Staying put ended up costing Brohm
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No player was hurt more by Petrino's ill-fated stint with the Falcons than Louisville quarterback Brian Brohm. When Petrino left in January 2007 to become Atlanta's head coach, Brohm returned for his senior season despite knowing he would be considered one of the NFL's top draft prospects.
Brohm's stock has subsequently dropped as the Cardinals struggled to a 6-6 record without a bowl appearance last season under new head coach Steve Kragthorpe. And while the Falcons enter this year's draft needing quarterback help, Brohm has no shot at a reunion with Petrino. He left the Falcons for the University of Arkansas after just 13 games.
"It would have been a good thing if he had stayed (in Atlanta)," Brohm said Friday at the NFL Scouting Combine. "It would have been better if he had stayed in Louisville the whole time. But he had decisions to make. He wanted to try out the NFL, which I totally respect.
"His style is more suited for the college game. He probably saw that, felt it wasn't working out the way it was supposed to (in Atlanta) and wanted to get back. He did what's best for him."
From a football standpoint, it would have been best for Brohm to leave Louisville after a stellar junior year. Brohm continued to post gaudy passing statistics in 2007, throwing for 4,024 yards and a school-record 30 touchdowns. But he also tossed 12 interceptions — equaling his total from the previous three seasons combined — and had some of his weaknesses exposed playing behind a shaky offensive line.
"All quarterbacks when the pocket disintegrates, their degree of success diminishes," NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock said. "I think Brohm struggled a little bit. Some kids innately have a feel in the pocket. I think he's a little mechanical. He's not real athletic. He's got an above-average arm, not a great arm."
Brohm says he has no regrets about staying at Louisville. His loyalty is understandable. Brohm is the fourth member of his family to play for the Cardinals.
"Even though we struggled and the year didn't go even close to the way we expected or wanted it to, I became a better player," Brohm said. "I feel like I learned a lot from the experience going through the hard times. It was something I didn't have to go through before — a struggling season with a new coach and trying to adjust to the system.
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"That's going to happen sometimes in the NFL whether you like it or not. You've got to be ready for that."
Brohm initially wondered whether Falcons players would be ready for a coach like Petrino. They clearly weren't as evidenced by the team's struggles and widespread locker room griping.
Brohm said he and his college teammates were closely monitoring the Petrino saga.
"It was tough to see, but at the same time, a lot of guys on our team understood," Brohm said. "He's a guy who will get on you hard. He'll tear you down and get in your face.
"It was interesting to see how guys would react when you're getting paid and you know you can play ball. Coach Petrino is not going to change his style or his ways."
While he no longer has Petrino to champion him at the NFL level, Mayock projects Brohm as a late first-round or early second-round pick. Brohm's standing should be further solidified after he throws Sunday for NFL scouts during combine workouts.
"I'm not going to get stressed out about it," Brohm said. "I'm just going to go out there and show what I've got."
Even if Petrino won't be there watching.
Alex Marvez interviewed Brohm during a Friday hosting appearance on Sirius NFL Radio (Channel 124). Alex's next Sirius appearance is from 8 to 11 p.m. E.S.T. Thursday with former NFL coach Dan Reeves.
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