Mr. SEC gives Joker a 1% chance of survival
No, no, no…we want YOU!
With the loss to Missouri still lingering like burnt popcorn, it’s time to start thinking about what’s next for Kentucky football. John Pennington, aka “Mr. SEC,” compiled a list of the potential coaching vacancies and replacements in the SEC, and not surprisingly, he gave Joker Phillips a very low chance of survival. Like 1% low. Pennington’s “sources” tell him that the list of “real” possible replacements include two names we’ve heard around the rumor mill for quite some time, and a former rival coach that is desperate to get out of his XXXL sweatpants and back into the game:
Kentucky
Current Coach: Joker Phillips
Chance of Survival: 1%
Wildcat Fans Want: Jon Gruden, Chris Peterson, or another big name
UK’s Real Top Choice: Phillip Fulmer, David Cutcliffe or Sonny Dykes.
Our Take: Phillips pried open his tomb with a good showing against Georgia a week ago… only to have the crypt slam back shut on him Saturday at Missouri. A return by freshman quarterback Patrick Towles was expected to provide a bit more hope for the future, but Towles and UK looked very poor in Saturday’s 33-10 rout in Columbia. We initially thought Fulmer would ixnay the idea of heading to Lexington and taking on a rebuilding project, but a source close to the coach recently gave us a “not so fast” on that one. It’s believed Fulmer – whose buyout money from Tennessee ends this year – wants desperately to end his career with more victories than former UT legend Robert Neyland. We still find it hard to believe the 62-year-old Fulmer would take the job, but Rich Brooks made it work at UK in his 60s. Ron Zook’s name was even thrown out to us as a possible D-coordinator and star recruiter for Fulmer’s hypothetical staff. Sorry, still not buying. Have to see it to believe it. Same with Cutcliffe. He’s already a hero at one basketball school. Unless he feels he’s got something to prove in the SEC, why make a lateral move? Dykes, on the other hand, is a former UK assistant and he’s taken many of Derek Dooley’s old players at Louisiana Tech and turned them into a BCS-ranked team. Young coach, exciting offense, ranked team. But would he jump at a Kentucky offer or wait for a better/easier job elsewhere? UK’s all over the board with potential hires, but we feel safe in saying Phillips is done.
With Joker’s time at UK appearing short, what do you make of Pennington’s predictions? How would you rank Fulmer, Cutcliffe and Dykes as potential replacements? I’ll start: 1) Dykes, 2) Cutcliffe, 3) Fulmer.
96 Comments for Mr. SEC gives Joker a 1`hance of survival
Jon Gruden! Haha
#HasJokerBeenFiredYet
I don’t want to see somebody from La Tech or Duke come in here or a 60 year old UT coach. What has Dykes at La Tech proved, look at Rutgers anyone who can beat up on non-competition can get ranked. So if you give me those 3 choices I can’t believe I’m saying this but I’ll keep Joker.
I think any of the three would do a better job as AD than Brnhart.
Barnhart has been a great AD. Get real.
I still say we be the ones to take the risk of Tressel.
1) Jay Gruden would be a more possible pick. (Off Coordinator at Bengals).
It depends on the assistants each could bring with them. No matter how good the coach is, if his assistants aren`t good ones, then the head coach will not survive.
I cant say it often enough though, if we do not move quickly, then we will lose out on recruiting. I say announce now and name the new coach the week after the Tennessee game.
I`m still not sure that Joker will be fired
A purely lateral move from Duke to UK….? Really? I think their stadium holds…. something like 7k fans? I could be guessing….
I agree it’s not a “huge upgrade,” but saying it is lateral is not fair. This is a tougher job, no doubt. But it is “better” as a whole than Duke.
# 2 That is a very good question. And better yet will he be fired . My guess is that if Barny can come up with anything to keep Joker here , he’ll do it. Besides , if the 3 on the list ios all we have , I had just as soon let the players choose up sides and play. Why isn’t Bobby Petrino being mentioned ? Why isn’t Tressel being mentioned ? Haven’t we as UK football fans been punished enough in the last 50 years ?
Please Football Gods , help us help Barny hire a real coach.
