded knowledge of the game."

While performing an internship with the Atlanta Falcons in 1998, Joker met his future boss, Rich Brooks. After Brooks was hired at Kentucky, Joker soon followed to become the WR coach and Recruiting Coordinator. In 2005 he was promoted to his current position of Offensive Coordinator. Kentucky's offense soon became one of the best in the SEC. In 2007, UK ranked 4th in the conference (15th nationally) in scoring at 36.5 points per game, the second highest total in school history. The Wildcats were the only team in country that sported five players with over 1,000 career receiving yards. (Keenan Burton, Steve Johnson, Dicky Lyons Jr., Jacob Tamme, and Rafael Little). Phillips' offensive style has shown great flexability and balance between the running and passing games. His tenure has seen a 3,000 yard passer (Woodson), two 1,000 yard receivers (Burton and Johnson), and a 1,000 yard rusher (Little). He gave up the title of Recruiting Coordinator in 2005, however he remains very heavily involved with all the players UK hopes to bring to campus.

"Joker Phillips is huge down here," said Courtney Dalcourt, a former Franklin-Simpson quarterback (now at Western Kentucky) whom many said reminded them of Joker when he was the same age. "Everybody knows him and loves him, so when he's down here (in Franklin), it's a big deal."

Joker has been recognized as one of the nation's top recruiters by Sports Illustrated and Rivals. Kentucky appears to have a bright future ahead of them with Joker at the helm. Regardless of my personal feelings about naming a head coach in waiting, unless an absolute marquee name was available, UK should continue to build upon the positive foundation that Rich Brooks has poured. Only time will tell if this decision was the right one, and Joker certainly has the Kentucky roots and professional pedigree required to lead the 'Cats higher up the SEC and BCS ladders. His attitude towards the team has not changed since the announcement to succeed Brooks was made as evidenced by the way his players feel towards him:

"He's always been the same guy to me," said Dicky Lyons when asked about the future Wildcat head coach. "You might think he'd be more of a business guy now, but he's still easy-going with the guys. He's a real reasonable guy, wants to talk to you, see how you're doing. I think he's going to be a great head coach."

At the end of the day, I will trust the opinion of the man responsible for the turnaround of the Kentucky football program, who obviously has all the faith in the world in one Joseph "Joker" Phillips:

"As I am one of the elder statesmen in the coaching profession, I thought it important for recruits to know that there will be continuity in the program and the coaching staff," Head Coach Rich Brooks said. "Joker Phillips has earned the right as a Kentucky graduate, and having built one of the most productive offenses in school history, to have the opportunity to lead the program in the future."

Everything else you have said has come true Papaw Brooks, let's hope this does too.

I used to hate Rich Brooks.

Not physical hate, but sports hate. And man was it intense.

I was definitely one of the drivers of the "Run Rich Brooks Out of Town" bandwagon.

I searched and searched for a "Ditch Rich" bumper sticker, so I could show the world my disdain toward the hire of "PaPaw" by fellow ex-Oregonian Mitch Barnhart. I couldn't find one, which was probably a good thing, because now I would have been forced to remove it from my car.

Rich Brooks has done a great job turning this program around and altering expectations in the Bluegrass. And expectations has always been the downfall of the football team.

Not big expectations mind you, but just the prevailing thought that every game was a loss waiting to happen. For me, and for many other Kentucky fans I presume, football season was just something to occupy our time until the hoops season started.

At some point during this cycle I started to really care about the success of the team. I think this change probably occurred during the Hal Mumme/Tim Couch/Air Raid days.

There were just enough sparkles of hope that maybe, just maybe, Kentucky might actually have a chance to be one better programs in the Southeastern conference.

But then time and time again reality would kick the Commonwealth Stadium diehards right in the face.

In 1997, Hal Mumme followed Bill Curry and his stellar 26-52 seven-year Kentucky record and in his first season the team went 5-6. Year two saw Couch lead the 'Cats to a 7-5 record followed by a loss to Penn State in the Outback Bowl.

Tim Couch was then selected first overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 1999 NFL Draft. Hope sparkles and glimmers throughout Big Blue Nation.

Kentucky had finally made a great hire in the pass happy Mumme, who followed up with a record of 6-6 and another postseason loss, this time to Syracuse in the Music City Bowl.

Wildcat fans were optimistic, albeit cautionary, hoping the slight dip was due the early departure of Couch. Things would surely take off now with Dusty Bonner under center and the coming of Jared Lorenzen in the 2000 season.

Shortly thereafter, the big thump heard around the Lexington area was the sound of the hammer wielded by the NCAA smashing sanctions onto the Wildcat program.

Multiple violations landed Kentucky on probation and forced Mumme and his staff out of town.

Guy Morriss then inherited the team, went 2-9 in 2001, then followed with a decent 7-5 season, but alas no bowl because of the NCAA sanctions. Just when the future was starting to look a little brighter, Morriss accepted an offer to return home to Texas as the head coach of Baylor University.

Enter Rich Brooks, ex-Oregon Ducks and St. Louis Rams head coach whom Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart coaxed out of retirement to lead the Wildcats from the depths of probation and back to respectability.

Fast forward three years, Brooks had an overall record of 9-25, 4-20 in the SEC. Fans were screaming for him to be fired. Every time Brooks or Barnhart were questioned in regards to the future of the program, the response was always for the fans to show patience, his recruits were here now and maturing, and good times were soon coming.

2006 saw the program truly turn a corner. The 'Cats finished 7-5 with a victory over the favored Clemson Tigers in the Music City Bowl in Nashville by a score of 28-20.

Along comes the magical start to the 2007 season. Sitting at 2-0, the third game ended with a last second win over then No. 8 Louisville. After going 2-1 over their next 3 games came a program changing three overtime epic victory over the L.S.U. Tigers. (Eventual National Champs might I add.)

The Kentucky Wildcats were actually ranked No.8 in the next week's AP poll. ESPN College Gameday also broadcasted live the following week from Lexington for a game versus the Florida Gators that Kentucky lost. The high point of my football fandom had officially been reached.

Brooks and company stumbled a little down the stretch, finishing 8-5, but ended with another Music City Bowl victory over Bobby Bowden's Florida State Seminoles.

2008 saw the 'Cats take a small step backwards, finishing 7-6. However, the season did conclude with another postseason victory, this time over Skip Holtz's favored East Carolina team in the Liberty Bowl.

Rich Brooks had won three consecutive bowl games. Something no other head coach in the history of the Wildcats program had accomplished, including Bear Bryant.

So now the expectations have been raised, even if just slightly. On January 18, 2007, offensive coordinator Joker Phillips was named head coach in waiting, supposedly easing the transition period when "PaPaw" finally calls it a career.

My hope is that Brooks and Phillips continue to raise perceptions and expectations. Now that Kentucky had started down the right path, I don't want to become satisfied with 7-5, 7-6, and 8-5 like in years past when losing records were acceptable.

I want to expect the Wildcats to compete for championships, both conference and national.

Kentucky currently owns the second longest non-conference winning streak in the country behind L.S.U. at 14 games. Now they can work on ending the 24 and 22 year losing streaks to Tennessee and Florida, respectively. Ending those two nightmares would be one of the best gifts the staff could ever give Wildcat fans.

Please, Rich and Joker, continue what you have been doing and raise the bar even higher. Don't let us become used to being bridesmaids when for so many years we weren't even invited to the wedding.