Louisville Football: Tight End Coach Placed on Leave After Arrest

Louisville football is just a little under two weeks away from playing real football and unfortunately they are in the news today for the wrong reasons.

It’s hard to believe that we are just 12 days away from real, meaningful football being played. This has been one of the longest, sports summers in my young 25 years of life. I, like many of the Cardinal faithful in this town, are ready for some damn Louisville football.

We’ve had September 1, 2018 circled on our calendars for almost two years now, as the Cards finally get their first shot at Alabama since their 1991 Fiesta Bowl upset, and what is needed in a time like these is good vibes, good news and no distractions.

The beloved Cards got through spring practice, summer workouts, and fall camp with limited bad news coming their way and prepared to get their first two weeks of the “season” underway preparing for #1 Alabama, while keeping everything positive on thew news front. Unfortunately, today that is no longer the case.

It was reported this afternoon by Jason Riley of WDRB that Louisville football’s Tight End Coach, Chris Klenakis, a staff member since 2014, was arrested early Sunday morning in Shelbyville and was charged with a slew of crimes including DUI, reckless driving and possession of alcohol.

Klenakis informed Head Coach Bobby Petrino today and was quickly placed on administrative leave. The University of Louisville released a statement today, saying:

"“There are high standards in our program for our coaching staff and we must adhere to those standards on a daily basis,” Petrino said in the statement.”"

While an arrest for driving under the influence is never acceptable, the details from the police report from Klenakis’ arrest are horrifying and quite sad.

"“Klenakis was swerving on Interstate 64 West, almost striking a barrier wall multiple times and driving though a construction zone where several employees were working, according to an arrest citation by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department.Klenakis refused to cooperate and nearly walked in front of a truck before deputies grabbed him while he was doing a field sobriety test, the citation says.His blood alcohol level was .165, more than twice the legal limit in Kentucky. The sheriff’s department said multiple empty beer cans were “crushed up” in the passenger seat of Klenakis’ vehicle.”"

Though Klenakis was placed on administrative leave, Bobby Petrino could make a statement by letting go of a longtime assistant coach who has been valuable to the program. Even after being with the school for several years and having no prior history with the law, there must be better judgement made by a coach than this. With Alabama just 12 days away, and the Head Coach of your program preaching to his players, and coaches for that matter, no distractions, no distractions, no distractions, a veteran coach and leader of young men must know better than to go out and commit this type of crime with such gut wrenching details.

The Louisville football players have been busting their butts day in and day out to get prepared for a season where they have the potential to overachieve and really do some damage in the ACC. I can imagine that Petrino has been working with his staff daily helping them do everything they can to keep the players focused and bought in to what they what to do this year. To bring back Klenakis and allow him to attempt to lead these players is just not a great plan.

With two former Louisville TE’s on staff in Richard Owens, the current Director of On-Campus relations, and Pete Nochta, the current Director of High School Relations, it should be a no brainer and easy transition to move on from Klenakis.

The train rolls on and the Cards must keep pushing in their quest to knock off the top ranked Alabama Crimson Tide.