Where does Scott Satterfield's first season rank in Louisville history?
In his first season as Louisville football’s head coach, Scott Satterfield went 8-5 capped by a victory in the Music City Bowl in December, becoming the school’s second first-year coach to win eight or more games. Satterfield was named ACC Coach of the Year after a six-game turnaround that was the best among Power 5 programs.
Satterfield is just the second ACC coach to take a winless team in the league and win five games the following year.
Where does Satterfield's first season rank among other first-year coaches in Louisville history?
| Coach | Year | Record | Record in prior year | Win Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Lester Larson | 1912 | 3-1 | (First Year) | N/A |
Will Duffy | 1915 | 1-5-1 | 1-4 | 0 |
Bill Duncan | 1922 | 2-2-1 | No teams from 1917-20 | N/A |
Fred Enke | 1923 | 5-3 | 2-7 | +3 |
Tom King | 1925 | 8-0 | 3-5-1 | +5 |
Jack McGrath | 1931 | 0-8 | 5-3 | -5 |
C.V. Money | 1932 | 0-9 | 0-8 | 0 |
Ben Cregor | 1933 | 1-7 | 0-9 | +1 |
Laurie Apitz | 1936 | 4-4 | 1-6-1 | +3 |
Frank Camp | 1946 | 6-2 | No teams from 1943-45 | N/A |
Lee Corso | 1969 | 5-4-1 | 5-5 | 0 |
T.W. Alley | 1973 | 5-6 | 9-1 | -4 |
Vince Gibson | 1975 | 2-9 | 4-7 | -2 |
Bob Weber | 1980 | 5-6 | 4-6-1 | +1 |
Howard Schnellenberger | 1985 | 2-9 | 2-9 | 0 |
Ron Cooper | 1995 | 7-4 | 6-5 | +1 |
John L. Smith | 1998 | 7-5 | 1-10 | +6 |
Bobby Petrino | 2003 | 9-4 | 7-6 | +2 |
Steve Kragthorpe | 2007 | 6-6 | 12-1 | -6 |
Charlie Strong | 2010 | 7-6 | 4-8 | +3 |
Bobby Petrino | 2014 | 9-4 | 12-1 | -3 |
Scott Satterfield | 2019 | 8-5 | 2-10 | +6 |
Tom King went 8-0 in his first season as the program’s head coach in 1925, a five-win improvement from the year prior.
In 1998, John L. Smith took a 1-10 team from the season prior and went 7-5.
Satterfield and Smith share the program record for biggest turnaround in a first season as a head coach.
In Satterfield’s first season at Louisville, the Cardinals ended a nine-game conference losing streak and won on the road versus a ranked opponent for the first time since 2011 with a victory over Wake Forest.
Louisville ranked in the top-25 nationally in total offense and rushing offense in 2019. Running back Javian Hawkins and wide receiver Tutu Atwell became the third duo in program history to record 1,000-yard rushing and receiving seasons in the same year.
