Scott Satterfield tried to apologize to Louisville fans. Not sure it helped.
After word broke over the weekend that Scott Satterfield had talked to South Carolina about its open head coaching job, the Louisville football coach apologized during a news conference on Monday.
If Satterfield had stopped there, he might have been OK. Unfortunately, he kept on talking.
Currently 3-7 after going 8-5 in his first season as Louisville’s coach, Satterfield reportedly talked to South Carolina officials on Friday. When news broke Saturday, Satterfield pledged his commitment to Louisville. Late Saturday came reports that Oklahoma assistant Shane Beamer would be the new head football coach at South Carolina.
Louisville fans have historically had to suffer their head football coach talking to other suitors. The most notable example is Bobby Petrino, of course, who would interview, apologize, and then interview with another school. So you can’t blame the U of L faithful for being sensitive to the subject.
Monday, Satterfield said this first:
“I do want to apologize to the fans. . . . I do understand what has transpired in the past with the head coaching football job here. I never wanted to hurt anyone.”
He said he listened to South Carolina because it is close to his North Carolina home. He said he would handle the situation differently in the future.
But then he said this:
“I think as players, it’s a little bit different. I know sometimes we like to lump coaches in with players. As a player, you’re there for three to four years and then you’re done. I think as coaches — and as players, you don’t have a family, it’s just you — as coaches, I’m just thinking in general terms here, coaches have wives and kids. As a job, are they going to be at a job for 40 years? There’s a lot of different things that are involved with coaching.”
In other words, according to Satterfield, players have to be all-in, but not coaches.
Someone needs to tell Satterfield that beginning next year the NCAA is likely to adopt a rule in which a player can transfer one time without penalty.
Reaction was not good.
“Not the finest moment by (Satterfield),” tweeted WDRB’s Rick Bozich.
“Someone needs to tell him to stop talking. Take a break,” tweeted Nicole Auerbach of The Athletic.
“Scott Satterfield saying the quiet part out loud,” tweeted Shehan Jeyarajah of Dave Campbell’s Texas football.
Louisville finishes the regular season Saturday against Wake Forest.
This story was originally published December 7, 2020 at 2:03 PM.
