Latarrius Thomas is gone

Awesome.

Safety Latarrius Thomas said tonight that he is leaving the University of Louisville football team, although he is not sure where he is headed.

Thomas said he wanted either to follow former U of L defensive coordinator Ron English to Eastern Michigan or to reunite with Bobby Petrino at Arkansas. But he said U of L head coach Steve Kragthorpe would not grant him a release to either school.

"I'm not going to be playing here during the spring or next season," Thomas said. "I told him I'm not going to be here, it's just a matter of where I'm going to go from here."

Thomas said he met with Kragthorpe on Tuesday and mentioned Florida State as another alternative. He said Kragthorpe would allow his release to FSU.

"He gave me his reasons why I should stay," said Thomas of their meeting. "It wasn't a bad meeting, we're not on bad terms. I'm pretty sure he'd like for me to stay here, I just don't feel like it's the right place for me anymore."

Pretty sure LT was the last remaining starter from the Orange Bowl team. By all accounts he was an extremely nice person and I wish him well wherever he ends up.

10 months ago Mike Rutherford 26 comments 0 recs |

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Comments

So much good football news.

Simms didn’t really bother me, but this sucks. It’s like Kragthorpe is determined to run this program into the ground, and so far, he’s doing a fine job.

by CARD_G6 on Jan 8, 2009 8:45 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Well

that sucks!

by thecraphead on Jan 8, 2009 9:57 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Jurich is right

This is rebuilding. On a 10 year scale.

Go Cards!

by Red Rage on Jan 9, 2009 12:26 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Tell me this

Tell me what Coach has lost more players from when he first stepped foot on campus through their first 2 years. 22 players off our team just last year for which ever reason you want to draw out of a hat. Now players are just deciding “meh. this coach and losing ain’t for me. I’ll just leave.”
Here’s something to think about. When Pitino told Sosa to think about leaving HE HIT A F’N GAME WINNER AGAINST “THE TEAM NAMED AFTER OUR STATE”
This guy has yet to beat “the team named after our state”.

This is just the continuation of the downward spiral that is Coach Steve Kragthroupe. Sure he won a couple games (Cincy 2 years ago, South FL last year.) But those wins only buy you one week until we just lost 7 days later. A bowl win i guess buys you a couple more years.

This is getting bad. A Quality player too.

Good Luck Somewhere Else. Have Fun Winning…. Except if you played us.

Live Every Week Of Your Life Like It's Shark Week.

by AllinWithMyCards on Jan 9, 2009 1:38 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

"Fix it"

A friend of mine makes that point that Kragthorpe’s promise to stay around and “fix it”, neglects the FACT that it wasn’t broken until he got there!

Facts… Petrino’s last year = 12 – 1… Kragthorpe’s 1st year = 6 – 6… Kragthorpe’s 2nd year = 5 – 7. My prediction for Kragthorpe’s 3rd year = 4 – 8. Notice a pattern?

Grog

"There is no OFF position to the genius switch" - D. Letterman

by GrogInOhio on Jan 9, 2009 12:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

LOL

Good Point. Never thought of that. LOL
He broke it.
Ever see a sitcom where some people go in to an antique store and the break ever thing?
This is just like that. Except nobody laughed. Little kids cried.

Live Every Week Of Your Life Like It's Shark Week.

by AllinWithMyCards on Jan 9, 2009 2:59 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Tell me this (vers. 1.5)

Sure he won a couple games (Cincy 2 years ago, South FL last year.)

Oh and I forgot to mention he lost a couple games two (KY,KY, SYR, SYR)

I know… painful

Live Every Week Of Your Life Like It's Shark Week.

by AllinWithMyCards on Jan 9, 2009 1:41 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

EARTH TO TOM....

…….YOUR “BUDDY” IS A CANCER TO THIS PROGRAM……

3 different OC, 3 different DC, countless player defections, 12-12 in two seasons, national prominence to cellar dweller IN TWO SEASONS….

