Mitch Barnhart Comments On Joker Phillips And UK Football

10/31/2012 09:54 AM

by Thomas Beisner
• 15 Comments
• Filed under: Football

A UK spokesperson confirmed earlier this week that UK athletics director Mitch Barnhart would not comment on the future of Joker Phillips until the end of the season when an evaluation takes place, but Barnhart was in Louisville yesterday talking with the City Salesmen’s Club and during part of his speech, he briefly touched on the football program and the man in charge.

“Football is not where we want it to be just yet and we’ve got to work on that,” Barnhart told the crowd. “We made some progress and climbed up the hill a little bit and were doing some good things in a really tough league but we’ve found that we’ve stubbed our toes a little bit. We’ve got to figure that out and we’ll get that figured out.”

He continued, “Joker is one of my dearest friends. I think the world of him. We’ve been together nine years in some way, shape or form as an assistant coach, coordinator and now as a head coach…I think the world of him as a man and as a coach and as a leader of our young men and what he’s done. We just have to figure out the football piece and how we get that going in the right direction.”

Here’s the clip:

About Thomas Beisner

Thomas Beisner is the Host of KSTV. Before joining cn|2 in August 2011 Thomas was Senior Managing Editor at Kentucky Sports Radio and was a regular presence on Lexington’s WLGX sports radio covering UK football and basketball. Thomas graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2006 with a degree in journalism and says he loves the creative nature of putting the show together as well as getting paid to write and talk about sports all day.

Comments

Rich wrote on October 31, 2012 10:33 AM :

Thats it they are going to keep him. I think we all feared that it would eventually come to this but if thats what it is I guess we have to now support the young players and hope for potential the rest of the year.
Sheldon Connors wrote on October 31, 2012 10:46 AM :

Joker deserves another year to turn things around. Rich Brooks abandoned recruiting in his final years and Joker inherited a roster that was absolutely awful and has been put in a tough spot. True football fans can see that its just the hot head basketball fans and children that want a knee jerk reaction.
Marc wrote on October 31, 2012 11:02 AM :

I don’t know where this man exists, but after hearing his assessment of the train wreck we see every Saturday, it’s not in the real world.
Richard wrote on October 31, 2012 11:06 AM :

I cant understand why anybody thinks Joker should be brought back, the program is a mess behind the scenes, Sheldon, how about all the kids joker has “ran off “ since he has been the headcoach, this young talent is a myth what have they done other than go 1-8. We lost to Western!!!!, we are a laughing stock Mitch very well could be the Worst football AD in country,
Ben Childress wrote on October 31, 2012 11:11 AM :

Says a lot about our program that UK is even considering bringing back Joker. He needs to go now, and should have been fired after the Arkansas game at the latest. If you think the home crowds are small this year, wait til next year if Joker returns. UK will set a all-time new low for home attendance next year in the modern era. Our program has gone backwards every year since Joker has been in charge…and don’t give me the we are young excuse because alll it is a excuse. Joker was on the staff and recruited a lot of the upperclassmen on the team so that just proves his recruiting skills are as bad as him communication and coaching skills.
Paul Simon wrote on October 31, 2012 11:54 AM :

We are the third best team in Ky and thank god we don’t play any of the other state schools or we could lose that distinction.

Joker, Strong and Taggart took over at the same time, Joker took over the team in the best situation. UL beat us bad (mercy subs kept it from being worse) and Western beat us at home. We are winless in our conference. If Mitch doesn’t do something we will have to amputate the leg because of the “stubbed toe”
Coach Rich Brooks wrote on October 31, 2012 11:58 AM :

Joker deserves NOTHING!

It’s obvious to everyone except Mitch Barnhart that there needs to be NEW BLOOD injected into this disaster of a football program. If Joker is retained for another year, I will be the first one organizing a DITCH MITCH AND JOKER campaign. A friendship only goes so far… especially when that friendship is damaging the University and Mitch’s career. Another year of Joker will be DISASTROUS for Mitch.
KYJamm wrote on October 31, 2012 11:59 AM :

Joker deserves NOTHING!

It’s obvious to everyone except Mitch Barnhart that there needs to be NEW BLOOD injected into this disaster of a football program. If Joker is retained for another year, I will be the first one organizing a DITCH MITCH AND JOKER campaign. A friendship only goes so far… especially when that friendship is damaging the University and Mitch’s career. Another year of Joker will be DISASTROUS for Mitch.
Michael wrote on October 31, 2012 12:03 PM :

What a shame that Barnhart is such a stubborn piece of work! He thinks the world of Joker as a coach, but the football piece is just missing??? Wake up Mitch, Joker is a FOOTBALL COACH!!! If the football piece is missing, the whole thing is missing!

If you think Joker is such an outstanding coach and person, but just can’t get football going, why don’t you bless your beloved volleyball program and bestow Joker upon them! That’s all you care about anyhow!

You know, when I see that pic of Barnhart posted, and read those comments, I am ashamed. That guy shouldn’t even be allowed to wear UK colors. It’s a disgrace to the school, and the program he is trying to destroy! The entire rest of the country thinks UK football is a laughing stock, and can see that firing Joker is long overdue, but Mitch Barnhart is still trying to find a way to keep him? How does someone like Barnhart rise to power ini the first place? I sure wish someone would pay me 6 figures to do a crappy job!
tracey wrote on October 31, 2012 02:00 PM :

Barnhart needs to go as well!!!!!!!!
Jock wrote on October 31, 2012 02:58 PM :

Shouldn’t hire friends unless you’re willing to fire them as well!

Caliendo should tell Mitch he has to fire Joker, Mitch will quit and UK can get rid of two for the price on one!
jimlowe7 wrote on October 31, 2012 04:37 PM :

Mitch will NEVER be fired because he has been a true ATHLETICS Director. Our school has more than just men’s basketball/football. He has made us competitive in our conference in many sports and on a national level in a few. He paid for all those facilities, coaches, recruiting trips, etc. for those “other” sports with revenue from our football program. Now he will hopefully give his FULL attention to our “gridiron” gang and remove his friend from being the object of our frustrations. Joker deserves better, but SO DO WE!
Chris wrote on October 31, 2012 09:06 PM :

I really think it was a case of him just saying, “ next question please.” It didnt sound too positive to me.
Kymainecat wrote on November 01, 2012 03:58 PM :

Give Joker one more year to tale advantage of the underclassmen who are there now and have been pressed into service probably before they were reafy. The are showing signs of coming along, but every time they appear to advance, an injury(multiples) come along and knocks hem back down. That is alwys oing to be tu but, onemore incoming classcat the level of the ladt two and you will see improvement
Jake wrote on November 01, 2012 10:40 PM :

Joker was an Asst. RC in 1990 and the RC in 2003-2004. To the person who said that Joker recruited the older players on our team, you are wrong.

He was a very good OC/WR coach. I think he should get five years and after that if there is not great improvement then it will be time for a change. OTOH, instead of going to another school if a change in the head coach is made after this season, he could be our OC/WR coach again.