Staff Directory
- Title:
- Assistant Head Coach | Wide Receivers
- Email:
- Phone:
- (919) 515-7062
KENTUCKY '85
38th year in coaching, 5th at NC State
Joker Phillips has coached in the collegiate and professional ranks during his 38-year career, serving as an assistant, a coordinator, an assistant head coach and head coach.
PLAYING EXPERIENCE:
COLLEGE - As a wide receiver at Kentucky, finished his career fifth on the school receiving list with 75 receptions for 935 yards and nine touchdowns. PROFESSIONAL - Played two seasons in the NFL with Washington (1985 and 1987) and spent one year (1986) with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.
EDUCATION:
Earned a B.A. in advertising from Kentucky in 1986.
PERSONAL DATA:
Born May 12, 1963 in Franklin, Kentucky.
BOWL EXPERIENCE:
AS A PLAYER - 1983 Hall of Fame Classic, 1984 Hall of Fame Classic; AS A COACH - NC State - 2024 GoBowling Military Bowl, 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl, 2022 Duke’s Mayo Bowl, 2021 Holiday Bowl*; Ohio State: 2016 Fiesta Bowl; Minnesota: 2000 MicronPC.com Bowl, 1999 Sun Bowl; Cincinnati: 1997 Humanitarian Bowl; Kentucky: 2010 BBVA Compass Bowl, 2009 Music City Bowl, 2008 Liberty Bowl, 2007 Music City Bowl, 2006 Music City Bowl, 1993 Peach Bowl.
COACHING HIGHLIGHTS:
Overall:
Overall:
- Has experience coaching in the college and professional ranks, has served as a coordinator and head coach.
- 11 of his wide receivers have gone on to become NFL draft picks.
- Worked with Pack QB coach Kurt Roper at Kentucky (2005) and with the Cleveland Browns (2015).
- Named one of the nation’s top recruiters by SI.com and Rivals.com.
At NC State:
- WR Emeka Emezie was a second-team All-ACC selection in 2021. Ememzie also set a new school record for most career receptions (229), and ranks third all-time in receiving yards (2,895) and sixth in TD catches (19).
At Maryland:
- In 2019 and 2020, Phillips coached All-Big Ten wide receiver Dontay Demus Jr. at Maryland and helped the Terps’ offense score 142 points in the first two games of the ‘19season (79 - Howard, 63 - #21 Syracuse), the most by a Big Ten team since 1936 (Ohio State, 1996) and the third most by any FBS team over that span. Demus ranked eighth in the Big Ten in receiving last season.
At Cincinnati:
- Bearcats went 11-2 and downed Virginia Tech in the 2018 Military Bowl.
- Under his tutelage, wide receiver Kahlil Lewis ranked seventh in the American Athletic by averaging 4.3 receptions per game for 782 yards and nine touchdowns.
At Kentucky:
- Became the first coach in Kentucky history to lead the team to a bowl game in his first season (BBVA Compass Bowl), and he won more games than any first-year UK coach since Blanton Collier in 1954.
- As offensive coordinator in 2007, he guided Kentucky’s offense to a school record 475 points. That season he also helped the Wildcats defeat No. 1 LSU, 43-37.
At Minnesota:
- Guided All-Big Ten wide receiver Ron Johnson, who went on to play for the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens.
At Notre Dame:
- In his year at Notre Dame, Phillips placed two wideouts in the NFL, Javin Hunter and David Givens.
At South Carolina:
- In 2002, Gamecocks newcomer Troy Williamson earned SEC All-Freshman honors that year and went on to become the No. 7 pick in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft.
YEAR BY YEAR WITH JOKER PHILLIPS
| Year(s) | School | Position |
| 1988-89 | Kentucky | GA |
| 1990 | Kentucky | Asst. Recruiting Coordinator |
| 1991-96 | Kentucky | Wide Receivers |
| 1997 | Cincinnati | Wide Receivers |
| 1998 | Cincinnati | Defensive Baks |
| 1999-00 | Minnesota | Wide Receivers |
| 2001 | Notre Dame | Wide Receivers |
| 2002 | South Carolina | Wide Receivers |
| 2002-04 | Kentucky | Wide Receivers/Recruiting Coordinator |
| 2005-08 | Kentucky | Offensive Coordinator/WR |
| 2009 | Kentucky | Head Coach of the Offense/WR |
| 2010-12 | Kentucky | Head Coach |
| 2013 | Florida | Wide Receivers/Recruiting Coordinator |
| 2015 | Cleveland Browns | Wide Receivers |
| 2016 | Ohio State | Offense Quality Control |
| 2017-18 | Cincinnati | Wide Receivers |
| 2019-20 | Maryland | Co-Offensive Coordinator/WR |
| 2021-pres. | NC State | Assistant Head Coach/WR |
