Is Neal Brown a potential candidate for the Louisville job?

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Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports[/caption] If you were on social media yesterday, chances are good you saw the rumors going around about Louisville football head coach Bobby Petrino. Even if you didn't see them, just by looking at the state of their program (2-5 on the year and 0-4 in the ACC) you'd know a coaching change may be necessary sooner rather than later. But here's the thing. They really can't afford to fire Petrino and pay off his $14 million buyout, as they are limited financially. And if they do, they likely wouldn't be able to break the bank on a hot name on the list of coaching candidates without crippling the school's financial situation going forward. If Louisville athletic director Vince Tyra does decide to officially get rid of the last standing member of the Tom Jurich-Rick Pitino-Bobby P scandal triangle, who could they look at? If you ask Pete Thamel of Yahoo! Sports, one VERY familiar name is on the shortlist. Thamel believes Louisville would set their focus on three individuals: Purdue head coach Jeff Brohm, Ohio State offensive coordinator Ryan Day, and former Kentucky offensive coordinator and current Troy coach Neal Brown. Take a look at Thamel's breakdown:

The athletic department is cash-strapped from scandal and buyouts, but when the hottest coach on the market – Purdue’s Jeff Brohm – is from your school and the city’s most famous football family, you pass the hat and figure it out. Petrino has won 70 percent of his games over his two stints at the school, but it’s hard to see him reviving this program back to that level.

Prediction: Right now, Louisville projects as the highest-profile opening. New athletic director Vince Tyra will figure out a way to find the money, which will be thorny as Petrino’s $14 million has no offset. The good news is that it would cost Louisville “only” $3 million to buy out Brohm from his deal after Dec. 5. Other names here would be Ohio State offensive coordinator Ryan Day and Troy coach Neal Brown.

Could Brown head to the dark side? It's obvious the former Wildcat will seek out greener pastures in the near future, as he is seen as one of the hottest up-and-coming names in college football. But I still could never get used to seeing Brown in that gaudy red.

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