Kentucky announces Nutter Field House practice field to be named after Rich Brooks

The Kentucky football program has announced that the new practice field inside UK’s Nutter Field House facility will be named after former head coach Rich Brooks and his wife, Karen.

Brooks was the head coach at Kentucky from 2003 through 2009 — the final stop in his collegiate coaching career. In that time, he led the Wildcats to a 39–47 overall record (16-40 in SEC play) and four-straight bowl games.

The former headman discussed the honor in a video posted by UK Football’s social media team, where he thanked donors Brett and Billie Jo Setzer for allowing his name to don the indoor practice field.

The field inside newly renovated Nutter Field House will be named Rich and Karen Brooks Field.

👏 @UKcoachbrooks pic.twitter.com/bF7AEw29ME

— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) July 10, 2023

“It’s obviously a very special moment,” Brooks said, via release. “It’s just a wonderful honor and I’m very grateful. … When I came here, we were on probation. I had 61 scholarship players to start and we were limited on how many we could replace each year. So, it took us into the fourth year to turn the program around.”

When Brooks took over the program in the early 2000s during a time of flux for then program, taking over for Guy Morriss who was only there for two years after Hal Mumme left. None Brooks’ first three teams won more than four games in a single season — and Big Blue Nation let him know about it.

One of the most passionate fanbases when it comes to college basketball, fans back then were desperate for anything positive regarding their football team. Brooks didn’t provide that at first, but pulled through and ended his career strong.

“I will remind you that I also had ‘Ditch Rich’ bumper stickers and t-shirts sold in the parking lots at football games at both places,” Brooks said. “So, before the success happened, there was a hard road to climb. So, there is humility that does come along with the honor of having such a special thing done in our game.

“That wasn’t in my mind. [I was] just trying to win enough games to be respectable and get into bowl games. To take the program back to a different level than it had been in a few years.”

Brooks retired from coaching football after the 2009 college season. He moved back to Oregon, where he coached the Ducks from 1977-1994, but returned to Lexington on September 23, 2016 for a special induction into the UK Athletics Hall of Fame alongside his most decorated Wildcat, Wesley Woodyard.