Keep Joker …. Fire Barnhart
NONE OF THE ABOVE! This is gunna be a basketball program replay with another billy g type coach. No proven history of being able to win. None of these guys will get the job done. We need to take a risk on Tressel and keep him under our thumb to ensure he’s following the rules. You think they haven’t done that to cal? Mitch knows what that takes. Take the risk on Tressel and experience the rewards.
Who?
None of the above. If those are out options….might as well keep Joker.
So your telling me there is a chance?????
We need to bring in some young blood. Why are they always bringing in older, washed up coaches that won’t be here very long. Only names like Kirby Smart, Sonny Dykes and maybe Butch Jones at Cincy should be considered. Forget Fulmer, Cutliffe and even Leach. Also bring in as an assistant some names that recruits would be familiar with that have connections with the NFL.
any chance to lure gary patterson from TCU?
Gus Malzahn
#8 I completely agree
#10 That is idiotic
I can coach football and do as well as the Joke, Hell, I still have a residence in Lexington at the jail, and I could come in and make the players tough, they aren’t tough enough to play in the SEC. I could take them out night putting and make them winners like me, maybe even let them drive me around Lexington when I become stressed.
Dabo Swinney from Clemson. ACC to the SEC.
everyone knows we’re not getting chris peterson & its UT fans who think they’re getting gruden mainly b/c he once watched a UT game on a plane. might as well put bill cowher, tony dungy & jimmy johnson on that list too. d-bag
butch jones, jim tressel, sonny dykes, willie taggart, todd berry, mark hudspeth, neal brown, kliff kingsbury
if these are the true candiates… mise well keep Joker. Pull your freaking check book out and make a REAL offer!!! cant mess this one Barny or your gone too
All UK needs is some extra practice time.
UK could throw the kitchen sink at big candidate(insert name here). The hard truth is that no big names want this job at this time…end of the story. The faster you guys realize this the better you’ll be able to cope and be ready to support the new guy.
I have my doubts about UK hiring Sonny Dykes since his “exciting offense” has been coordinated by Tony Franklin. No way that he is allowed to come back.
Gotta make a play at a Kirby Smart type coordinator. Top coordinator at a top school.
If Cutcliffe or Fulmer are hired, the fanbase will revolt from DAY 1. I’m thinking Mitch isn’t that stupid.. or is he?
http://silkroadsandsiamesesmiles.com/2012/10/30/uk-football-drives-fan-insane/
UK’s next coach? Ivan Renko.
You heard it here first
1) Cutcliffe
2) Dykes
3) Stone Cold Willow
4) Fulmer
Jon Gruden? WOW, now I would definately be buying some season tickets for that hire. I give it a 0.000001% chance of happening though. I guess we can dream, right?
Fulmer couldn’t hold the UT program together with great talent. How would he do at UK with average talent? Fulmer has very little pizazz. Cutcliffe has absolutely no pizazz!!!!
Top coordinators at top schools are going to wait for better jobs to open up. Kirby Smart would be stupid to leave Alabama d coordinator for UK. Honestly it’s a step down.
Rich Rodriguez?
27 – Rixter, Mitch doesn’t have any contacts other than in Oregon (Rich Brooks) and Tennessee (hired two foot ball assistants from there and got two recommendations from Pat Summitt for Women’s basketball coaches), so we will probably get somebody from one of those backgrounds, as boring and maddening as it will be. Fulmer couldn’t win any more at UT with their resources. Yeah, bring him here, and reunite him with Randy Sanders!
Phil Fulmer is about as tired as Tubby Smith.
If UK hires Fulmer or Cutcliffe, I’m done being a fan of this football program. I care too much for this university and this icehole AD tells me I’m a microwave fan? I guess I must be from Missouri, because I say Barnhardt needs to show me how much he cares with this next hire. The last two have not impressed me. Yes, I said last two…Brooks did fine with watering down the schedule and getting out of conference wins but his SEC record was atrocious. The win against LSU and Auburn not withstanding.
Maybe we should offer Brett Farve our coaching job. He’d probably get out there and play.
OH NO NOT FAT PHIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Man,that’s a looooooooooooooooooong list of yawners…..may as well retain the Joke with an extension and a bonus.
35 let’s not forget about barneys contacts at Mt kilimanjaro. I would take some Tanzanian donkey driver over what we currently have
give me Tressel.
