Kragthorpe at least through 2010: Better learn to love him

[Shannon]

After consultation with other fans, writers, scouts, players, player's families, ex-players, and people around the program, if you do not like Kragthorpe, better learn to love the guy.

I will just go ahead and predict this, before the 2009 season even starts.

From the recruiting for 2010, the new team morale and attitude, the new awesome coaching staff we have assembeled now with the new Jay Johnson, Brent Guy, and Antonio Goss as my 3 new favorites, Coach K is going to be here for a minute, at least through 2010, if not his full 5 year contract.

Just letting you know that IMO, Kragthorpe will be here through the 2010 season at least, if not through 2011, and quite possibly, for a LONG TIME AFTER.

Some of our fans had better find some way to learn to accept and embrace Coach K, or you are going to be very sad, for a very long time.

No way Tom is going to let K recruit the way he has, and risk a great class for 2010 to change their mind with a new coach, by letting him go after this season. (YES, I SAID GREAT 2010 CLASS)

Someone better call Jon Gruden and tell him to call Oregon and see if the OC job offer is still open for him, because we have a true player at the wheel down here in Louisville with some class.

Give em' hell the next 2-3 years minimum Kragthorpe!

The fans that actually matter are with you, and thanks for putting up with some of our weaker fans that are embarassing, keeping your chin held high, and conducting your business as a REAL man here at Louisville.

[Jeremy]

So if we don't like the football coach, we are weak fans and an embarassment? I have to disagree. I think that your assumption is not logically sound and frankly, marginalizes people who have given a lot to the Louisville program over the years. There's a difference in wanting a coach to lose and believing a coach is set up to fail. I think many jaded Kragthorpe haters just believe he's never going to have the chance to build something successful here. I think all true fans should have an opinion and if they feel that Kragthorpe isn't the guy for us, then who are we to judge them?
Embarassing? No. Maybe the Kragthorpe haters will eat crow after this season (or next?)...maybe not. But the passion behind such vehemently voiced opinions regarding certain coaches is what makes college athletics so great. Let's celebrate our differences and sidestep the fratricidal name-calling. We have plenty of other rivals on which to spend such energy.

[Terry Jackson]

Fratricidal...ok, now I'm going to the dictionary. Oh websters!

[Shannon]

No doubt. I am not too fond of the coach either, but I am not going to say the same thing, over, and over, and over, and over, and over, 1,000,000 different ways.

I thought you were supposed to support your team as a fan?

I am an idiot, so who knows.

I guess I could of stopped going to games when Cooper was here. I never knew I could just support when it suited me, and quit supporting when it didn't.

I am old school. Louisville will be my team until the day I die, even if we give Ron Cooper a lifetime contract.

Just the way I was raised.

To each their own Jeremy, and everyone is welcome to their opinion here.

Like I say, I am not happy with the production thus far, but Krag is driving the bus, and he is the coach of our kids, and IMO, it looks like Krag IS going to make the turn.

How do you think all these bashers will feel if Krag DOES turn it around, and is here for the long haul?

Going to be a lot of sad little Cards running around, but I will be ok either way, like believing in God for example.

What do I have to lose? Tom Jurich is in control; not me.

I just choose to support 24-7, and let the 2007 AD of the Year Tom Jurich handle the trifles like the coaches.

Tom is a football guy who was drafted by the Saints. He will fix whatever the problem is, as he always has.

Tom told us to shut the hell up and support, and I am just doing what the man says.

[Timothy Bryant]

I think if Kragthorpe doesn't win at least 6 games he's gone. He had his "it's on me now" press conference when he named himself coordinator. Louisville just can't afford the financial backlash that would occur if they kept him after a difficult season. You just can't expect people to keep forking out thousands of dollars a year for a football team that is non-bowl bound three years running. If I'm not mistaken over half of the teams in Division I make a bowl game. we were continually told by Jurich that he just wanted to 'survive' the first two years. I think this is the year he expects growth and improvement. I feel that he's backing his coach while he's here as any A.D. would. It's the smart play. If Krags has an 8 win season then Jurich can say he was behind him. If he has a 3 win season then Jurich can say he didn't see the improvement that he intended and move a different direction. At the end of this season Krags will either be canned or given an extension, and I think it's all in his hands and our boys in red. Here's hoping for 9 wins!!!

[Shannon]

Tim, I was actually thinking that, until I actually dug in deep, and really tried to see it from Jurich and Kragthorpe's eyes.

People think I am crazy, but Kragthorpe has not a complete 'fair shake', and I guess I actually feel bad for the guy. I guess I have become the dreaded, "Krag Apologist", that I used to bash people for being in 2007, before I was willing to even look at another side.

This is screwed up, but the more I read, research, and watch, the more I am liking Coach K as the days roll by. I think Tom feels bad for messing with his assistant hires in the past seasons. I think there was actually some player issues, and the staff was not cohesive.

Now, Krag has his full body of work that could of never worked for him in the first place, all resting on his shoulders on this one season.

I just think, if we play with passion this season, and look like a team that loves to play, Kragthorpe will be back for sure in 2010.

I understand football is not basketball, and you can not go grab a single good recruiting class and win an NC; does not work like that in football. Football is a TRUE team sport, and takes all members of the staff and the team to all be on the same page, and have the all important team morale.

We will see. Kragthorpe may never make it at Louisville, but as a washed-up athlete, and a guy who is remotely educated with a couple of degrees, I for some reason have been a decent evaluator and scout. I saw Rajon Rondo at Seneca park playing a pick-up game with garcia and Dean on the other team, and Rajon was 'unstoppable' literaly. I had to argue with Bozich for 4 years over Rondo and how Tubby's system was not right for the type of player that Rondo was, and he was out of his head about Rondo. Well, he is setting record with Larry Bird now for triple-doubles at the Celtics.

