The Associated Press

WACO, Texas - Guy Morriss is leaving one rebuilding job for another.

After turning around Kentucky this season, Morriss, 51, is set to take over as head coach of a Baylor football program that fields one of the worst teams in the Big 12 Conference.

Morriss has resigned from Kentucky and will be formally introduced at Baylor during a new conference Wednesday.

Morriss was 9-14 in two seasons with the Wildcats, his first head coaching job. He took over at Kentucky when Hal Mumme resigned in February 2001 amid internal and NCAA investigations.

Kentucky was 7-5 this season, but wasn't eligible for a bowl because of NCAA sanctions.

Kentucky quarterback Jared Lorenzen said Tuesday he understood Morriss' decision to leave a program that appeared to be on the rise for one stuck at the bottom of the Big 12.

"It's a business decision. This is a business. That's what everybody needs to understand," Lorenzen said. "It's about money. He's not abandoning us at all.

"A couple of guys got a little emotional. It was tough, but we're happy for him."

While details of his Baylor contract weren't known, Morriss could make about $1 million annually at the Big 12's only private school.

Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart said Baylor outbid the Wildcats for Morriss, whose base salary at Kentucky was $400,000.

Barnhart said he sweetened Morriss' contract with performance incentives, but the coach told him it wasn't enough.

"Baylor comes along and puts together a package that's outstanding," Barnhart said. "If you're in Guy's shoes, you've got to look at those kinds of things for your family."

At Baylor, Morriss inherits a Bears program stuck in the Big 12 cellar.

The Bears were 9-36 over the past four years under former coach Kevin Steele and 1-31 in the Big 12. Steele lost his first 25 conference games.

And it wasn't much better before him.

Dave Roberts coached the Bears to consecutive 2-9 seasons in 1997-98. Chuck Reedy went 23-22 from '93-'96, including Baylor's last winning season, a 7-4 mark in 1995.

Baylor's last bowl appearance was in the 1994 Alamo Bowl. Its last bowl win came in the '92 John Hancock Bowl.

Given the recent history of quickly revolving doors at the coach's office, Morriss likely won't have much time to turn things around.

Reedy was gone after four seasons, Roberts only two. Steele was dumped before the end of his fourth season, when the school ran out of patience waiting for the team to show signs of life.

Steele was fired on Nov. 3 but was allowed to finish out the season. He coached the last three games, which Baylor lost by an average score of 51-9.

Like Steele did four years ago, Morriss takes over Baylor under dubious publicity.

Steele was well-regarded as an assistant coach with the NFL's Carolina Panthers but was relatively unknown to the public until TV cameras filmed his altercation with Panthers linebacker Kevin Greene during a sideline argument. Steele accepted the Baylor job a few days later.

This season, Morriss was on the losing end of one of the most bizarre and agonizing finishes ever, when LSU won 33-30 at Kentucky on a deflected 75-yard touchdown pass on the final play.

As the play unfolded, Morriss was sopping wet, having already been doused with Gatorade. Fireworks were exploding from the scoreboard and Wildcat fans were attacking a goal post. Then an LSU player caught the tipped ball and scored the winning touchdown.

Morriss is a native of Colorado City, Texas, and played offensive guard at TCU from 1969-72, earning All-Southwest Conference honors his senior season.

He then played 15 NFL seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots, appearing in two Super Bowls.