LEXINGTON — Kentucky coach Joker Phillips downplayed the loss of three more players from the football team by noting that it helped solve scholarship numbers problems for next season and that he’s not concerned about having seven players leave the team in recent months for various reasons.
Kentucky confirmed Monday that Nermin Delic, Justin Henderson and Tim Patterson were leaving the team, bringing the total to six defensive players who have left since the end of the 2011 regular season. None were expected to be starters this season.
“It's that time of the year, spring ball, when everybody is competing for a job,” Phillips said. “When you're not moving up as rapidly (on the depth chart) as you would like, people make decisions all across the country.
“Nothing is ever a surprise in this business. Again, the depth chart, when we try to put out one weekly and when it doesn't suit (them), that's when you have guys leave programs. It happens all of the country. I see it every day.”
Phillips said he would have had trouble telling former walk-ons CoShik Williams (running back), Mike Benton (safety) and Craig McIntosh (kicker) that as starters they were losing scholarships while the three players who left were not expected to be major contributors in 2012.
“We needed a couple of scholarships, and also it gives me a chance to keep CoShik Williams, who has played a lot more ball than the guys who left, Mikie Benton, who started 12 games last year, and a chance to keep a guy like Craig McIntosh on scholarship,” Phillips said. “I would feel really bad if I had to go talk to those guys about not being on scholarship. That would have been really tough. There will be other walk-ons who have the opportunity to earn scholarships who are playing for us. I think that's important.
“We all make mistakes in recruiting. I'm not saying those guys were mistakes but I would hate to have a walk-on that's playing for us and a scholarship player that's not playing for us and not have the opportunity to put that walk-on on scholarship.”
Patterson was the biggest name to leave, as the former Central High School star was expected to play a prominent role with Kentucky when he signed with the Wildcats over Louisville.
“It just didn't work out. There are a lot of heralded guys you see across the country even more heralded than Tim that don't work out,” Phillips said.
The UK coach said he expected players to leave, one reason UK signed 25 players in February. Kentucky now has 83 players on scholarship for 2012 according to Phillips and can bring in all 25 signees with going over the limit of 85 scholarship players.
Cobbins missing: Bookie Cobbins, a redshirt freshman who was moved from quarterback to wide receiver this spring, is not participating in practice because of academic issues.
“Bookie is trying to get his academics together,” Phillips said after Wednesday’s practice. “He's dug himself in a hole that he's got to try and battle himself out of.
“I think it's ridiculous for us to have him out here when he can be over in the academic center taking care of his business. I would rather him be here in August and this summer. We've got a lot of time to improve this summer at a new position. If he's not (caught up) academically, then it won't matter.”
Kentucky confirmed Monday that Nermin Delic, Justin Henderson and Tim Patterson were leaving the team, bringing the total to six defensive players who have left since the end of the 2011 regular season. None were expected to be starters this season.
“It's that time of the year, spring ball, when everybody is competing for a job,” Phillips said. “When you're not moving up as rapidly (on the depth chart) as you would like, people make decisions all across the country.
“Nothing is ever a surprise in this business. Again, the depth chart, when we try to put out one weekly and when it doesn't suit (them), that's when you have guys leave programs. It happens all of the country. I see it every day.”
Phillips said he would have had trouble telling former walk-ons CoShik Williams (running back), Mike Benton (safety) and Craig McIntosh (kicker) that as starters they were losing scholarships while the three players who left were not expected to be major contributors in 2012.
“We needed a couple of scholarships, and also it gives me a chance to keep CoShik Williams, who has played a lot more ball than the guys who left, Mikie Benton, who started 12 games last year, and a chance to keep a guy like Craig McIntosh on scholarship,” Phillips said. “I would feel really bad if I had to go talk to those guys about not being on scholarship. That would have been really tough. There will be other walk-ons who have the opportunity to earn scholarships who are playing for us. I think that's important.
“We all make mistakes in recruiting. I'm not saying those guys were mistakes but I would hate to have a walk-on that's playing for us and a scholarship player that's not playing for us and not have the opportunity to put that walk-on on scholarship.”
Patterson was the biggest name to leave, as the former Central High School star was expected to play a prominent role with Kentucky when he signed with the Wildcats over Louisville.
“It just didn't work out. There are a lot of heralded guys you see across the country even more heralded than Tim that don't work out,” Phillips said.
The UK coach said he expected players to leave, one reason UK signed 25 players in February. Kentucky now has 83 players on scholarship for 2012 according to Phillips and can bring in all 25 signees with going over the limit of 85 scholarship players.
Cobbins missing: Bookie Cobbins, a redshirt freshman who was moved from quarterback to wide receiver this spring, is not participating in practice because of academic issues.
“Bookie is trying to get his academics together,” Phillips said after Wednesday’s practice. “He's dug himself in a hole that he's got to try and battle himself out of.
“I think it's ridiculous for us to have him out here when he can be over in the academic center taking care of his business. I would rather him be here in August and this summer. We've got a lot of time to improve this summer at a new position. If he's not (caught up) academically, then it won't matter.”
