Hurtt leaving Louisville

Louisville defensive line coach Clint Hurtt is leaving the school. Hurtt was the final assistant remaining from Charlie Strong's coaching staff.

"I want to thank Tom Jurich, Bobby Petrino, and President James Ramsey for their support during this process," Hurtt said. "I truly looked forward to working with Bobby Petrino at Louisville, but I feel this is a great opportunity. Tom is always going to be important to me and my family. He stuck with me through the toughest of times, and I will always appreciate his support for me and my family.

"I will always love the University of Louisville and will always miss the city and be grateful for the opportunity to coach here. My ambition is to build a career in the NFL. I made a mark in recruiting and coaching at the collegiate level, but I think I can improve my career and begin a new one in the NFL."

Hurtt was retained as defensive line coach by new coach Bobby Petrino, but Hurtt was given an opportunity in the NFL and chose to make the leap to the professional ranks.

"We wish Clint nothing but the best," Petrino said. "He is a very good young coach and I am sure he will continue to do great things in the NFL."

Hurtt was named Rivals.com Recruiter of the Year in 2011 as he helped Louisville land Teddy Bridgewater and a host of other south Florida prospects. He was also a tremendous coach on the field, helping Louisville's defensive line boast one of the nation's best pass rushes this season, including Marcus Smith's 14.5 sack season.

Last fall, the NCAA hit Hurtt and several other former Miami assistants with "Show Cause" orders as a result of dealing with a rogue booster named Nevin Shapiro. The Show Cause meant he could not be hired as a coach without NCAA approval. Louisville chose to keep Hurtt on staff despite recruiting restrictions that kept him on campus for the past year and for a year to come.

Despite that restriction, Petrino chose to keep Hurtt as defensive line coach because of his ability to mold a tremendous pass rush. He also had a strong connection with his players like defensive lineman Pedro Sibea.

Wanna Take This Time Out To Thank Coach Hurtt For Moldin Me Into The Player I Am Today. Was A Pleasure Being Coached By U #OneHeartBeat- Pedro Sibiea (@_AlmightyDro) January 23, 2014