Les Miles announced following LSU’s Thursday morning football practice that offensive coordinator Steve Kragthorpe, with the team just eight months, will be stepping down to battle a recently-diagnosed case of Parkinson’s disease. Kragthorpe will not be leaving the team, however: According to beat writer Shea Dixon, Miles professed Kragthorpe will have a place “in every huddle and every call in the booth,” and will continue to coach the quarterbacks. Offensive line coach Greg Studrawa will take over as offensive coordinator in name. Stress is known to exacerbate the symptoms of Parkinson’s, but Kragthorpe’s outlook is a sunny one: “I hope for the next 8 to 12 years I can still be here coaching the QBs.”
Steve Kragthorpe Stepping Down: LSU OC Has Parkinson’s Disease
First-year LSU offensive coordinator Steve Kragthorpe will be stepping down from some of his duties with the team after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. O-line coach Greg Studrawa has been named OC in his place.
Kragthorpe, best known as the head coach at Tulsa from 2003-06 and Louisville from 2007-09, joined Miles’ staff in January, following another health scare: Slated to coach wide receivers at Texas A&M for the 2010 season, he resigned his position to tend to medical issues involving his wife, Cynthia. Studrawa is entering his fifth season with the Tigers, having previously served as offensive coordinator at Bowling Green.
Our very best wishes to Coach Kragthorpe, his family, and our LSU football community.
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