Deion Branch ready for an extremely unique opportunity in Wasabi Bowl at Fenway Park
BOSTON -- Deion Branch is back in New England for some football. But the two-time Super Bowl champ with the Patriots will not be taking in a Pats game at Gillette Stadium this weekend.
Branch will instead be enjoying an incredibly unique opportunity, serving as Louisville's interim head coach for Saturday's Wasabi Bowl at Fenway Park against rival Cincinnati. He joined his alma mater last January as the school's director of player development, and didn't really consider coaching in his future.
But that changed a few weeks ago, when Scott Satterfield left the Cardinals for the Bearcats. In need of a head coach for the upcoming bowl game, Louisville turned to Branch.
Branch wasn't sure if he could handle head coaching duties, and he saw a staff full of qualified coaches already at Louisville. But he took the job because of the student athletes and their commitment to the team.
"Given the situation with the coaches, this is an unusual predicament to be in. But first and foremost, our guys have embraced the moment taken full advantage of the opportunities. I'm expecting a great game tomorrow. Not a good one – a great one," Branch said in Boston on Friday.
This is quite the incredible opportunity for Branch. Not only is he back with his alma mater, but he's about to coach the Cardinals in a bowl game against their biggest rivals, with the Louisville-Cincinnati rivalry dating back to 1929. And while the game won't be played on the Gillette Stadium field where Branch racked up a ton of big catches for the Patriots, it will be just as special to roam the sideline at the historic Fenway Park.
Don't be surprised if a handful of No. 83 Patriots jerseys are in the stands come Saturday.
With no head coaching experience, Branch has leaned heavily on everything that he learned from his head coaches during his playing days. Of course, that includes future Hall of Famer Bill Belichick in New England. (Maybe Branch will even rock a hoody on the sidelines on Saturday.)
"Everything that I have been doing from the moment I took this job, everything is from all my coaches – coach Belichick, coach [Mike] Holgrem, coach John L. Smith from Louisville. The beauty is I get to give these guys all the resources within two weeks," Branch explained. "It's a lot of information, and they've been doing a great job receiving everything I've been giving them. We'll see what happens tomorrow."
Branch praised the assistants in place at Louisville for helping him and the players prepare over the last few weeks.
"After this game, every last one of the coaches on this staff should be hired for a job. They're doing an amazing job given the circumstances and they're all here for these young men," said Branch. "I couldn't be more proud with the guys I've had an opportunity to work with, and that is what is most important about this game."
This will be the first meeting between Louisville and Cincinnati since 2013, which the Cardinals won 31-24. The Bearcats lead the overall series 30-22-1.
The Cardinals won five of their last seven games this season to finish the year at 7-5, and now they have their sights set on winning the "Keg of Nails" against the Bearcats.
"We're going to have a lot of fun and you're going to see some great things," Branch said Friday. "These guys are going lay it all out on the field and I'm excited to be a part of it."
