Brian Brohm is a spotlight in the history of Louisville sports. A Louisville native, Brohm led U of L to their first BCS win in school history after the 2006-07, when his Cardinals beat the Demon Deacons of Wake Forest 24-13. Brohm was projected to be a top draft pick in the NFL draft following the 2006 season, and those projections were solidified after the Orange Bowl win.
However, the 2007-08 season, the Cards struggled to find their foothold and finished 6-6, with no bowl appearance for the first time since 1997. Brohm's stock fell and he dropped to the second round of the NFL draft. The Green Bay Packers selected him, but with the play of Pro Bowl caliber Aaron Rodgers, and seated third in the depth chart behind Matt Flynn, Brohm never saw a snap. The Packers cut him at the beginning of the 2009 season, then resigned him to their practice squad before he was signed by the Buffalo Bills.
The Bills featured Brohm for only one week in 2009-10, naming him the starter in week 16 against the Atlanta Falcons where he completed 17 of 29 passes However, he only threw for 146 yards, two interceptions and zero touchdowns.
So why the buzz about Brohm now? For one, his poor performance was the bottom slice of bread on the awful sandwich that was the Bills' terrible season. These guys hadn't done anything right all season, and Brohm came in and started a month after joining the team. He wasn't as prepared as you'd like your starting quarterback to be. Brohm comes in to the 2010-11 season with a fresh start, a full off season to prepare, and a new head coach.
Coach Chan Gailey has said on multiple occasions that the position of quarterback is still open. There is a chance Brian will get his chance to do his hometown proud. Brohm is an rather intelligent quarterback, reportedly scoring a 32 on his Wonderlic IQ test administered by the NFL to rookies. Intelligence goes a long way for quarterbacks.
Another reason to think Brohm can flourish are his college statistics. He passed for over 4000 yards with 30 TDs and only 12 interceptions in his senior season. Very impressive stats.
Lastly, Brohm is surrounded by talent. Lee Evans is always a threat to be a Pro Bowl receiver with his quickness and sure hands. Their backfield is loaded with talent- Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson are both outstanding rushers, and the Bills bolstered their RB stable adding rookie C.J. Spiller to the mix.
Louisville fans are anxious to see how things pan out in the Big East this season with new coach Charlie Strong at the helm for the Cards. But while you're watching your Cardinals, keep an eye on a pack of Buffaloes in New York as well. Your golden boy just may shine again.
Comments