Another UL quarterback? Sure, why not?

By Darrell Laurant  |   Tuesday, August 19, 2008  |  Comments( 0 )

Louisville Cardinals
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If Steve Kragthorpe has learned anything during his time as a college football coach, it's this -- you can never have too much of a good thing at any position.

That's why Kragthorpe welcomed North Carolina State transfer and native Kentuckian Justin Burke to the quarterback mix this week. Or, more accurately, next season.

A 6-foot-3, 220-pounder from Lexington Catholic, Burke was free-falling through the Wolfpack depth chart despite a strong performance in the annual Red-White spring game. By last week, he had slipped to fourth string, and didn't see the field during the latest Wolfpack scrimmage.

So Burke said a lot of nice things about the State coaches and players and bolted for Louisville, which may be even more quarterback rich. True, 2008 starter Hunter Cantwell is a senior, but the Cardinals' coaches are also high on sophomore Tyler Wolfe, redshirt freshman Matt Simms (son of Phil and brother of Chris) and true freshman Zack Stoudt. Nevertheless, a lot can happen in a year -- and Louisville is, after all, Quarterback U.

Burke was the Gatorade Player of the Year in Kentucky as a senior and a finalist for the Gatorade National Football Player of the Year. He threw for a state-record 62 touchdowns and only six interceptions that season, piling up 3,789 yards.

A redshirt his first year in Raleigh, Burke played only in three games, completing 2-of-3 passes against Clemson in the dregs of a 42-20 rout.

In the Red and White game, however, he clicked on 17-of-24 passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns, including the game winner on the final play.

Apparently, none of that mattered.

"With the situation here (State), I felt like I needed to do something that was important to me," Burke said.
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