Joker Phillips to coach final two games

A day after firing him as its head coach, Kentucky athletics announced Monday that Joker Phillips will finish out the season on the sidelines.

The Cats, coming off a 40-0 drubbing by Vanderbilt on Saturday, have this week off, but they will face Samford for Senior Day on Nov. 17 and then head to Knoxville to face Tennessee in the season finale on Nov. 24.

Phillips and a select group of players will be made available to the media after practice on Tuesday, Kentucky spokesman Tony Neely said, but that will be the only time this week that they will be available.

Kentucky Athletics DirectorMitch Barnhart announced via a 900-plus word letter on the UK Web site that the school was dismissing Phillips, who has gone 12-23 in his three years as head coach. Phillips has been affiliated with the UK program in some way for more than 20 years.

About Jennifer Smith

Jen Smith has been a sports writer at the Herald-Leader since 2000, covering everything from high school sports to auto racing to various University of Kentucky sports. A native of Louisville and a graduate of the University of Kentucky (much to the dismay of her Louisville graduate mother and Indiana graduate father), Jen now resides in downtown Lexington with her husband and two young sons. You can follow her on Twitter @jenheraldleader or send her an email at jsmith3@herald-leader.com.

View all posts by Jennifer Smith →