SEC loses another coach to the Big 12

Baylor Set to Name Morriss Football Coach
By Stephen Hawkins, AP Sports Writer

DALLAS (AP) - Kentucky coach Guy Morriss is set to become the second Southeastern Conference football coach in a week to jump to the Big 12.

Morriss will be introduced as the replacement for fired Baylor coach Kevin Steele during a news conference Wednesday in Waco, a source close to the Bears program confirmed Monday night.

The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Morriss was on the Baylor campus Monday before returning to Lexington, Ky., where he announced his resignation as the Wildcats' coach.

Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart confirmed the resignation Monday night, saying only that Morriss, a Texas native, resigned to take another coaching job.

"Baylor comes along and puts together a package that's outstanding," Barnhart said at a news conference Tuesday. "If you're in Guy's shoes, you've got to look at those kinds of things for your family. He's been in the game for an awfully long time. Those opportunities don't come along very often and for him to have the opportunity to do that for his family, my hat's off to him."

A team meeting for Kentucky players was scheduled Tuesday afternoon.

Barnhart said he wants a replacement for Morriss hired by Christmas. He says he has a list of possible replacements, though he did not identify any candidates.

"I want somebody who's not afraid to come in and win a championship," he said. "I want somebody who can talk about competing annually in the top half of this conference. I want someone who can talk about taking our kids to bowl games and letting them experience what it feels like to be in postseason play.

Dennis Franchione left Alabama — which like Kentucky is on NCAA probation — last week after a 10-3 season to become the new coach at Texas A&M, where he replaced fired 14-year coach R.C. Slocum.

Like Morriss, Franchione returned to Texas, having previously coached TCU for three seasons.

Steele was fired Nov. 3, but coached Baylor's last three games, all losses to cap a 3-9 season. Steele was 9-36 over four years and 1-31 in the Big 12.

The Bears lost their first 25 conference games under Steele before a 35-32 win over Kansas on Oct. 5.

The 51-year-old Morriss was 9-14 in two seasons as Kentucky's coach. He replaced Hal Mumme when the former coach resigned in February 2001 amid internal and NCAA investigations.

Kentucky was 7-5 this season, but wasn't eligible for a bowl because of NCAA sanctions. It was the Wildcats' first seven-win season since 1998, the final season for quarterback Tim Couch.

After the Wildcats won their first four games this season — their best start in 18 years — Barnhart rewarded Morriss by adding two more seasons to his contract, through the 2007 season.

The UK Athletics Association had expected to discuss Morriss' contract, and a possible raise, during its scheduled meeting Tuesday.

Morriss made $400,000 a year at Kentucky, including a base salary of $170,000 plus compensation for his radio and TV shows and the school's endorsement deal with Nike.

While details of his Baylor contract weren't known, Morriss could make about $1 million annually at the Big 12's only private school.

Morriss was on the losing end of one of the most bizarre finishes when LSU won 33-30 at Kentucky on a deflected 75-yard touchdown pass Nov. 9.

As the final play was still unfolding, Morriss was sopping wet — already doused with Gatorade — while fireworks were exploding from the scoreboard and Wildcats fans were attacking a goal post.

Morriss is a native of Colorado City, Texas, and played offensive guard at TCU from 1969-72. He played 15 NFL seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots, appearing in two Super Bowls.

After several assistant jobs in college and the pros, Morriss became Kentucky's offensive line coach under Mumme in 1997.

Morriss is expected to bring most of his Kentucky staff with him, including two former Baylor assistants: defensive coordinator John Goodner and offensive line coach Chris Lancaster.

 

Morriss leaves UK for Baylor, Departure follows 7-5 season
By Chip Cosby, Lexington Herald-Leader Staff Writer

Now, University of Kentucky Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart can add a football-coach search to his already long to-do list.

Guy Morriss, who took over the UK program two years ago after Hal Mumme's resignation amidst an NCAA investigation, accepted the head coaching position at Baylor yesterday.

Morriss and his wife, Jackie, returned home from Waco at about 9:15 last night to a scene of television cameras and reporters surrounding their house. Police officers were on hand to monitor the situation. Morriss immediately pulled into his garage and did not answer questions concerning the Baylor job, but UK issued a release late last night confirming his departure.

"I'm very appreciative of the contributions of Coach Morriss, his staff, and family, in laying the foundation for the rebuilding of Kentucky football," Barnhart said in the release. "We wish them the best as they take the next step in their lives and careers."

Baylor Athletics Director Tom Stanton fired Kevin Steele after the Bears finished 3-9 this season, their seventh consecutive losing campaign. Steele went 9-36 in four seasons at the school.

Stanton, reached at his home last night, declined comment on the Morriss situation, but The Associated Press reported that Baylor has scheduled a press conference for Wednesday to announce Morriss as coach.

The UK program was under NCAA siege when Morriss took over: It was hit with a three- year probation for rules violations by former recruiting coordinator Claude Bassett that included the loss of 19 scholarships and a ban on post-season play this year.

After going 2-9 in his first season, the Cats improved to 7-5 this year under Morriss, including a win over Southeastern Conference West champion Arkansas.

The UK Athletics Association has a board meeting scheduled for today, and Morriss's contract was originally slated to be on the agenda.

Morriss was granted a contract extension in September, and it was expected that both he and his assistants were going to be given pay raises.

Morriss's current contract pays him $400,000 annually. Reports out of Waco indicate that Morriss will at least double his pay in accepting the Baylor job.

The deal to bring Morriss to Waco apparently was put together quickly. Morriss said last Thursday that he had not been contacted by any representatives from Baylor. UK officials said Barnhart granted Stanton permission to speak with Morriss late Friday afternoon.

The Baylor program has struggled mightily in recent years, going just 13-54 over the last six seasons and losing 45 of 48 Big 12 Conference games over that same span.

 

Morris is from the area. He is just choosing to take a Big XII beating close to home instead of an SEC beating away from home.

 

The Bad News Bears are a thing of the past.

 

And doing it for double the money, I could live with that!

 

Anyone think Kentucky would be interested in Jackie Sherrill?

 

Sure they would be interested. Not sure how interested JS is in Kentucky. Saw his interview Saturday morning and he said MSU is his last stop. Of course I've heard that before. Apparently he is safe for another year at MSU anyway. I'm pretty sure he would have been canned by now.

 

Kevin Steele? Wasn't he the coach Kevin Greene went balistic on?

 

You are correct.

 

Baylor has a football team????













Kidding of course!