Brooks retires as UK coach

University of Kentucky football coach Rich Brooks announced his retirement on Monday, ending a seven-year stint at UK in which he turned around a program saddled by NCAA probation and led them to an unprecedented four straight bowl games.
"I just felt it was time to make the change," Brooks said at a late morning news conference. "The losses take their toll."
Brooks finished with a career record 130-156-4 in 25 seasons as a head coach, including a 39-47 record at Kentucky.
"It's been a good ride," Brooks said, "a bumpy ride."
UK head coach for offense Joker Phillips, who was named as Brooks’ eventual successor in January 2008, now takes over the program.
"A younger person is in a better position to take the program forward," Brooks said. "This is a good time to change the leadership in the program."
Brooks leaves UK as the fourth-winningest coach in school history behind Paul "Bear" Bryant, Fran Curci and Jerry Claiborne.
Brooks also engineered a remarkable transformation at Oregon, turning around a historically losing program and leading them to the 1994 Rose Bowl before leaving to coach the St. Louis Rams in 1995-96.
"We are a program that is close to breaking into the Top 25," Brooks said of Kentucky. "The program is in good shape. It needs to be in better shape. ... The facility things need some attention. Those things are important to continue the progress of Kentucky football."
Brooks said he does not think he will have an official role in the UK program but will help as needed.
"Karen and I really enjoyed the Commonwealth," he said. "We will be around. I want to help if I can to take it to the next level."
Brooks said he had talked to UK officials about contract details. But he said even if he got everything he wanted, he still would have retired. "That was not the overriding thing," he said, but the last week it became clear to me I was at peace with this."