OT: Joker Philips

I was at a local Golf scramble today for a kidney foundation, where I happened to be volunteering serving food to help raise money. At the scramble was Kentucky head football coach Joke Philips and former Eastern Kentucky coach Roy Kidd who is very well respected as a coach at the 1-AA level. Joker didn't play golf he was there to take pictures and sign items. He hung around us all day because we were under shade and had the beer and food.

We chatted for awhile about, football college sports, how the game has changed and so forth. Great honest guy. He found out I was not a UK fan and indeed I am a Michigan fan. I didn't want to put that on blast as he was there helping out as well and it wasn't polite. He started to talk about Rich Rod and his methods. He said Rich is a great guy and a fantastic coach. The only thing he would have liked to see him do is surround himself with better people. Something Michigan fans and I already know.

That topic led to what do I think of Brady Hoke? I told him well I think it's going to work out but, would have liked to see Dave Brandon move faster in the process. I said he has really surrounded himself with coaches who have proven themselvs already.

We spoke about Greg Mattison, Greg and Joker coached together at N.D. He said Greg is one of the best coaches he has even been around and is the best recruiter. Joker said that he refuses to go after a kid that Greg is recruiting because he knows he is going to loose and he added the guy can flat out coach.

Thinks Brady Hoke will have Michigan back on top in no time. Said Brady understands the big things about being a coach at a school like Michigan.

We then talked about what makes a good coaches from bad ones and in a simplified manner he replied how quickly your players can learn, it's all about on how you teach and how you get your message across. Most kids even at UK were all high school all-stars and they come in right away thinking they can play and can start. Some kids can't deal with sitting. It simply comes down to out working the other guy. Everyone has talent but not everyone wants to do the work. We then talked about recruiting and the methods in the SEC, he replied well it started years ago but Saban and Meyor took it to another level. He said you're forced to do it in order to even compete. If you don't you're really going to get left behind.

We then talked about USC and OSU and a particular recruit Michigan and UK went after last year. Lamar Dawson LB from Danville, KY. Who committed to USC. Joker said Lamar wanted to go there because he thought he could play right away and had big dreams but, USC has to cut 7 kids now due to over signing and Lamar might be one of those kids cut. It's a sad story.

He had a good laugh at Tressel and his ideas said he's a dirty guy doesn't recruit fair and has played ineligible players before at YSU. Also said he thinks Denard will be just fine athletic guys can always adapt more easily than guys who are not that skilled.

Joker gave me grief about App State but, he said it's going to keep happening with guys transferring to smaller schools from big schools like Michigan and OSU, and how no big schools no will play someone like that meaning a 1-AA team who is most likely going to win a national title that year. He said App State that year would have beat a lot of top 25 schools.

Interesting a coach at UK knew that much about MIchigan football.