Joker Phillips says he "didn't have time" to implement program at Kentucky

It's been five years since he's been at Kentucky, but after four different coaching stops, Joker Phillips has finally found a home in Cincinnati. In an interview with Cincinnati.com, Phillips discussed his time in Lexington, recent coaching moves, and the development he's seeing as the wide receivers coach for the Bearcats. Phillips said he has no regrets and appreciates the opportunity he had with the program, but mentioned he didn't have enough time to implement the program in Kentucky.

"It was a great opportunity," Phillips said. "A lot of things have to be lined up at a place like that, similar to this. You've got to have time to implement your program. We just didn't have that, and I get that. The opportunity was a great opportunity for me, my family and the staff I put together. We've moved on from that and tried to help other places out."

Phillips became the Bearcats' WR coach back in January, and he believes it's been nothing but positive in his first seven months on the job.

"It's been a great experience," Phillips said. "Coming back and seeing all the improvements that the program has made facility-wise and that the city has made, and also the university."

Phillips was on the Cincinnati staff back in 1997 and 1998, but the former Kentucky coach says it's a whole new ball game being there now.

"It's a different job than it was 20 years ago," Phillips said. "Being with coach Fickell, I'm not chasing any goals and I'm not chasing bigger money. I'm chasing good people, and I'm with a good person. I'm happy to be here with him."

For Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell, Phillips brings the experience necessary to take the next big steps to building a program.

"You need those guys on your staff that have obviously been in this situation, been in this position, been a head coach," Fickell said.

You can hear everything Fickell had to say about Phillips being on the Bearcat staff here: Above all else, it's great to see Phillips taking a break from the creepy recruiting tactics he created at Florida: