April 20, 2002
Interim Athletics Director, Terry Mobley
“I find this very appropriate that we are naming this street ‘The Jerry Claiborne Way.’ If you knew Jerry, played for him or knew him as a friend, he had a way about him. To know him was to love him. But there is more significance in his disciplined way of living. This facility (Nutter Training Facility) was built when Jerry was the coach. After he decided to retire (as football coach) he worked in the development office for a couple of years, where he helped raise money for the field house. That is where ‘The Jerry Claiborne Way’ will end. So it’s only fitting that the origination point here at the Nutter Training Facility to the ending point at the Nutter Field House is ‘The Jerry Claiborne Way.’
“For those of you who knew Coach Claiborne there was always a stream of players coming in and the message to them was ‘You will graduate, you will find a job.’ He never lost interest in those kids.”
Ted Bates, friend of Jerry Claiborne and past national president of the UK Alumni Association
“Jerry Claiborne gave his all to everything he entered into. His playing days he was highly competitive as he still holds the SEC record for most interceptions in a season in an era when there weren’t 11 games. He was vice-president of the National Football Association and was installed in 1999 to the College Football Hall of Fame.
“He gave it all to his marriage and children as everyone who knew him can attest. He gave everything to his coaching career and the two universities which he coached before he came here he turned their programs around. He found a program here that had been abused and in three years had credibility and respect attached to the program.
“He gave all to his religion. He would never press it upon you, but he was always willing to talk privately or publicly about his God and his beliefs in God.
“He gave discipline, honesty and true effort to the many boys he coached and inspired them to be as good as they could possibly be. He gave them a kind of self-assurance that they had never known before.
“Many young feet will walk this road out front at UK, seeking direction, learning, guidance, a foundation on which to build their lives. We here today, hope that the aura of the Jerry Claiborne way and his victory of the good life will be influential to many people.”
George Claiborne, brother of Jerry Claiborne
“Jerry and I were two of a large family. I was seventh and he was eighth of nine.It is my privilege to represent our family and I’m sorry his family couldn’t all be here. They are in Virginia, Maryland, Oregon and California.
“When Jerry resigned at Maryland to come to Kentucky I said, ‘What in the world are you thinking about?’ He had developed a real strong program in Maryland and he said, ‘You don’t know how hard I worked at this. I feel guilty not doing it at the university I am so fond of.’
“He did a great job of bringing our program back at Kentucky. Representing our family and his family is a great honor. If there is a right way, the Jerry Claiborne way is as close to it as anybody can get. We are mighty proud of him.”
