01-09-2007, 02:46 PM
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#1 (permalink)
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FBF Coach
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,551
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Louisville running back Bush to enter NFL draft
Quote:
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Louisville running back Michael Bush will
enter the NFL draft in April rather than return to the Cardinals
next season.
Bush, who announced his decision on Tuesday, broke his right leg
in Louisville's season-opener against Kentucky on Sept. 3 and
hasn't played since. A senior, Bush applied for a medical redshirt
in case he decided to come back, but opted for the NFL instead.
"I loved my time here at U of L, but I think it's time for me
to move on," Bush told reporters.
Bush said coach Bobby Petrino's decision to leave the team was a
factor in his decision. Petrino resigned Sunday to become head
coach of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons.
"When coach Petrino signed that deal, I didn't really want to
play with nobody else," he said.
Bush was touted as a Heisman Trophy candidate this season after
running for 1,143 yards and an NCAA-leading 23 touchdowns as a
junior in 2005. He ran for 128 yards and three touchdowns in little
over a half against Kentucky on Sept. 3, but broke his right leg
after being tackled by Kentucky linebacker Wesley Woodyard early in
the third quarter.
Bush told reporters last month that his rehabilitation was going
well, though he continues to walk with a slight limp and has yet to
begin running.
"I had concerns if I came back, maybe if I had got hurt again
next year, could I live out my dream of playing at the next
level," he said Tuesday.
The Cardinals went 12-1 this season, winning the Big East title
and the Orange Bowl. Louisville junior quarterback Brian Brohm has
yet to announce whether he will return to the Cardinals next
season.
Bush's announcement came barely an hour before the Cardinals
reached an agreement with Tulsa coach Steve Kragthorpe. Kragthorpe
will replace Bobby Petrino, who resigned on Sunday night to coach
the Atlanta Falcons. Bush said Petrino's departure played a role in
his decision to leave.
"When Coach Petrino signed that deal, I didn't really want to
play with nobody else," he said.
Bush said he's heard from NFL personnel that he could go
sometime between the first and third rounds. He is planning to
spend the next few months rehabbing the leg in Arizona in hopes of
being able to run for NFL scouts prior to April's draft.
"If I can't run in March, maybe I fall to the third," Bush
said. "That is a chance I am willing to take."
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ESPN.com - NCF - Louisville running back Bush to enter NFL draft
I though he was going to come back to improve his draft stock but I guess he doesn't want to chance getting injured again.
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