Remember the march to the Orange Bowl. How indestructible University of Louisville football seemed to be? One went to every game confident of winning, expecting a big gainer every play. Fans planning their  Christmas holidays around annual bowl appearances.afans

The bawdiness that was Louisville football, a team dispatching the most of the opposition with impunity. Fans traveling to away games en masse.  The really big one, the Orange Bowl, the BCS game in 2006, attracting between 35,000 and 40,000 Louisville fans to Miami.

That was then, this is now.

Fans packing Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium in the opener, hoping for some improvement from a Steve Kragthrope-coached team after three years. Only to be disappointed. Only 23,000-plus showing for 12th and final game, still wanting some improvement, any signs of progress. Only to be disappointed.

The 2009 season finally ends with a 4-8 won-lost record, the wins over teams mediocre to poor. Any play over five yards considered good, anything above that surprising. The only threat Louisville can muster being the Trent Guy offense, the occasional breakaway punt and kickoff returns.

Anyone expecting anything much different during a fourth season of Kragthorpe is going to be disappointed. He won’t be on the sideline.






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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.

10 thoughts on “Going Away Party”
  1. espn.com is reporting that Kragthorpe is out. No replacement as of yet, several candidates to consider.

  2. Sonja – I believe I read on here that you sent Jurich a letter a few weeks back…just wondering if you ever got a response. SteveKo

  3. Opportunity, blown chances…a defense that could not stop the big play, long pass, continual 5-7 yard run after contact at the line of scrimmage. Just a typical afternoon of Cardinal football.

    Please, Mr. Jurich…restore some life back into this flatlining program. Make the announcement.

  4. a fourth year will get us another staff turnover, more JUCO transfers to replace players like trent guy and chris campa, and probably finishing 3-9, w/kragthorpe saying he still sees progress, we where just a few plays away, and most important, that we are on the cusp of competing for a big east championship.

    1. Excellent call. Except Kragthorpe would say that much, much faster in a monotone devoid of any real emotion.

  5. So what does a fourth year get us? 7-5? A “nothing” bowl? Mediocrity? Speaking for the fans(contrary to what some might say)it’s not OUR fault.

  6. What a joke. The weather was perfect but our team and coach were very far from it.

    48 rushing yards?? 0/3 on fourth down?? We can blown out in our own house. Rutgers scores TD in each of first four possessions …one play, Rutgers RB is hit early..then their O-line just manhandles UofL’s D and pushes into the end zone. Another TD. 23,422 in attendance -second smallest crowed this season.

    This game was an absolute joke for Coach K and our players…quitters. Missed tackles..not finishing plays…penalites…this team quit a long time ago.

    New coach and players with heart are much needed. Until then, we will continue to be the laughing stock of the Big East and one of the worst D-1 schools in the nation. Our program has fallen – we need to clean house. We have a handful of players who can compete at this level…that’s it. Many should be division 2 players. We need CHANGE!! Sound familiar??

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