Back when Steve Kragthorpe suspended quarterback Matt Simms for the first four games of the 2008 football season, one wondered whether he would be around much longer.

Simms may have been seen the writing on the wall, probably sealed by Louisville’s successful recruitment of quarterback Adam Froman from Santa Rosa Junior College. Kragthorpe never seemed eager to play Simms, using him briefly in the Pittsburgh loss.

The word comes from Rick Bozich’s blog:

No official word on where Simms is headed, although it will probably be a junior college, where he would play for one season before returning to a Division I-A school without a year of inactivity.

His mother arrived from New Jersey to help him pack his belongings and head home today. Simms had returned to Louisville after the holidays for nearly a week. He worked out with teammates at the Trager Center for several days before making his decision to leave.

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We thought dad Phil Simms’ reaction was strangely guarded Sunday during a CBS broadcast of an NFL wildcard game when he was asked about the UofL-UK rivalry. “I grew up in Louisville,” he said. End of conversation.

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By Charlie Springer

Charlie Springer is a former Louisville editor and sportswriter, a public affairs consultant, a UofL grad and longtime fan.

9 thoughts on “Say Goodbye To Matt Simms”
  1. A lot of water to flow underneath the Cardinal bridge before lineups and depth charts are finalized. I sincerely hope that Jay Johnson isn’t going to be given the controls to the Cardinal offense and Brohm is reassigned or scuttled. Kragthorpe’s musical chair approach to coaching postitions has got to be frustrating and confusing to the players who have been in the program 3 or 4 years. Not that we have that many left, but you have to wonder what the current mindset of the guys is who came in here to play for Bobby Petrino and a team that had participated in the Gator Bowl and won the Orange Bowl? It’s like being promised a luxury ride in a Cadillac and finding yourself in a Kia Rio several years later.

  2. Froman will be the man. He has 4.5 speed, a good feel in the pocket, and the speed and quickness to get out of trouble. Passed for 320+ per game and led JuCo team to upset of #1 team in country. Jay Johnson will be new Off Coordinator. I believe Simms will go JC route and end up at his “other” top choice, Rutgers (home).

  3. Agree, not much of a surprise it was getting crowded at the QB spot unless someone made a position change.

  4. Speaking of “too many coaching changes” how in the world can any program be stable much less improve with a constantly shifting staff? I realize English left to be a head coach so let’s leave him out of the analysis. Does anyone know of a staff elsewhere with so many changes in less than three seasons? It makes me wonder who is doing the hiring and firing. It also makes me think of the little Dutch boy putting his finger in the dike. How many seasons will it take to get it right?

  5. Linda,

    I like Stoudt and if he proves to be the best in the fall, Go Stoudt Go. Unfortunately, next year we could have Redman, Green, Arnold Jackson and Deion Branch out there and still be hard pressed to break .500 Too many holes to fill, way too many tough road games and too many coaching changes.

  6. No surprise here at all. It’s not a great loss to U of L. No, not Froman….hello Zach Stoudt!! He’s the man (I hope).

  7. The news isn’t really surprising. A four game suspension. Minimal time on the field in the Pittsburgh blow out and no time on the field in the Rutgers romp. The repeated ESPN cutaways to Phil Simms standing alone in the bleachers watching, waiting for his son to appear in a game that was over by halftime. Going after Froman. The transfer of Justin Burke from NC State to the Ville. The parochial fan support for Tyler Wolfe. Hey, if it had been a “card game” Matt probably should have tossed his cards on the table after the suspension. Sometimes guys work out, and sometimes they don’t.
    Maybe Ron English could use a QB with a famous dad. Or Schiano brings him into the fold at Rutgers…Matt was a popular Jersey high school QB.

    We’ll say no prayers
    We’ll sing no hymms
    Hello Froman
    Goodbye Simms.

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