LEXINGTON — Kentucky will honor 19 seniors before Saturday night’s final regular-season home game against Samford in what will also be coach Joker Phillips’ final game as head coach in Commonwealth Stadium.
Phillips was fired after UK’s 40-0 loss to Vanderbilt two weeks ago that dropped the Wildcats to 1-9. He initially did not plan to coach the final two games, but reconsidered at the urging of his players — and especially his seniors.
“That's the reason I'm coaching these last two games. That hits hard because that's what we set out to do. That's why I got in the business. You didn't get in the business for money. No, it's gotten crazy since, which is the reason why you get three years (as head coach before getting fired),” said Phillips. “If it didn't change, if it hadn't changed and the money hadn't gotten the way it has, you'd probably get eight years like some of the guys that have got it going, but you don't now. So you got in this business to help young men.
“What will hurt Joker Phillips the most is if they (the players) do not continue doing the things that we've taught them. I'll be destroyed — that'll destroy me if our kids just go another way, don't finish out the semester well. One thing I do not want is the next coach to say, ‘Man, the APR is down, these guys are doing really bad in school.’
“I don't want that. That's me if that happens. I've tried to stay on our kids about that because I've seen that happen, seen a guy take over a program and all he can say is how bad they've done in school, how bad the kids are. We've got good kids here, and I want them to continue that.”
Phillips would like to see his seniors win their final home game, something that has not happened often at Kentucky.
“Last year’s seniors were one of the few senior classes that has won their last game here (against Tennessee) at Commonwealth. I would love to see us have two senior classes back-to-back win their last game here,” the UK coach said.
“Just how they have gone about their business through this time, that is big for me. All of them have a story and it helps when you know their story and I know their story. I have sat in many of their homes. Again, they mean the world to you because of how they have gone about their business. Three of them have already graduated and the rest of them will get their degree in December or May and that means more to me than anything.”
Phillips will not expand the roles for any specific seniors in their final game. However, he does hope to use Morgan Newton more either as H-back or quarterback.
“I think we will try to expand Morgan’s role a little bit more as an H-back and we were trying to do some things like that before but some of the injuries happened at quarterback,” Phillips said. “We have been working on some of them and we will figure out how much he plays. We do have some packages with him at quarterback that we can continue to work.”
Smith honored
Senior center Matt Smith has been named one of eight finalists for the 2012 Wuerffel Trophy, which honors the college football player who best combines exemplary community service with outstanding academic and athletic achievement.
“It means a lot to me and it means a lot to Matt as well,” Phillips said. “I remember sitting in his home and talking to him about how he would grow here. For him to be a finalist for this award, it shows how much he has grown here. He has an unbelievable family and that is where it started. He has just carried it on and it has helped with the process of him growing up. We are proud of him.”
Phillips was fired after UK’s 40-0 loss to Vanderbilt two weeks ago that dropped the Wildcats to 1-9. He initially did not plan to coach the final two games, but reconsidered at the urging of his players — and especially his seniors.
“That's the reason I'm coaching these last two games. That hits hard because that's what we set out to do. That's why I got in the business. You didn't get in the business for money. No, it's gotten crazy since, which is the reason why you get three years (as head coach before getting fired),” said Phillips. “If it didn't change, if it hadn't changed and the money hadn't gotten the way it has, you'd probably get eight years like some of the guys that have got it going, but you don't now. So you got in this business to help young men.
“What will hurt Joker Phillips the most is if they (the players) do not continue doing the things that we've taught them. I'll be destroyed — that'll destroy me if our kids just go another way, don't finish out the semester well. One thing I do not want is the next coach to say, ‘Man, the APR is down, these guys are doing really bad in school.’
“I don't want that. That's me if that happens. I've tried to stay on our kids about that because I've seen that happen, seen a guy take over a program and all he can say is how bad they've done in school, how bad the kids are. We've got good kids here, and I want them to continue that.”
Phillips would like to see his seniors win their final home game, something that has not happened often at Kentucky.
“Last year’s seniors were one of the few senior classes that has won their last game here (against Tennessee) at Commonwealth. I would love to see us have two senior classes back-to-back win their last game here,” the UK coach said.
“Just how they have gone about their business through this time, that is big for me. All of them have a story and it helps when you know their story and I know their story. I have sat in many of their homes. Again, they mean the world to you because of how they have gone about their business. Three of them have already graduated and the rest of them will get their degree in December or May and that means more to me than anything.”
Phillips will not expand the roles for any specific seniors in their final game. However, he does hope to use Morgan Newton more either as H-back or quarterback.
“I think we will try to expand Morgan’s role a little bit more as an H-back and we were trying to do some things like that before but some of the injuries happened at quarterback,” Phillips said. “We have been working on some of them and we will figure out how much he plays. We do have some packages with him at quarterback that we can continue to work.”
Smith honored
Senior center Matt Smith has been named one of eight finalists for the 2012 Wuerffel Trophy, which honors the college football player who best combines exemplary community service with outstanding academic and athletic achievement.
“It means a lot to me and it means a lot to Matt as well,” Phillips said. “I remember sitting in his home and talking to him about how he would grow here. For him to be a finalist for this award, it shows how much he has grown here. He has an unbelievable family and that is where it started. He has just carried it on and it has helped with the process of him growing up. We are proud of him.”
