Louisville fires coach Steve Kragthorpe

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville fired football coach Steve Kragthorpe after finishing the year at 4-8, the school's worst season in more than a decade.

Athletic director Tom Jurich met with Kragthorpe Saturday morning, hours after the Cardinals finished the season with a 34-14 loss to Rutgers.

Kragthorpe went 15-21 in three seasons after replacing Bobby Petrino in January 2007. He had two years remaining on a contract that paid him about $1.1 annually.

Jurich said a national search would begin immediately. The list of candidates could include Houston coach Kevin Sumlin, Florida defensive coordinator Charlie Strong and former Tennessee coach Phil Fulmer.

Louisville failed to make a bowl game in any of Kragthorpe's three years. The Cardinals went 5-16 in the Big East during his stay while fan support eroded.