[charlie22]

With a good coach Max Smith could make it too the NFL. I think there is a 99% chance that Joker will be back next year. Joker has a lot of pull with many UK high-ups. How else can one explain him becoming a SEC head Coach with no head experience? He also made some good politcal moves like hiring JOE B Halls son-in-law. He even has the radio network shielding him from critical callers. As a life long UK fan I really enjoyed them playing in all those bowl games. I always felt that extra practice time was a big help to the program and if the could have kept it going they would have took a few steps higher up the SEC latter. I remember all the fans crying about the "toilet Bowl" funny how things can turn those "toilet bowls" look like pipe dreams now!

You may be right about Joker having pull with the higher ups, but what Joker also has going for him is that Brooks' head was on the block with fans early on, yet UK stuck with him and he did turn things around.

No doubt that the program handed to Joker was significantly better than what was handed to Brooks. Nonetheless, I can see UK thinking that Phillips had no head coaching experience when he took the job (stupid I know for UK to hire someone without head coaching experience and expect to compete in the SEC. Has that ever worked?), so lets give him some more time. I'm not saying that is necessarily the right thinking for the record. But you do have to admit, having a guy with no head coaching experience to be the head coach at UK playing in the SEC is a rather daunting task.

I do agree with you that's its highly likely that Joker will be back next year.