Are you still with us, Tom?

by twistedwedge on Jan 9, 2009 7:32 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

oh and screw Koach

LT and anyone else that decides to leave should be able to go anywhere they want to.

by twistedwedge on Jan 9, 2009 7:38 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

edit: 11-13 in two seasons

hate to give Krap more credit than due

by twistedwedge on Jan 9, 2009 9:38 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Murray State

I remember being totally charged up for this assholes first game against Murray St 2 years ago. I can remember them introducing him and then saying we were going to go on to win the Nat’l Title, and everyone was like, Hell yeah. Wow how far we have fallen.

by Pitino's Pal on Jan 9, 2009 9:13 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

LT was a bad apple

Coach K knows what he is doing. Its important to weed out all the bad blood from winning programs in order to win the right way. You have to go all the way to the bottom. Fill the team with quality Juco players with great backgrounds, attitudes and grades. Win in 10-15 years when you get lucky and find 22 cuma sum somethings that can play football.

F this.

He Hate UK

by orlandocard on Jan 9, 2009 9:41 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Please tell me what facts you have to support your statement about Thomas being a bad apple.

by cbcard on Jan 11, 2009 11:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Its sad when there is talent in Kraps back yard...

….and he still concentrates on getting JUCOS. Cause, you know JUCOS are the route to go when “building a program”

by twistedwedge on Jan 9, 2009 9:45 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Another Good Point.

First Time I’ve Ever Heard Anyone Phamtom The Ideal That Juco…JUCO is the route to go when building a program.
But I’m not a football coach. I play Madden alot. Forgive me.
I thought recruiting was the way. Worked with Bush and Brhom. We were ThisClose.

Live Every Week Of Your Life Like It's Shark Week.

by AllinWithMyCards on Jan 9, 2009 3:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Thomas was one of the good guys

both on and off the field, I’m told. This is yet another example of the program’s free-fall. Somebody (Are you there, Mr. Jurich?) is going to have to bite the bullet and say this is an unmitigated disaster and needs to be fixed.

Unfortunately, Mr. Jurich’s friendship with this cliche-spewing, brain-dead, uninspiring moron of a coach has clouded his judgement. Help. We need help quickly.

theoldman

by theoldman on Jan 9, 2009 9:47 AM EST reply actions 1 recs

That friendship is tenuous...

thanks goodness

by frankpos on Jan 9, 2009 10:06 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

WHAT???

The love fest for Jurich and Krapplepop should be over by now, not sure why its lasting so long. We need to fire the coaching staff and get a new one. We need a coach with a pulse instead of a man that is destined for being a laughing stock of the Big East! His school, Tulsa won without him proving its not the staff but the athletes. I heard though a friend that after the loss of the final season of woe, that he wanted the offensive linemen to give each other a “HUG” Are you kidding me……….even girls wont do that after a loss and especially in the locker room. Come on Jurich, admit it you made a huge mistake…………J

Louavulfan

by louavulfan on Jan 9, 2009 10:52 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

UofL Football

Here’s what I don’t understand. Nobody seems to be talking about NEXT YEAR for UofL football. They are losing so many quality guys from the OL, that I don’t foresee ANY other scenario than going like 2-9 or 3-8. Because you certainly can’t count on a win vs. Syracuse at home.

I assume at that type of record it’s a foregone conclusion that Krag is outta here? Right?!?!?!

by Quinn1979 on Jan 9, 2009 2:47 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Talk w/ TJ

If I could Talk to Jurich, I would sit with him at a Suite Box at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium™ and say…..

