Brian McCat
04-23-2008, 07:30 AM
By Mark Story
HERALD-LEADER SPORTS COLUMNIST
I'm not sure I've ever seen a first-year coach lose a fan base as quickly as Louisville's Steve Kragthorpe did during 2007's disappointing 6-6 season.
To produce the results he did at previously moribund Tulsa, Kragthorpe has to be a better coach than his first U of L team's play suggested. The quickest way for him to earn a buy-in from his players and to unify a restive fan base would be to put an opening-game smackdown on Louisville's archrival.
Since both the quarterback-experience advantage and the-coach-who-needs-it-most edge go to the Red and Black, Louisville should be sitting pretty by late on the evening of Aug. 30, right?
Well, as a former U of L football coach is wont to say, not so fast my friend.
To a degree that would have seemed stunning two seasons ago when U of L hung a 59-28 pasting on the Cats, there have been several signs since the 2007 football season ended that the UK program is now on firmer footing than Louisville's.
In recruiting, Kragthorpe & Co. felt the need to go for the quick fix with nine junior-college signees. That may work out, but such reliance on jucos is rarely a good sign for the overall health of a program.
At the end of spring practice, Brooks was confident enough about the overall depth of talent at UK to divide his team equally and play what was a passable version of a real game. Meanwhile, Kragthorpe had his offense scrimmage against his defense for the U of L spring game.
That probably doesn't mean much toward who will win on Aug. 30. It does suggest that the depth of football talent presently runs deeper on the east end of I-64.
http://www.kentucky.com/287/story/383168.html
HERALD-LEADER SPORTS COLUMNIST
I'm not sure I've ever seen a first-year coach lose a fan base as quickly as Louisville's Steve Kragthorpe did during 2007's disappointing 6-6 season.
To produce the results he did at previously moribund Tulsa, Kragthorpe has to be a better coach than his first U of L team's play suggested. The quickest way for him to earn a buy-in from his players and to unify a restive fan base would be to put an opening-game smackdown on Louisville's archrival.
Since both the quarterback-experience advantage and the-coach-who-needs-it-most edge go to the Red and Black, Louisville should be sitting pretty by late on the evening of Aug. 30, right?
Well, as a former U of L football coach is wont to say, not so fast my friend.
To a degree that would have seemed stunning two seasons ago when U of L hung a 59-28 pasting on the Cats, there have been several signs since the 2007 football season ended that the UK program is now on firmer footing than Louisville's.
In recruiting, Kragthorpe & Co. felt the need to go for the quick fix with nine junior-college signees. That may work out, but such reliance on jucos is rarely a good sign for the overall health of a program.
At the end of spring practice, Brooks was confident enough about the overall depth of talent at UK to divide his team equally and play what was a passable version of a real game. Meanwhile, Kragthorpe had his offense scrimmage against his defense for the U of L spring game.
That probably doesn't mean much toward who will win on Aug. 30. It does suggest that the depth of football talent presently runs deeper on the east end of I-64.
http://www.kentucky.com/287/story/383168.html
