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| ONE ON ONE WITH BRIAN BROHM | |
| powered by GREATSEATS.COM | |
| July 29, 2005 | |
| Jonathan, SCS.com Editor | Contact Jonathan |
| One on One with the Stars Home | 2005 Football Preview Home |
University of Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm recently took time to answer a few questions from SCS.com. Brohm, who shared the QB duties with senior Stefan LeFors last season, is a returning sophomore and one of the Big East's top signal-callers. After earning CUSA Freshman of the Year honors last season, Brohm has already been named to a number of preseason All-Big East squads this summer. The Cards, who went 11-1 with a Liberty Bowl title a year ago, will open the 2005 season on September 4 on the road at in-state rival Kentucky. (photo courtesy uoflsports.com)
BRIAN BROHM, UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE
Position: Quarterback
Class: Sophomore
Height: 6'4" Weight: 224
Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Major: Undeclared
2004 Stats: 66 COMP, 98 ATT, 67.3 COMP%, 819 YDS, 6 TD
SCS.com: You had a remarkable career at Trinity High School in Louisville, throwing for over 10,000 yards and 119 TDs during your days there. You won three state championships as the team's QB, and USA Today named you the country's Offensive Player of the Year your senior season. When it came time to decide on a college, what other schools did you consider, and why did you ultimately opt to attend Louisville? How big of an influence was your brother Jeff, the UL QB coach, on your decision?
Brohm: "When deciding where to attend college, I was looking at the schools' overall football program and which one I would fit into the best. I felt that Louisville was the place where I could flourish the most in both football and school. I felt like Coach Petrino would prepare me for the NFL better than any other coach out there. It also helped that my brother was on the coaching staff. We are very close. I chose to attend Louisville over Notre Dame, Tennesse, Auburn, and Kentucky."
SCS.com: Though you had a great senior QB ahead of you in Stefan LeFors, you made your mark as a true freshman in 2004. In eleven games, you threw for over 800 yards and six touchdowns while compiling a completion percentage of over 67%. To make these stats even more impressive, you were one of only eight true freshman QBs in the entire country to see significant playing time in 2004. Talk about two things: first, playing behind a QB as gifted as Stefan LeFors; and second, the biggest adjustments between high school and major college football.
Brohm: "Playing behind Stefan Lefors really helped me to realize how important the mental aspect of the game is. He played the game by always staying one step ahead of everyone else. He always knew where to go with the ball and made the right decisions. The biggest adjustment is learning that mental aspect of the game. Coverages and plays are much more complex than in high school."
SCS.com: After the 2004 campaign was complete, you were named to several national All-Freshman teams, and Conference USA chose you as its Freshman of the Year honoree. Looking forward to the upcoming 2005 season, you have also been selected to a number of Preseason All-Big East teams. What does the national recognition mean not only to you but to your team and your school?
Brohm: "It is an honor to recieve awards and recognition, but our team is so focused on the up coming season that we don't pay much attention to those things."
SCS.com: Last season you knew you could count on Stefan to get the job done, just as he could count on you. This year, however, you are the starting QB, no questions asked. How much more pressure does that put on your shoulders, and talk about one or two things you've concentrated on improving during the offseason.
Brohm: "Stefan was the leader of our team last season and I feel like the thing I have to do the most is take over a leadership role. I think I have done that so far this summer."
SCS.com: UL had a fabulous 2004 season, going 11-1 and losing just one game by three points on the road at Miami. Obviously the entire season - from hard-fought victories like those in Memphis against the Tigers and Boise State, to the close loss at Miami - will be one you won't soon forget. Reflect on the 2004 season as a whole for just a minute. Which two or three things stick out the most to you, and how willl you remember the Cardinals of 2004?
Brohm: "Last year was a great year that couldn't have gone much better. Our team gained a lot of recognition and momentum that we hope to build on this year."
SCS.com: The expectations are again high in Louisville this fall. Top players like yourself, WRs Joshua Tinch and Montrell Jones, RB Michael Bush, and OL Travis Leffew are all back for 2005. Most every preseason poll has pegged the Cards in the top 15, and even a few have placed UL among the nation's top ten teams. What goals have been set for this season, both for yourself personally and for the team as a whole, and how far do you think this team can go?
Brohm: "We are setting our goals very high for this season. First, we want to beat Kentucky in the opener. We want to go undefeated at home and win the Big East. Our ultimate goal is to play in a BCS bowl and for the national title."
SCS.com: Your head coach Bobby Petrino has done a tremendous job at Louisville. He has led the team to national rankings as high as number six and has compiled a 20-5 record over his first two seasons on campus. A 2004 CUSA Coach of the Year honor was also added to his resume last winter. What makes Coach Petrino such a success, both on the field and on the recruiting trail?
Brohm: "He is an X's and O's genius that knows how to win. Everyone wants to be with a winner."
SCS.com: Though you've only been on campus one season, you had a chance to visit places like Army, North Carolina, Miami, and Memphis in 2004. Though those trips are great experiences, there's nothing like taking the field in front of the hometown fans. Talk about the differences you face when playing on the road compared to playing at home, and also tell us how much of a difference you think the fans can make during a game.
Brohm: "The fans here at Louisville are incredible. All of them tailgate all day before the game....not just a few but most, if not all. They are smart fans that know when to get loud and know when to be quiet. All the players here love playing in front of our home crowd."
SCS.com: If a young player was reading this and aspired to become a successful football player, what advice would you give him?
Brohm: "Listen to your coaches. Work hard. Keep a competitive edge."
SCS.com would again like to thank Louisville's Brian Brohm for taking time to answer our questions. We would like to wish he and the Cardinals the best of luck throughout the upcoming season.