Earth to #5–Barnhart brought us Gillispie who destroyed the basketball program and now Joker who has destroyed the football program. He also did everything in his power to PREVENT Calipari from becoming BB coach. And you say he’s done a great job???
Why are people saying Tressel? He can’t coach in the NCAA for the next two years. I think the OC from Oregon, or Smart would be a good choice! This SUCKS!! GO CATS!!
You should have written “Lingering like the smell of burnt popcorn”. Just sayin.
Tressel can coach, he just has a show cause which means UK would have to appeal to the NCAA and list why they want to hire him, then Tressel would have to serve a suspension of 5 games which was what he was going to do at OSU. At least that’s from what I’ve read
Please stop with the Kirby Smart talk. This guy can have his pick of top-level jobs. He’s not coming to UK. If Clemson underachieves next year, I could see him getting that gig, and that’s a much more attractive destination than UK. The thought of Fulmer or Cutcliffe makes me shudder, but that’s probably who we’ll get. I still think Dykes is the guy you go after if you can’t get Jim Tressel, but rest assured Tony Franklin will not be joining him in Lexington.
Dykes would be the only candidate on that list to please me. The others are dried up, especially Fulmer.
You idiots always bashing Barnhart. Yea Clyde was a mess..but everyone worth half a damn turned us down. REMEMBET?
All of our other programs are flourishing. Jokers gotta and gonna go. Stop acting like a idiot.
This guy is either getting his information from Matt Jones or Oscar Combs, because Bobby Petrino’s name isn’t on this list anywhere. Does the basketball only crowd not want Petrino at UK? Too much competition?
Dykes would be ok — don’t know how well he can recruit — I’d go for Leach -proven he can get it done. Cutcliffe would be ok – not sure he wants the challenge of UK in the SEC —
#49—no I don’t remember. We ended up with Clyde because your buddy Mitch [email protected]#ked up the search for BB coach just like he did with Joker and will do again with his replacement. Get ready for Fulmer or the Duke coach….and quit calling others idiots when you don’t have a clue what’s going on.
Fulmer and Cutcliffe? Do we have a football program or a retirement home. Dykes could have success but would need atleast 5 years before he could guarantee a bowl every year. Petrino is a time bomb waiting to blow up another program. Tressel would produces wins but likely couldn’t win big games at uk. Leach hasn’t shaken off the rust after not coaching for 2 seasons. Kirby smart would be the best candidate but would likely want 2+ million dollar salary and funding promises to leave Alabama for kentucky, and Barnhart likely isn’t going to do that for an unproven coach. Malzahn will end up in the SEC as a HC but something tells me, uk won’t be it. So that leaves Trinitys head coach, he has more 5 star talent on his teams than uk. By the way UK and UT fans can stop the Gruden talk he isn’t taking a job at SEC schools that need major work.
Three reasons why UK is a career upgrade over Duke: (1) S (2) E (3) C
why can’t people remember that there are going to be probably at least 3 openings in the SEC alone? You think Jay Gruden would really leave the NFL to come to the graveyard of coaches? You think Jon Gruden couldn’t find a better job than UK? So UK tripling the attendance of Duke is the factor that would make Cutcliffe crawl to UK? You think Tressel with all his baggage would be hired by UK? You think Mike Leach would leave the PAC 10 after 1 year? You think Kirby Smart couldn’t find a better job or at least wait for a better job a couple more years while Bama puts a couple more rings on his finger? LOL, Gus Malzahn is gonna go to Arkansas. Dabo Swinney has Clemson at #13 in the BCS standings and he would leave Clemson for UK? haha. Neal Brown — an offensive coordinator that’s a former player but has never been a head coach? sound familiar?
Face it. Its going to be the same search as it was after GuyMo left. Barnhart will make a dozen calls and 11 of those candidates won’t bother returning his call. The 12th one will be considerate enough to say no thanks. Have you people not seen this scenario play out ad nauseaum for the last 40 years or so?
