Stuck forwarded this along last night, and I figured it deserved a mention on RBR this morning. Former Alabama defensive coordinator Carl Torbush has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and has decided to retire from coaching. Per the official Kansas athletics website:
Due to health reasons, Carl Torbush announced Tuesday he is retiring from the University of Kansas and college football. Torbush, who served as KU's defensive coordinator/linebackers coach, was recently diagnosed with low grade prostate cancer. He will be having surgery in the near future and expects a full recovery.
"Coach Torbush has decided to retire as defensive coordinator of the University of Kansas football program due to health reasons," said Kansas head coach Turner Gill. "On behalf of the entire KU family, we want to let him know that he and his family are in our prayers. Our hope for him is a successful recovery and an enjoyable retirement from football.
If you will remember correctly, Torbush was hired by then-Alabama head coach Dennis Franchione shortly after arriving in Tuscaloosa. Torbush was the defensive coordinator in 2001 and 2002 before leaving with Fran for College Station. And in all fairness to Torbush, while the 2001 pass defense was easily the worst I've ever seen at Alabama, he rebounded the following year and the defense was in many ways the backbone of a team that won ten games. In fact, Torbush even lobbied hard for the head coaching job at 'Bama after Franchione left, but quickly flew west once he realized he was not a viable candidate.
Regardless, Torbush was generally always well liked and at times did some good work in Tuscaloosa, and clearly this is the last thing you ever want to hear about anyone. Thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family in what is surely a difficult time for all those involved. Hope for the best, I suppose.