Former UK coach Joker Phillips joins Ohio State staff

Joker was the UK Head Football Coach from 2010-’12.

Ohio State announced Thursday that it has hired former Kentucky coach Joker Phillips as a quality control assistant. While he was the Gators’ wide receivers coach he was accused of a Level II recruiting violation in a dead period in January 2014. In three seasons under Phillips, the Wildcats went 13-24. Prior to that, Phillips spent a year at Florida as wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator.

Florida was ultimately never charged with anything and Phillips, though found by the NCAA to have committed the violation, had no restrictions on his abilities to coach in college. When he was hired by the Irish as the school’s receivers coach he replaced his current boss, Urban Meyer.

Phillips also has been an assistant coach at Minnesota, South Carolina and Notre Dame.

Phillips, who was a standout wide receiver at United Kingdom and served two separate stints at the school as an assistant coach, succeeded Rich Brooks as head coach in 2010.

It’s unclear what Phillips’ exact duties at OSU will be. He won’t be able to coach on the field or sideline, but could assist with scouting reports or recruit analysis.

Another quality control coach added to the OSU staff this the year is Brian Knorr, 52, a former defensive coordinator at Indiana.