Fri Jan 18 16:56:25 2008

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Kentucky's Brooks gets extension, raise; to be succeeded by Phillips

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Lexington, KY (Sports Network) - University of Kentucky head football coach Rich Brooks received a contract extension and a raise in pay, the school's director of athletics, Mitch Barnhart, announced Friday.

Simultaneously, Barnhart announced that Joker Phillips, currently Kentucky's offensive coordinator, will take over as head coach when Brooks leaves.

Brooks, 66, has been at Kentucky since the 2003 season, and his new extension goes through the 2011 season. Brooks' salary will also go up to $1.6 million per year.

After leading the Wildcats to a 9-25 record in the 2003-05 seasons, Brooks led Kentucky to an 8-5 season in 2006, as well as a win in the Music City Bowl. In 2007, he coached Kentucky to another 8-5 season, including a win over eventual Bowl Championship Series champion LSU, and another Music City Bowl win.

"The University of Kentucky is very appreciative of the steadfast effort and plan that Rich has put into place to allow us to have back-to-back bowl victories for the first time in more than half a century," Barnhart said. "The success that we have enjoyed over the last two seasons and his leadership of the young men in the program make him very deserving of this new agreement."

Brooks said he felt it was important, "from a recruiting standpoint", to have a long-term contract in place, enhancing stability within the Kentucky program. It is partly for that reason that Phillips was designated as Brooks' successor.

"With the landscape of college football changing from year-to-year, the decision to name Joker Phillips the next head coach at the University of Kentucky provides continuity and consistency for current and future players," Barnhart said. "Continuity and consistency will be a competitive advantage for (Kentucky) going forward, an advantage our program has not enjoyed very often during its history."

Phillips was perhaps a natural choice, having played at Kentucky from 1981-84, and on the staff from 1988-96. In 2007, he completed his third season as offensive coordinator and fifth as wide receivers coach.

Since taking over as offensive coordinator, Phillips has helped the Wildcats increase their scoring average per game from 15.7 points to 36.5 points. Brooks added support for the decision.

"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," 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."