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Coaching Chaos: Louisville Dept.
Rumors started running late last week that Steve Kragthorpe (9) could be one-and-done at Louisville of his own volition, beating a hasty retreat to Conference USA bottom feeder SMU (10). Sources told The Dash that SMU is interested in Kragthorpe, who made a name for himself turning Tulsa into a mid-major power. The question is whether Kragthorpe, who has significant Texas ties, has reciprocal interest.
[+] EnlargeAl Messerschmidt/Getty Images
Steve Kragthorpe could be one-and-done at Louisville.
Initial indications were that Kragthorpe wanted to stay at Louisville, but a source Monday termed it "50-50" whether he'd jump if the SMU job were offered. At the very least, his first season with the Cardinals has been turbulent enough to conceivably make a man reconsider his career move up the food chain.
A preseason top 10 team, Louisville has spiraled to 5-6, bottoming out with a 55-17 loss at South Florida on Saturday that was the Cardinals' worst defeat in 20 years. Nobody saw that coming with the skill-position arsenal Louisville returned from its 2006 Orange Bowl champions. But then again, nobody foresaw a defensive collapse and massive off-field turmoil.
Kragthorpe has suspended and/or dismissed several players this season. Sources say he inherited a host of problems that former coach Bobby Petrino (11) minimized, managed or swept under the rug while compiling a 41-9 record in four seasons.
He also inherited half of Petrino's old staff in an arranged marriage that was encouraged by athletic director Tom Jurich (12). Given the way that's turned out, expect a complete staff overhaul in the offseason.
But the biggest disappointment for Kragthorpe might be the seemingly disproportionate fan outrage directed his way. A fan base that appears to have forgotten that Louisville was 1-10 a decade ago has criticized Kragthorpe relentlessly since early in the season, and a good number of them believe two seasons is at least one too many.
"If he rides this thing out, he's one tough guy," said one source close to the program.
Jurich is squarely in Kragthorpe's corner, which has to help. In fact, Jurich has staked so much of his career to Kragthorpe that he might be a flight risk himself if his coach decides to leave after one year. Jurich had been contacted earlier this year about replacing the retiring Dave Hart at Florida State (13) and Paul Dee at Miami (14).
Krappile take the SMU JOB, I BEG YOU
Rumors started running late last week that Steve Kragthorpe (9) could be one-and-done at Louisville of his own volition, beating a hasty retreat to Conference USA bottom feeder SMU (10). Sources told The Dash that SMU is interested in Kragthorpe, who made a name for himself turning Tulsa into a mid-major power. The question is whether Kragthorpe, who has significant Texas ties, has reciprocal interest.
[+] EnlargeAl Messerschmidt/Getty Images
Steve Kragthorpe could be one-and-done at Louisville.
Initial indications were that Kragthorpe wanted to stay at Louisville, but a source Monday termed it "50-50" whether he'd jump if the SMU job were offered. At the very least, his first season with the Cardinals has been turbulent enough to conceivably make a man reconsider his career move up the food chain.
A preseason top 10 team, Louisville has spiraled to 5-6, bottoming out with a 55-17 loss at South Florida on Saturday that was the Cardinals' worst defeat in 20 years. Nobody saw that coming with the skill-position arsenal Louisville returned from its 2006 Orange Bowl champions. But then again, nobody foresaw a defensive collapse and massive off-field turmoil.
Kragthorpe has suspended and/or dismissed several players this season. Sources say he inherited a host of problems that former coach Bobby Petrino (11) minimized, managed or swept under the rug while compiling a 41-9 record in four seasons.
He also inherited half of Petrino's old staff in an arranged marriage that was encouraged by athletic director Tom Jurich (12). Given the way that's turned out, expect a complete staff overhaul in the offseason.
But the biggest disappointment for Kragthorpe might be the seemingly disproportionate fan outrage directed his way. A fan base that appears to have forgotten that Louisville was 1-10 a decade ago has criticized Kragthorpe relentlessly since early in the season, and a good number of them believe two seasons is at least one too many.
"If he rides this thing out, he's one tough guy," said one source close to the program.
Jurich is squarely in Kragthorpe's corner, which has to help. In fact, Jurich has staked so much of his career to Kragthorpe that he might be a flight risk himself if his coach decides to leave after one year. Jurich had been contacted earlier this year about replacing the retiring Dave Hart at Florida State (13) and Paul Dee at Miami (14).
Krappile take the SMU JOB, I BEG YOU
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