Kentucky Coach Quits Following Probe
L E X I N G T O N, Ky., Feb. 6, 2001 -- Kentucky football coach Hal Mumme resignedtoday following months of investigation into possible NCAAviolations.
Mumme was replaced by Guy Morriss, an assistant coach atKentucky with more than 15 years of NFL playing and coachingexperience. Morriss was given a one-year contract, athleticdirector Larry Ivy said at a news conference.
"I met with coach Hal Mumme this afternoon and officiallyaccepted his resignation as head football coach," Ivy said.
The move came the day before high school players are allowed tosign letters-of-intent with college programs.
Mumme was 20-26 in four seasons with the Wildcats. He has madeno public comment since the school began an internal investigationin November regarding recruiting.
Former Assistant Had Admitted Bribes in January
Former assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Claude Bassettin January admitted sending $1,400 in money orders to a Memphis,Tenn., high school football coach and improperly cashing a $500check donated by a booster to help fund Mumme's summer footballcamp.
Ivy told the school's board of trustees last month that theinvestigation had uncovered several violations, some of which wouldbe deemed major by the NCAA. He said at the time there had been noevidence linking Mumme to any of the violations.
Since that announcement, several newspaper reports said thatKentucky assistant coaches had asked boosters for money to help payfor recruits to attend Mumme's football camps, a violation of NCAArules. The school could not provide proof that nearly 20 recruits,including Kentucky Mr. Football Montrell Jones, paid the fee toattend Mumme's camp last summer.
Morriss has spent the last four seasons at Kentucky after oneyear at Mississippi State. An All-Southwest Conference guard atTexas Christian, Morriss played 15 seasons in the NFL — 11 inPhiladelphia and four with New England.
Morriss coached with New England and Arizona in the NFL and hadstints at Valdosta State and with San Antonio of the CanadianFootball League.
From Obscurity to Fan Favorite
The 48-year-old Mumme was a virtually unknown head coach atDivision II Valdosta State when he was hired by former athleticsdirector C.M. Newton in 1997 to replace Bill Curry, who was firedafter a 26-52 record in seven years at Kentucky
An offensive innovator, Mumme brought with him a wide-openpassing attack that showcased the talents of quarterback Tim Couch.Under Mumme, Couch rewrote the Southeastern Conference record bookand became the top pick in the 1999 NFL draft.
"Mummeball," as his aggressive style of play became known,ignited renewed fan interest in a languishing program. Following a5-6 record his first season, the Wildcats went 7-5 and 6-6 the nexttwo years and played in back-to-back bowl games — a feataccomplished only twice previously in the 109-year history of theprogram.
After boasting that his squad was ready to challenge perennialSoutheastern Conference powers Florida and Tennessee entering the2000 season, the Wildcats lost their final eight games to finish2-9.
Following the team's season-ending blowout loss at Tennessee,Mumme released four assistant coaches, including Bassett. Severalrecruits have said Mumme told them he definitely would beKentucky's coach next season and he expected any possible NCAAsanctions to be minimal.