Steve Jones

@stevejones_cj

University of Louisville sophomore cornerback Cornelius Sturghill will miss the season as he recovers from being shot in the foot this summer during a drive-by shooting in his hometown of Memphis, coach Bobby Petrino announced Saturday.

"He was walking down the street," Petrino said. "There was a drive-by shooting, and he took off and ran. He all the sudden fell to the ground, and there was a bullet that hit his foot."

Petrino said a surgery to repair the bone in Sturghill's foot went well, but "it'll be a process" for him to recover. The coach hopes the Memphis Melrose High School grad can return for spring practice.

"It's a really sad deal," Petrino said. "He wasn't going to go home, then he decided to go home. It's the timing of life sometimes, I guess. It's really a shame for him because he's worked so hard."

Sturghill, who converted from wide receiver to cornerback last year, saw limited playing time in 2015 but was timed as the fastest player on U of L's team this spring, running a remarkable 4.20 second 40-yard dash on the track.

"You hope he comes back and gets it all back," Petrino said.

Petrino said he spoke to Sturghill's mother the night he'd been shot and was relieved to hear that his injuries weren't life-threatening.

"He's a great young man," the coach said.

Petrino said Sturghill had returned to summer school after the incident and done well in class.

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"I was sad for the kid and sad for the team because he was going to contribute," secondary coach Keith Heyward said. "His spirits are good. I know he's disappointed, but his spirits are good. As much as I can, I try to make him feel like he's still involved and part of the group. He's not part of our 105 who reported to camp, but when I've seen him, he's been good."

Sturghill gave Petrino a signing day victory in the coach's first recruiting class in 2014, flipping his commitment from Wisconsin to the Cardinals. He redshirted in 2014, then appeared in seven games on special teams last season, including two games as a punt returner midseason while starter Jaire Alexander was out.

"You feel bad for the young man because he worked hard in the spring," defensive coordinator Todd Grantham said. "It was an unfortunate incident. He's going to work hard and recover, and he'll be back next year. For him, it's going to be about next year and getting better."