Two days ago, Louisville decided to release Bobby Petrino after losing to Syracuse by 31. This was not a giant shock to many, after all Petrino had gone (0-7) in conference play and showed no signs of looking up. On top of that, Louisville had missed out on five top recruits. Now it is recruitment time for the school, in spite to find a new head coach. There are many coaches available for Louisville, but these ones stand out:
Neal Brown, Troy
In his past two seasons at Troy, Brown has achieved two 10-win seasons and two bowl wins. This is great for a young coach that is looking to get his name up in the league. Brown is also on route this year to get another 10-win season and make another bowl. I think it is plausible for Neal Brown to look for bigger, more daunting roles like Louisville. There is little room for error, with a high standard at Louisville, but a huge reward if Brown can build something great.
Luke Fickell, Cincinnati
If you look at Cincinnati, you can see how quickly Luke Fickell can turn around a program. This now makes me think of what Fickell could have done at Ohio State had they not fired him after a year. Fickell is now (8-1) at Cincinnati and has a chance to win the American Athletic Conference from UCF. I think Fickell’s rigid defense with a tough offense would give a new life to this Louisville program. Look for Fickell to be in serious contention for this spot.
Mike Norvell, Memphis
After Justin Fuente’s departure from Memphis to Virginia Tech, Mike Norvell has taken over for the Tigers. Norvell has consistently had winning seasons at Memphis and will continue on this path to hopefully a new position. For Norvell, this very well could be the Louisville Cardinals. Just like his predecessor in Justin Fuente, Norvell has a strong sense of offense. This is what Louisville is known for and would be a great fit for this program and the scheme it’s used to.
Scott Satterfield, Appalachian State
It is undeniable to recognize that Satterfield’s tenure at Appalachian State has been nothing short of a success. As of now, Satterfield sits at (48-24) at Appalachian State as the head coach and doesn’t show signs that he will not continue this stretch. Satterfield, also, sits at (3-0) in bowls for Appalachian State. I think if Louisville is smart, they will check in with this coach because he brings a strong work ethic to under-performing programs.
Photo Credits:
https://projects.newsday.com/college-football-coaches-salaries-contracts/neal-brown/
http://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-football/news/luke-fickell-cincinnati-bearcats-new-identity-2017-season-first-year/k27tf1bhrr9m17yn2tpnv4lmt
http://gridironnow.com/in-search-new-coach-keep-eye-memphis-mike-norvell/
https://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/index.ssf/2018/08/appalachian_states_head_coach.html
https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2014/1/9/5288648/bobby-petrino-louisville-scandal-timeline
