LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Kentucky president Lee Todd was not aware of NCAA violations at Oregon 21 years ago before hiring Rich Brooks as the Wildcats' new football coach.

Todd said Tuesday he was "disappointed'' that athletic director Mitch Barnhart did not tell him about the violations while Brooks was coach.

Hours after Brooks was hired on Monday, he admitted that Oregon was sanctioned by the NCAA in 1981 for violations committed by an assistant coach.

Brooks coached at Oregon from 1977-94.

The assistant resigned and Brooks was never linked to the violations, which involved academic fraud and players obtaining free plane tickets.

Barnhart admitted he never mentioned the violations to Todd, even as Kentucky's hiring process drew to a close.

"I did not believe the information was pertinent to the UK search. I now realize I was wrong,'' Barnhart said in a statement released Tuesday night. "I should have shared all the information I had with Dr. Todd.''

Kentucky faces two more years of probation and scholarship reductions for recruiting violations committed under former coach Hal Mumme, who resigned in February 2001.

Mumme's successor, Guy Morriss, left Kentucky on Dec. 9 to become the coach at Baylor.

Todd defended the selection of Brooks, but said Barnhart was wrong not to tell him about the violations at Oregon.

"I am disappointed we didn't know in advance about the NCAA violations involving the University of Oregon,'' Todd said in a statement. "However, having that knowledge now, and the fact that Rich Brooks has had an excellent record for the last 20-plus years, I am confident we made the right choice.''

Barnhart apologized.

"I am sorry for the embarrassment I have caused Dr. Todd, Coach Brooks and the university,'' Barnhart said.

Todd met with Barnhart on Tuesday.

"As a result, I assure you Mitch now fully understands that I want to know any detail that affects the credibility and integrity of the university's athletics program,'' Todd said. "I have very high expectations about how UK's athletics department conducts its business. I have made it clear to Mitch that in this situation, he did not meet those standards.''

Todd said he supported Barnhart and would have supported the hiring even if he had known about the violations.

"By all accounts, he has run solid, compliant programs at the college and professional level,'' Todd said. "I believe Rich Brooks is a man of integrity and I am confident he will take the UK football program to the level we all want to achieve.''