The Football Blitz

Imagine going back in time to the end of the 2006 college football season.  The Louisville Cardinals were playing in their first BCS Bowl Game since 1991. Coach Bobby Petrino had the Cardinals at the top — the best football program in school history consistently.  He had done what most thought was impossible at the University of Louisville after the departure of Coach Howard Schnellenberger.  John L. Smith helped rebuild the program after stooping to a 1-10 season under then coach Ron Cooper, but Bobby Petrino took it to new heights and gave the fans something to be excited about again.  Bobby Petrino, dubbed by some as an offensive genius, brought excitement to the game with his air it out offense and always had the respect of his players on and off the football field. 

The day Petrino resigned as the University of Louisville head football coach was a sad day for not only the football program and the university, but also the fans.  There was no question who the replacement would be.  Athletic Director, Tom Jurich, had already made that decision a year before.   If, and when Petrino left, Steve Kragthorpe (Tulsa) would be the new head coach.  There was no public coaching search, not even sure there were other interviews, and if there were they were just a formality, as nothing was made public.  Kragthorpe’s father Dave was once a college coach, most notably at Oregon State and his brother Kurt is a sports columnist for The Salt Lake City Tribune, still fans were told he came from a coaching pedigree.  One has to wonder if bringing Tulsa from bad to average and never coaching at a BCS school, not to mention only four years head coaching experience are the qualifications to coach a then Top 10 team coming off a BCS win.  Keep in mind, Tulsa only won two games in 2002 and Kragthorpe took over there in 2003.  Here is how Tulsa finished with Kragthorpe as the head coach.  In 2003 they went 8-5 and played in the Humanitarian Bowl.  The first bowl game Tulsa had played in since 1991.  In 2004, Tulsa finished 6^th in the WAC conference with a record of 4-8.  Playing his season finally in 2005 at the AutoZone Liberty bowl Kragthorpe achieved his best record as a head coach at 9-4.  His final season at Tulsa they finished 8-5 and played in the Armed Forces Bowl.  His overall record as a head coach in the WAC conference was 17-9.   Should there be more of a proven track record?  The fans could only trust in Tom, as they say in Louisville.  Hey, he had lured Rick Pitino to Louisville…this guy must be pretty good, right? 

What has ensued there since is a travesty.  In his first season at Louisville the Cardinals finished 6^th in the conference with a 6-6 record for 2007 and in 2008 they slipped to 5-7 and finished 8^th in the Big East Conference.  Louisville has been plagued with losing numerous players to disciplinary action or just leaving on their own accord.  The assistant coaching turnover has been horrendous.  There is no sense of continuity in the program with coaches, players, staff, etc.  Dig deeper and you see what appear to be signs of a chemistry problem, whether it is amongst the team, or the team not connecting with the coach, that remains to be seen.  Consistently, over the last three seasons you see numerous penalties on the field showing lack of discipline.  The worst penalty seen repeatedly in 2008 was 12 men on the field which happened often, not just one game. This signals a larger problem equaling lack of communication amongst the staff.

Now, it has been said, “We are building things the right way.”  What was there to rebuild?  Louisville, once a top 10 team, is now completely off the radar?  Yes, now they are rebuilding! Also, they are building a stadium expansion as well.  How will you sell the extra tickets with the program on the decline?  Hmmm, things that Mr. Jurich must think about.  Surely this thought has crossed his mind a time or two and give him credit, he has stood behind his coach.  However, with fans wavering, it may be time for him to voice a little displeasure, or at least acknowledge that he himself, like many others, is also unhappy with the turn of events occurring within the University of Louisville Football Program.  Something he has yet to publicly acknowledge.

No matter what you think of Steve Kragthorpe as a coach, one should admire him for his faith, family and football attitude.  No one should be judged or berated for their religious beliefs and family should come first.  It comes down to having a balance that can still make you a successful football coach.  Can one argue that Coach Kragthorpe can’t find the balance? Not unless one is in the Howard Schnellenberger football complex to witness Coach Kragthorpe’s work ethic, this shouldn’t even be an issue.  No one knows the hours he spends in the office, the hours with his family, or the way he runs his coaching staff.  Every head coach is different in these aspects.  His style of play, his coaching ability, no one has to like, but why take personal jabs at a man who is obviously struggling with his career right now?  He does have a wife and children living in the city of Louisville and one can only imagine how hard this is on them based on the reaction by many of Louisville’s fans. 

It comes down to this.  Coach Steve Kragthorpe is the head coach of the University of Louisville Football Program.  Until Tom Jurich does anything to change that, this is how it is.  Good, bad, or ugly the players and recruits at this fine institution deserve better than the negativity surrounding the program right now.  Yes, Mr. Jurich has the ability to change this situation.   If he won’t, I challenge you as fans to support these young men on the field and keep your opinions of Coach Kragthorpe strictly football related and not personal. Are you up for the challenge?