Bozich came out with an article about 18 months ago, "Rondo, I was wrong".

Well, no shit Bozich.

Anyways, JMO, Kragthorpe will show marked improvement, and will be here for 2010, with his own staff and players in place, and a nice 2010 class materializing.

[Timothy Bryant]

Well I think if we lose this year it will be because of silly mistakes and a lack of depth. The lack of depth can almost squarely fall on Kragthorpe's shoulders. He's the one that plugged in junior college players and he's introducing his third recruiting class. And yes I give him credit for his first class. It was a step up from what I think we saw this past year. However, the Petrino was the devil card is about maxed out and if we have depth issues, we need to start looking at Kragthorpe. That being said, part of his issues are definitely his own fault. He's turned over his coaching staff three times and he needs to sink or swim with the guys he has now. If I see new coordinators again next year, they better be standing next to a new coach. It's fair to say this is as important a year as I can remember for Cardinal Nation. Here's hoping your right about a fourth year, but if he can't make a bowl in three years, with Arkansas State, Indiana State, Syracuse, and Southern Miss on the schedule, then he's proven himself a failure and needs to get a fresh start somewhere else. I'm not trying to be negative, just trying to look at it from the same perspective I would any team. I hope he wins, because I don't really want to have to rebuild with a new coach, but we can't keep him around without an extension, and you can't give an extension to a coach who hasn't had success on the field and has left many people scratching their heads after games like last year vs. Rutgers.

[Shannon]

Very good assessment Tim, and I agree.

I am basing my synopsis on what I have seen the previous two seasons in the pre-season, compared to now.

Scott Long was AMPED, telling the rest of the receiving core, "Look out there (stadium empty), you see how they are looking at us. If we want respect, we have to TAKE it"!, as Trent Guy ran the drills like a Nazi General.

The WR core even has a little 'chant/song/get hyped up ritual', they do with their arms around each other swaying, bent over in a circle. My point is, it shows unity, and I have not seen that in the past two seasons.

I just do not think it is about Kragthorpe anymore at this point. It is about them, and everybody telling them they can't do it, and that they are nothing nationally.

I am with this team more than ANY EVER in the past. They have everyone looking down at them, no respect, people hate the coach........

We are the God damn TITANS!!! We are going to come together as a team and a staff, and turn this bitch around.

JMO.

We had a good-lookin' Spring with a new passion and intensity, UK billboard material in the locker room to keep em' hungry, and I like Coaces Goss and Johnson, and think we have a great staff with Delgado and Guy too.

I am ready to rock this seasons ass off!!!

[Brad Barker]

I couldnt have put it better Shannon. I know you've seen and heard more about this team than I have, but what I seen and heard is something like I have never seen from a U of L football team or its coaching staff. I mean when you have Chichester, Anderson, and a few others (mind has gone blank) step up and become vocal leaders that means something to me, hello they are only sophomores and they want to lead this team back to greatness. I stand behind this team like no other team before it.

[Shannon]

Agreed. Sure we have a few issues perhaps, but damn, Vic Anderson and Noel Devine are the two best in the BEAST, not to mention Tronzo, Powell, and the great Darius Ashley. The WR and LB cores are thick as thieves, the TE spot is off the chain with blockers and 'offensive' tools like Graham and Ball, (5) senior safties complimented with the new Mr. Simien at 6-3 with 4.5 speed taking reps with the first team 10 days off the bus, Caldwell at CB now from WR.....an AWESOME move for Jaques and the team.

Evinger the 4-star lineman is here, Kamran Joyer is a MONSTER on the line for depth too......

Peake is moved to LB and made a diving INT in practice......

Raglin and Patrick as flagships in the secondary at S and CB respectfully.......

If our O-line and D-line pull their weight, this is going to be a good team, and I am even optimistic with Gnat, Savoy, Scruggs, Kiernan, and Scott (Scott will probably move to DT) and OMG, BIG Dex Heyman headhunting from the DE spots with SPEED. I am just concerned with the DTs really on the D-line actually. We should be good at DE this year, with stopping power and speed combined!

Man, I am hyped!!!!

[Jeremy]

Great prediction Shannon...I can see the passion in the locker room in Long's face during his postgame conference after the UK loss. This is a team with grit and heart--something that was visibly missing the last 2 years. The coaching mistakes were still present but it was an improvement. Kragthorpe has 2 more games to prove he's turned this thing around but if UL loses both games I don't think the fans will ever be able to accept him as a head coach and I'm not sure if he'll be set up to succeed in the future at this university.
I love our players no matter what happens...fun to see some passion out there.

[Terry Jackson]

I don't know how long Kragthorpe will be here but I'm being more and more convinced that he is not the right guy for this job. Red zone play calling sucked, no doubt about it ( sorry, couldn't help myself). Don't even get me started about that 4th and 1 call, ask Shannon how I felt about it. When this went down the first thing that came to my mind was Paul's post earlier in the week about CSK saying he had a few wrinkles to show.

OK I have to go take some more blood pressure meds now. As soon as I can get that under control I may go back and try to watch the game again, then again, maybe I won't. DAMN, I hate losing to those rat basturds!

[Sonja]

It is going to be very hard for a lot of the Kragthorpe bashers to learn to like the guy if he does stay thru the 2010 season...which I also think he will. A long conversation with very influential member of the board of trustees Saturday when I was in Lexington leads me to believe this. At his/her request, I am not mentioning any names. This particular member of the boards is very negative toward internet chatter and speculation and basically believes that the Kragthorpe situation is one that Tom Jurich, and only Tom Jurich should make determinations on. This person also commented that undue pressure on Jurich could make him wonder about whether he would want to remain here or not.

Gang, we DO NOT want to lose Tom Jurich.