Where do we go from here?

A question that everyone — athletic directors, coaches, players and fans — ask after a coach announces a retirement, a resignation or is fired.

Which is exactly where UK is now. No, Rich Brooks has not officially announced his retirement. But 80 percent is a pretty strong indication of someone’s desire. It’s more likely than the remaining 20 percent is to avoid any type of knee-jerk announcement.

In fact, I think you’d be hard pressed to find very many who believe Brooks isn’t gone. So, on the thought that he is, what happens to the players, to the coaching staff and the recruits?

The good news — little, if anything — changes because of the past couple of years. In 2008, Joker Phillips was named Brooks’ successor. Don’t expect Randy Sanders to go anywhere either — his change in title to offensive coordinator this year is the same type of treatment Phillips has been getting for two years. Why change the title if you don’t plan to keep Sanders after Brooks leaves?

The recruits? Phillips said after Saturday’s game that the coaching staff has been honest with recruits that Brooks probably wouldn’t be the head coach for the next four years. Many have openly said in media reports that the Brooks’ retirement doesn’t affect their commitments.

But the trickiest question is the coaching staff. Who stays? Who goes?  Phillips and Sanders should stay, but its no secret that the Cats don’t have the recruiting prowess on their staff that many of the other schools have.  In places like Tennessee and Alabama, every coach on staff is a top-notch recruiter or else they aren’t on staff.

UK doesn’t have the pedigree of those schools or the recruiting advantages, but you get the point.

Which is why UK fans shouldn’t expect much change if the staff doesn’t. Right now, the Cats have a coaching staff that recruits OK and coaches pretty well, consistently getting UK to bowl games. They have an offense that is pretty predictable. All in all, UK is the shining example of mediocrity — a team that hovers around .500, with an OK offense and an OK defense, a staff full of good coaches but nothing special.

If Phillips keeps most of the staff, keeps the same offense and doesn’t change much, what’s next for the UK football program is much of the same. Middle of the road seasons, with a few exciting upsets but no real movement up the Southeastern Conference ladder.

But if Phillips decides to bring in some young recruiting coaches to replace any potential departures or forced departures, opens up the offense and pulls in top 25 recruiting classes year in and year out, fans can expect the next level in SEC football. Bowl games in Florida, more road wins and high SEC finishes.

Maybe that’s why Brooks is likely stepping aside anyway, to allow Phillips to accomplish those tasks set before him. With a head coach in waiting already designated, it’s odd that there is much of a choice for what’s coming next. But the choices are simple.

Stay in place or shake things up and move forward.

What’s it going to be, Joker?

Kenny Colston is a journalism senior. E-mail kcolston@kykernel.com.