Louisville Director of Recruiting Pete Nochta Leaving for Kentucky

Nochta is a former tight end for the Cardinals who has served in various recruiting roles over the last decade.

U of L's Pete Nochta is the director of recruiting for football in Louisville, Ky. on Feb. 8, 2023 | Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A longtime component of the Louisville football program is crossing enemy lines.

Pete Nochta, a former tight end for the Cardinals who has served in various recruiting roles for multiple head coaches at UofL, is set to join Will Stein's staff at Kentucky, a source tells Louisville Cardinals On SI. His exact job title with the Wildcats is not known at this time.

Nochta has served as the director of recruiting under Jeff Brohm in his three years as the head coach at Louisville. He was retained by Brohm after being a recruiting coordinator for Scott Satterfield's four-year tenure as the head coach. Previously under Bobby Petrino, he was the tight ends coach in 2014, and in various recruiting capacities from 2016 to 2018.

In between his stint as the tight ends coach and recruiting roles under Petrino, Nochta was sidelined as he dealt with Stage 4 Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. He is currently in remission. 

He suited up for the Cardinals from 2006 to 2010, playing in 41 games and making 20 starts, hauling in 11 receptions for 146 yards and two touchdowns in the process. He was also a teammate of Stein's, who was a backup quarterback for Louisville from 2009 to 2012.

Nochta's departure comes six months following Louisville's poaching of Vince Marrow away from Kentucky. Marrow was a day one staffer under previous Wildcats head coach Mark Stoops, and is now the Executive Director of Player Personnel and Recruiting for the Cardinals.

Since making the jump as a recruiting staffer, Nochta has been an integral part to Louisville's efforts on that front. In the eight full cycles that he has been a recruiting coordinator, the Cardinals have signed a top-50 class six times, with their 2023 class ranking 23rd in the nation. UofL recently inked 19 Class of 2026 prospects during the first day of the early signing period earlier this week.

Louisville recently wrapped up their 2025 regular season, going 8-4 overall and 4-4 in ACC play. The Cardinals will learn their postseason draw this upcoming Sunday.

(Photo of Pete Nochta: Sam Upshaw Jr. - Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK)

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