Louisville football coach Steve Kragthorpe is going back to his offensive roots in an effort to jump-start his struggling program.
After two disappointing seasons with a combined record of 11-13, Kragthorpe will take over the play calling duties for the Cardinals next season.
Former offensive coordinator Jeff Brohm has been hired at Florida Atlantic, where he will work as an assistant focusing on quarterbacks, under Howard Schnellenberger, according to the program's Web site.
So Kragthorpe, who last did all the play calling at Texas A&M from 1998-2000, gets to lead from the front and practice what he's been preaching to his players since taking over for Bobby Petrino two years ago.
"We have a saying in our program, it's 'Show me,'" Kragthorpe said. "That's how I've always been. I always told the guys at Texas A&M, when I was offensive coordinator there and I was calling the plays, 'Hey, if you want the ball, show me. Show me during the week of practice that you're the guy that deserves to have the ball when we tee this thing on game day.'"
Now, Kragthorpe knows he will have to answer directly for everything on the offensive side of the ball. That's the way he wanted it.
"I want to be the guy that's scrutinized," he said. "I want to be the guy that's the point guy. I'm fully comfortable in that role. I'm fully aware of what that role entails, and so there will be no gray area in terms of that."
Kragthorpe would not blame Brohm or last season's starting quarterback Hunter Cantwell for Louisville's offensive problems, insteady saying the program just needed some changes.
"Jeff's been a great quarterback here and has done a good job in terms of the coaching part of it," Kragthorpe said. "I just wanted to go a different direction and that's just one of the things I felt like I needed to do."
Kragthorpe knew he risked making a lot of people angry by replacing Brohm, knowing the family's connection with the community and the university.
Brohm has been a member of the Cardinals' coaching staff for six years and still is near the top in several career passing categories after starting at quarterback for the Cardinals for three years, including being named team MVP in 1992 and 1993. Brohm's brothers Greg and Brian, and father Oscar also played for Louisville, and Greg is the program's director of football operations.
"Certainly, I understand the magnitude of this decision, simply because of the Brohm family," Kragthorpe said. "It's something I was very cognizant of -- the negative backlash, if you will."
Kragthorpe also announced the hiring of wide receivers coach Jeff Lewis and quarterbacks coach and passing coordinator Matt Wells.
Kragthorpe and Wells previously worked together at Tulsa. Wells was tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator from 2002-06 while Kragthorpe was head coach there.
Kragthorpe says Brohm had the option of staying with the program, but not in a coaching capacity.
As for Kragthorpe, he's used to his own job being on the line.
"I think your future's in doubt every year as a football coach," Kragthorpe said. "I think you're being scrutinized every year. I think you're being judged every year and I don't look at this year different than any other year."