Tom. Can I Call You Tom? Sureican.
You know. We’re all buds right? You and Us. Us Fans. Supporters. Students. Althets. Yadda Yadda.
I think we agree we want a winning team each year. Kinda like dem Cowboys! (Light punches to the gut playing around.)
And we had that Tom. We were confortable winning by 30-40-72 points.
Now Two Seasons Ago We did that.
Are we doing that now Tom?? No. (Shaking my head no as he agrees no) No we’re not Tom.
You Think It Could Be the Coach Tom?
I mean gee, what?? 11-13 last two years. I bet those oranges are old by now. Wish We could have some good ones.
Seen a clip on youtube last week of coach. Said he was gonna “right the ship”
Does he know birds fly Tom? Idunno…
But anyway to wrap this up tom. Sorry, Tom.
….Guys gotta go. Maybe he should go to WebMD.com and look up Losing. Cause Losing is a diease. And it eats and eats away at your program from the top-down. Only way to cure it is to use fire.
They say it hurts like hell. But you’ll live. And You’ll be glad you did it.

I’m rambling on and on.

Live Every Week Of Your Life Like It's Shark Week.

by AllinWithMyCards on Jan 9, 2009 3:20 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

lol

That’s a great post. In my mind you were being played by David Koechner.

by Dais on Jan 9, 2009 3:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

LOL he's funny.

Live Every Week Of Your Life Like It's Shark Week.

by AllinWithMyCards on Jan 9, 2009 3:33 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Jurich is right

"I bet those oranges are old by now. Wish We could have some good ones. "

That’s exactly what he was talking about when he said fans expected to go to an Orange Bowl every year. I remember how disappointed the fans were when we had a losing season after Howard’s Fiesta Bowl (not as many were on the bandwagon back then). And I also remember how we had half as many fans as we do now just a couple of years before the Orange Bowl.

I understand we have a losing team and to correct it we’ll ultimately have to fire Kragthorpe. But where does the complaining and moaning stop? Are fans going to bitch and moan if the next coach goes 8-4 or 7-5? Because every indication is that the fans will. Over on the C-J, there are frequent posts “demanding 10 win seasons. Not 8, not 9, but 10 win seasons.” Please stop the chest thumping. Most fans haven’t even been on this wagon long enough to start making demands.

And for the people who think Jurich needs to go, get real. One fourth of this city’s college grads went to UofL, and most of us can remember the big gravel parking lot next to I-65 that is now Cardinal Park. I hope people don’t forget for one second that Jurich brought us to the Big East conference and took us from a bona fide mid-major program a la the likes of Xavier and Butler and made us into a true athletic program. There’s a lot more to our athletic program and school than how many losses the football team has.

by Hari Seldon on Jan 9, 2009 3:54 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

It wouldnt be bad......

If “Koach” hadnt come in “thumping his chest” about us winning the NC his first year. Now following a BCS bowl game champion year 6-6, of which MOST of the team returned, is inexcusable in my opinion.

How many consecutive bowl games did we attend and all the sudden cant even make it to ANY bowl game? How many home games did we win in a row at PJCS only to have the WORST team in the BE take it away?

I dont think competing for the BIG EAST title, attending a decent bowl game, beating UK and Syracuse is lofty expectations. Sure doesnt sound like “Orange bowl every year” to me. The things I just mentioned are what 90-95% of Card football fans would be happy with.

Fact of the matter is TJ’s ego wont allow him to come out and admit he made a mistake with this hire.

by twistedwedge on Jan 9, 2009 5:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The Problem I have with that statment...

is our city was (yes) somewhat spoild with winning season and this was the first time we had ever had a bcs win followed by a complete disaster. Keep in mind we’ve actually have had really really good teams since John L. was there.
So with a new coach and not the same result the city is fustrated and impatient to get things back to the way they once were.
Some people have a hard time excepting that yes you really can build a power house team like a OK, OSU, MIAMI, FL, USC and so and so to stay. We need to learn to accept the fact that we were on the cusp of being mentioned with them on a regualar basis.
Now 10 years of progress is serverly tarnished. A major set back similar to the economy.
Accept that this city can have a dynasty and it will happen. Quit that sometimes you win sometimes you lose attitude cause it ain’t the attitude of true champions. Losing is not an option to elite players coaches and schools. it just ain’t and that’s the beast of being a head coach.
over and out.

Live Every Week Of Your Life Like It's Shark Week.

by AllinWithMyCards on Jan 9, 2009 6:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs