Louisville coach Steve Kragthorpe was fired today by Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich, a person with knowledge of Jurich's decision told FanHouse.Jurich called a press conference Saturday to announce the decision, saying, "I felt we needed to go in another direction and get this program back on the track. ... I was hoping we'd get over the hump this year. I thought we could get through the year and really build some momentum and obviously that didn't happen."
Kragthorpe was 15-21 in three seasons at Louisville. The Cardinals finished 4-8 (1-6 in the Big East) this season, their second consecutive losing season under Kragthorpe.
Because of Jurich's ties to the Mountain West Conference – he was athletic director at Colorado State before coming to Louisville – possible replacements include TCU's Gary Patterson and Utah's Kyle Whittingham. Other possibilities include Florida defensive coordinator Charlie Strong and Houston's Kevin Sumlin. Past media reports also have mentioned Texas Tech's Mike Leach and former Tampa Bay Bucs coach/current ESPN analyst Jon Gruden as likely candidates.
In January 2007, Kragthorpe replaced Bobby Petrino, but was unable to match the success UL had under Petrino, which included the 2006 Big East and Orange Bowl championship. Kragthorpe's best season at UL was his first in 2007, when the Cardinals went 6-6 but did not receive a bowl bid.
After Friday's 34-14 loss to Rutgers, Kragthorpe was asked about his future. Kragthorpe, who has two years remaining on his contract that pays about $1.1 million a year, said he expected to return.
"I don't think we're that far away," Kragthorpe said. "It's frustrating for everyone. As frustrated as the fans are, I'm as equally or more frustrated. We're on track. Hopefully I'll get another year.
"I want to be here and be the guy that gets this thing back to where we need to be. I think this thing is close to us winning eight or nine games without a doubt."
Because of the Cardinals' struggles, two of Louisville's final three home games had the smallest crowds in Papa John's Cardinal Stadium history. The Oct. 31 game against Arkansas State drew 21,497, the smallest in the stadium's 11-year history and Friday's loss to Rutgers drew 23,422, the second-smallest.
Louisville is in the midst of expanding its stadium from 42,000 to 55,000 and it's scheduled to be completed in 2010.
Kragthorpe came to Louisville after three seasons at Tulsa, where he was 29-22 and won the Conference USA title in 2005.
"You're miserable when you don't win games," Kragthorpe said on Monday about his job status. "Ultimately that's how you're judged as a head coach.
"I know how this thing works as a head coach. We haven't won enough football games right now."
Contact FanHouse reporter Brett McMurphy at brettmcmurphy@gmail.com
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
So we keep Pitino the guy who wins but did....and fire the football coach because he does not win and did not....Way to show your ethics Louisville.
Uh, last I checked, in the sports world it is about winning games, not who the coach does or doesn't screw in his personal life. Pitino isn't in the running for Pope.
Maybe it is time to get rid of some of the lazy football players that can't even walk from a parking lot or dorm on campus and have to park illegally in the handicap spaces in front of the JA building. Or how about getting rid of the ones spending so much time partying and smoking weed rather than on doing their school work?? Very sad when these "student athletes" are allowed to be disruptive and the coach makes them run laps even earlier in the morning so they sleep in class or find other ways to ignore the Professors. Maybe if these issues were corrected at Louisville the football team could do something more than be represented by some wannabe thugs.
AS IT SOULD BE !!! Steve K. is NOT a top notch coach. AS FAR AS WHAT KIND OF PERSON HE IS ... THAT is NOT what WINS FOOTBALL GAMES. JURICH is A POOR EXCUSE FOR HIRING HIM IN THE FIRST PLACE. JURICH SHOULD ALSO BE REPLACED!!!!
HEY ...HOW ABOUT FIRING PAUL WULLF AT W.S.U....????...THIS GUY NEEDS TO GO BACK TO COACHING JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL ....MAKES HIS QUARTERBACK LOOK TO THE SIDELINES EVERY PLAY ...FOR WHAT ..???..ITS RUN ON 1st ..RUN on 2ND..THROW ON 3rd ...PUNT on 4th ..BEEN THAT WAY ALL YEAR ...THIS COACH IS A MORON ...GIVES THE QUARTERBACK NO TIME CK OFF MATCHUPS WITH THE DEFENSE ...USUALLY THE QUARTERBACK SPENDS MOST OF HIS TIME RUNNING FOR HIS LIFE .....I CANNOT WATCH ANOTHER W.S.U. GAME UNTIL PAUL WULLF GETS FIREDV OR RESIGNS ....A DIEGUSTED COUGAR ..j.t.
HOW ABOUT FIRING PAUL WULLF AT WSU..???...I'VE SEEN BETTER PLAY CALLING AND BETTER COACHING AT THE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL THAN WHAT THAT IDIOT PUTS OUT ON THE FIELD ..!!...MAKES HIS QUARTERBACK STOP AND LOOK AT THE SIDELINES IN BETWEEN EVERY PLAY ..LEAVING NO TIME TO SIZE UP DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS ...QUARTERBACK SPENDS MOST OF HIS TIME ..RUNNING FOR HIS LIFE ..AS ITS RUN ..RUN...PASS...PUNT....wsu must have set the single season record for most sacks by their quarterback ...I REFUSE TO WATCH ANOTHER WSUB FOOTBALL GAME UNTIL PAUL WULLF IS GONE ..!!..j.t.
Get over the Pitino crap already it's long been over with. If your ethics is the issue then you shouldn't be watching any sports anyways. Fire Jurich now that would be a stupid move the man has done good for Louisvilles athletic program with exception of the Kragthorpe hiring. It was definately time for the head coach position to be addressed kragthrope jumped into a position that he was not suited for. I just hope that the fans will give the new coach a chance to right the ship before the jump all over the new coach.
Boy have I got a deal for you guys,,,, I mean, gosh, I sure hope no one figures out what a steal Rich Rod would be from Michigan. No way, I hope you guys never steal him away from us. Not even if we had to pay the balance of his salary to get rid of, I mean have him stolen away.
Isn't it funny how there are fans who collectively calls for the head coach's head when winning isn't a habit? But do these same fans apply for the head coaching job, as in this case, Louisville, and see if they can turn that program around? I don't see that happening either.
Why dont YOU apply, since you seem to know so much about the situation.
lets change subjects;;;;
Only 2 more games left for the Tebow Gators
I'll be happy to see him go,than maybe the media will see that there is more than one person on the field,,,I am tired of Tebow Tebow Tebow there is more to Gators than Tebow
Thanks for the hard work coach. It just didn't work out.
GOD HELP THIS NATION AND FORGIVE US......