Darkhorse Candidates to Replace Steve Kragthorpe

Louisville’s football season will mercifully come to an end on Friday against Rutgers, and head  coach Steve Kragthorpe has probably already registered with careerbuilder.com to find his next job. With coach K probably on his way out, there have been plenty of rumors swirling on who may become the next man in charge for UofL. Will it be a big name splash hire, or an up-and-comer who is not known by the casual fan? Regardless of which way AD Tom Jurich goes, you probably won’t hear any of the following names linked to the job, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun. Here are some darkhorse candidates to guide the Cards into 2010. I mean, are they really that much more absurd than the Jon Gruden speculation?

- Gary Barnett: Barnett was at one time considered one of the best college coaches in the country, leading Northwestern to its first Rose Bowl in 47 years. The University of Missouri alumnus followed that up by going to Colorado and winning the Buffs four Big 12 North titles. Barnett was ran out of Boulder four years ago after getting thrown under the bus when it came out that recruits were being enticed with alcohol and girls (gasp!). Good thing that never happens anywhere else in America on the recruiting circuit. Now, the hippy administration in Boulder is probably going to buy out his replacement, Dan Hawkins, after four futile seasons. Gotta love some karma.

Gary Barnett has been off the map lately, maybe because of butt touches like this.

- Marty Schottenheimer: ‘Marty Ball’ got three NFL teams to within one win of the Super Bowl, yet each time squabbles with management led to him being ousted. Perhaps Marty and his awesome glasses with the bar across the nose will try the college ranks this time.

- Tyrone Willingham: Ty was everyone’s darling candidate after putting Stanford back on the map. Then, he got the Notre Dame job, and was ran out of South Bend after some decent seasons because of Notre Dame’s identity crisis. Things went from bad to worse for Willingham when he went to the University of Washington, where he was fired last season after an 0-12 campaign.

- Tommy/Terry Bowden: With their father maybe riding off into the sunset at Florida State, Tommy and/or Terry may try their luck here in Louisville. Both have held jobs in the south, as Tommy spent 1999-2008 at Clemson, going to eight bowl games. While his teams seemed to perennially underachieve, he was 72-45 in his tenure, not to mention an undefeated season while the coach of Tulane in 1998. Terry coached Auburn for five-plus years, and is currently in his first year at division II North Alabama, where he is in the midst of the playoffs and an 11-1 season. College football playoffs? What a novel concept….

Terry Bowden rocking his football coach/southern frat boy look.

- Mike Ditka: Everyone wants Ditka. It’s unsure how Ditka would trade his entire recruiting class for one player, as he did for Ricky Williams while coach of the Saints.