Louisville football: The 50 greatest Cardinals of all time
There’s not a more interesting story around Louisville athletics than that of former star quarterback Stefan LeFors.
A consummate team player and a humble leader, LeFors impressed fans on and off the field with his versatile game and down-to-earth personality.
LeFors grew up in a family where he was the only non-hearing impaired family member. For the early part of his life, all he knew was sign language while at home. While many credit him growing up in a deaf household to being the reason he’s such a great communicator and leader, he says it was more about his upbringing.
On the field, LeFors was the ultimate weapon for Bobby Petrino when he took over in 2003 for LeFors’ junior season. The two created a dynamic duo, leading the Cards to a 20-5 record in their two seasons together.
LeFors was one of Louisville’s first true weapons behind center that could truly use his legs and be a mobile quarterback. He was able to get out of sticky situations and use his legs to break plays wide open or pick up some needed yardage on designed runs.
That doesn’t mean LeFors should be remembered as a running quarterback, however. In fact, LeFors was the most accurate quarterback in Louisville football history. LeFors finished the 2004 season as the nation’s most accurate passer completing 73.5 percent of his attempts, which still stands as the fourth-best single-season completion percentage ever.
LeFors led Louisville to one of the greatest and most overlooked seasons in Louisville football history, as the Cards went 11-1 with their only loss coming in an all-time classic against a Miami Hurricanes team that finished the season No. 11 in the nation that year.
What was impressive about LeFors was his willingness to do whatever it takes to win. Though he was dominant in 2003, LeFors was accepting of freshman quarterback Brian Brohm earning snaps in order to groom his as the quarterback-in-waiting in 2004. Each game Brohm was inserted for a drive or two in order to change the team dynamic, and it worked well.
Though LeFors had an incredible senior season, it could have been even better stats-wise, if not for his willingness to play in a two-quarterback system.
LeFors finished his career with 5,853 passing yards and 38 touchdowns through the air, as well as 756 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground. His 45 total touchdowns (one receiving) put him at seventh alone on the all-time list.
LeFors has had a productive career since leaving U of L. He played for the Carolina Panthers for two seasons after being selected in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft.
After two years in the NFL and three in the CFL, he spent a year a color commentator alongside Paul Rodgers on 840 WHAS in Louisville before being named as the head football coach at Christian Academy of Louisville. LeFors has led the Centurions to new heights, winning state championships in 2016 and 2018.