This list is in levels or priority
First Tier (Write these guys a blank check)
Bobby Petrino
Jay Gruden
Jon Gruden
Gus Malzahn
Kirby Smart
Butch Jones
Rich Rodriguez
Second Tier
Mike Leach
Sonny Dykes
Jim Tressel
Third Tier
Phil Fulmer
Willie Taggert
David Cutcliffe
GOOD GOD Phil Fulmer?!! You have got to be kidding. He isn’t old news, he’s old and decrepit news! I hate it how Mitch always looks to hs old friends for UK’s vacancies. That’s how we got good old Papaw Brooks. We need NEW blood Mitch, not leftovers from a bygone era. Makes me wanna puke. Mediocrity at it’s best. If Mitch had his way we WOULD NOT have Cal right now, he didn’t want him. Tells you all you need to know doesn’t it???
#55–you don’t know how close to the truth your comment is.
Eric mangini would likely trade in his espn gig for a chance to resurrect a coaching career. Josh Mcdaniels was fired at Denver but might take uk as a way to prove to nfl teams he can coach. And Tom Brady’s coach has to know something about offense right?
Get. Real. People.
Petrino/Gruden/Malzahn/Smart/Rich Rod/Dykes/etc. are NOT taking this job.
UK’s best, and only, hope is to hire lightning in a bottle from the lower ranks (either D1 or other). Think Mumme only he has a real DC and a non-cheating recruiting coordinator.
No coach with a decent future is taking this job. Whomever we get will likely elicit howls from the fanbase…just like Rich Brooks did and wouldn’t we all love it if he had never retired.
If I see Petrino suggested one more time I’m gonna puke. Forget he is a liar and a cheater. Forget that he’s a quitter too (ask the Atlanta Falcons what they think of him). Forget that he’s classless and a piss poor sport. Remember this one thing. UK hires him and throws what, $3 million per year at him? THE SECOND HE ARRIVES IN LEXINGTON HE’S GOING TO BE SCHEMING FOR A BETTER JOB. If, if, if he would be offered (he won’t be), and if he accepts (he won’t), he would simply use UK as his first job back, as redemption. Then, once that’s under his belt, he would stab his mother in the back and walk over his wife to take the first job that is the slightest upgrade. HAVE SOME DAM CLASS PEOPLE! SAY NO TO PETRINO. He’s a flippin’ jerk and a poor excuse for a human.
Also, remember this: Chip Kelly was at FCS New Hamshire when Belotti plucked him into Oregon as the OC. Brian Kelly was at Grand Valley State in Kalamazoo. Urban Meyer at Bowling Green.
Gotta find the cool cats at the lower level looking to stick a needle in the eye of everybody who never hired them. Real football people know this stuff. Us casual fans? Not so much.
I fart in your general direction
Dykes, Kirby Smart and cutcliffe. I like those 3 mentioned above. Please no fulmer. Please.
Fire Mitch and name Joker AD. Joker is already due 2.6 or so mill and that would pay for 5 or six years of Barnharts salary. The school would not be out any more money and we get rid of Barney and keep Joker. Everyone except Barn would be happy. I would trust Joker to make a football hire much more than Mitch wouldn’t you?
Bull Filmer, really?
If Petrino were the coach, he would leave us high-and-dry in the third quarter of our sixth game because somebody else made a better offer.
Brooks proved that you can win at least 7-8 a year at UK and crack the top ten occasionally. So this is no longer a coaching “graveyard”.
Offer the job to josh Mcdaniels. He is young, has coached Tom Brady and has Super Bowl rings. All three of are selling points to recruits. After the disaster in Denver, he isn’t exact swimming in offers. Plus with the success of Harbaugh at the 49ers he may see uk as his way back into a HC position in the nfl. Plus, with three young QBs we could use a guy that can develop a QB.
#68 I respect Brooks, but c’mon. He did take UK to #8 for exactly one week in 2007. I’ll give him that. But 1 week. Overall he was 39-47 overall, 16-39 in the SEC. In only one year did he even break even in the SEC. In the year UK got up to #8, we finished the regular season at 1-4 after beating LSU. Again, Brooks had moderate success. I liked the guy and thought he did an above average job for a UK coach. Read that again… “for a UK coach”. UK is still a graveyard for coaches, until proven wrong with a coach having SUSTAINED success, its just a fact.
Not hiring Petrino because he might be too successful and leave is the funniest excuse yet. Stop acting like fools, he’s the best coach available, go get him.
chad morris, OC at clemson. boom, done, sign him,
No Cutcliffe or Fulmer on the UK campus please! Might as well keep Joker!
Mitch needs the backbone to make another Calipari type hire, don’t repeat the mistakes of the past!
Mike Bob – offensive coordinator – University of Georgia
Mike BOBO (sorry spelled his last name wrong)
My 2 cents…
1) John Gruden
2) Eric Mangini
3) Jim Tressel
4) Herm Edwards
5) Kirby Smart
No particular order and there a few others but I will stop at five. All, more than likely, just wishful thinking. But, I can tell you I would be totally unimpressed with Fulmer or Cutcliff & against Petrino!
We have to have a coach that scores the football. Dykes and his OC, Tony Franklin Yeah that Tony Franklin, are averaging 53 points per game. Its got to be exciting cutting edge football. Their only loss was 59-57 to Texas A&M. Go get Dykes and make sure he brings Franklin.
77 – the SEC is a defensive league. Dykes will get chewed up and spit out in the SEC.
FOORGOT TO TAKE YOUR MEDS AGAIN? #5 & #49
“AMEN” GENTLEMEN (Thanks for saving me all the typing): #’s4, 32, 35, 36, 41, 43, 52, 61 &65!
BARNFART has to go…period…end of discussion. He’ll make another hiring mistake which we’ll be paying for for years. He’s proven he can do that.
Has anyone thought about Kevin Wallace from Bowling Green High? He wins-recruits and is amazing at what he does!!! I would even settle for Phil Fulmer-who cares? Fans at Kentucky give no one a chance
Pipe dreaming with all these prospects. We need young blood like whoever wins the Div 2A championship ala Urban Myers etc
Kevin Kelley
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/scorecasting/09/15/kelley.pulaski/index.html
What #47 said. Although I don’t think Rich Brooks is out of the question if we can’t find anyone else.
My first choice is Dykes, however franklin sued U K so he would not be coming with him, so you go and get Neal Brown from texas tech as O C and that would be a good hire for Mitch.But
Cutcliffe and Fulmer doesnt pull my chain, but if you have the money go at least ASK Boise St. and TCU coaches to see if they are interested all they can say is NO………..CFR
We say yes to Kentucky. I love the state and want to stay here.
charlie strong
Doc Holliday
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Billick
How about Jeff Monken, HC at Georgia Southern? He’s in his early to mid 40s and taken FCS Georgia Southern to semi finals the last two years and is 7-1 ranked number 2 in FCS right now. I live in Ga and know a few alumni, he runs an option offense, not sure if that would do well in SEC. ONE other fcs name would be Bobby Wilder at Old Dominion, has been head coach since inception of program in 2009, 31-8 record starting from nothing. ODU is moving to FBS in 2015 as well. These would be a couple younger FCS guys to look at in my opinion.
NO WAY i am gonna die in that boneyard known as Commeonwealth Stadium, I have a reputation to protect!!
1 ERIC MANGINI 2 ERIC MANGINI 3 ERIC MANGINI
1) Dabo Swinney – has ties to the SEC but may be holding out for Auburn job if he desires to leave Clemson.
2) Gary Peterson – seems to be getting a little bogged down at TCU so may want a change in scenery plus it would put him close to Andy Dalton
3) Rich Rod – would probably welcome the opportunity to make a splash in the SEC
4) Tommy Tuberville – Yes, I said it…Tuberville. Say whatever you want but the guy can coach. He knows the SEC, went undefeated at Auburn (got screwed out of a national title shot) and has Texas Tech in the top 20. Much better option than Cutcliffe or Fulmer.
5) Andy Reid – He is probably gonna get canned in Philly. Why not bring a little NFL influence into Kentucky?
Mike Leach
Let’s get some young blood in here!
Neil Brown!
Something I’ve been wondering as well;
We know Tony Franklin wrote his book talking about the going-on’s at UK a few years back. Who on UK’s campus today was there when this book was written? Why would Mitch have anything against T.F.? I think if you’ve read the book, you would agree that there are no lies written in it. I’ve talked to many UK fans and they’d LOVE to have T.F. back on campus calling plays.
Lance Leipold, HC @ Wisconsin Whitewater; record is 72-3 in his 5 years at Wisconsin Whitewater. Has won the NCAA Championship in football 4 of the past 5 years and was in the championship game the one year he didn’t win it.They dominate at their level.